The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society celebrated the return of Richard Atkinson, who canoed around Britain to raise £1,000 for the charity. Mr Atkinson, 31, spent four months alone at sea, travelling from Spey Bay in Scotland round the British coastline to the WDCS Scottish Office.

The head office welcomed his return today with a party and gifts. A WDCS spokesman said: "He is a remarkable man and he has set a new world record. We just wanted to say thank you to him for all his efforts." Mr Atkinson, from Billericay, Essex, has been canoeing since the age of 13.

Firefighters were called out to tackle a car on fire in a field off Pembroke Road, Pewsham, at about 4am on Monday. The car was destroyed.

The Beaten Track caf at Chippenham railway station is hosting an exhibition by Wiltshire artist Keith Newstead. More widely known as a sculptor, Mr Newstead has a keen interest in creating paintings which use colour to capture seasons, textures or moods. The exhibition will run throughout September.

: A planning inspector threw out an appeal against North Wiltshire District Council for refusing permission to build three new homes near Monkton House. The inspector decided the proposed development would spoil views of Monkton House in its parkland setting.

Residents are planning to create an off-street car park on a grassed area in front of their homes in Redland, but planners fear it would spoil the appearance of the area and be a danger to traffic. Members of North Wiltshire District Council's development control committee was to consider the application at its meeting on Wednesday.

The world's biggest coffee morning comes to Chippenham next week to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Relief. The Britannia Building Society in Market Place, Chippenham, will be serving coffee tea, cakes and biscuits between 10am and 12 noon on Friday September 27.