Newbury College achieved a 97% pass rate in their GCSE exam results, released today. The Monks Lane college is running an advice clinic on Friday 27th and Tuesday 31st to discuss career plans with teenagers and adult learners.

Funnell vision

Two Olympic medallists will be showing off their skills in Newbury over the weekend. Equestrian champions Pippa Funnell, who won bronze and Athens last week, and William Fox-Pitt (silver), will take part in horse trials at Highclere on Sunday and Monday. More than 900 horses are expected, tickets are £8-£10, and doors open at 8.30am.

Youth event

Church leaders and youth workers are laying on a barbecue to entice teenagers in Wash Common to talk about their problems. The sessions begin tomorrow at St Georges Church, Andover Road.

Sky’s the limit

Plans to raise the roof of the Newbury Weekly News building have been approved by town planners. The publisher is installing a new press, which needs more headroom. Town hall politicians had objected, but were overruled by planners.

Car park flats get thumbs down

Plans to turn the Randstad car park at the top of Strawberry Hill into four flats have been vetoed by town planners. However, the company was cleared to turn its offices in Oxford Road into 13 flats.