Weekly round-up: Stories you may have missed

10 hours ago

A new home was found for bats at Jersey Zoo

Jersey Zoo A Livingstone fruit bat looking up at the camera. It has small brown eyes. — A new home was found for bats at Jersey Zoo

Jersey Zoo's bats were on the move, an island vicar walked 500 miles in a 28 day pilgrimage and May temperature records were broken in both Guernsey and Jersey.

Here is our selection of stories from the Channel Islands that you may have missed from the past week.

Construction on first small animal hospital begins

Four clinical directors at Isabelle Vets (L-R): Sarah-Jane Heathcote, Doreen Munn-Litten, Kiara Mills and Mairi Le Cocq with dogs Winston and Findlay

Isabelle Vets Four women in high viz tops and white hard hats, with two black labradors — Four clinical directors at Isabelle Vets (L-R): Sarah-Jane Heathcote, Doreen Munn-Litten, Kiara Mills and Mairi Le Cocq with dogs Winston and Findlay

Guernsey's oldest veterinary practice announced work was under way to create the island's first small animal hospital for pets and horses.

Isabelle Vets said construction work had started at an industrial unit at Garenne Park, St Sampson.

Once complete the practice said it would apply to the Veterinary Surgeons for RCVS Small Animal Veterinary Hospital accreditation.

Vicar walks 500 miles in 28-day pilgrimage

Mother Samantha Martell took on the Camino Frances

A person wearing a denim vest and striped top stands outdoors in front of a house and greenery on a sunny day. — Mother Samantha Martell took on the Camino Frances

A vicar from Alderney swapped parish life for one of the world's toughest pilgrim routes, walking about 500 miles (800km) across Spain in just under a month.

Mother Samantha Martell took on the route which stretches from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

"I've always wanted to do it," said Martell who completed it in 28 days.

Crowds come together to celebrate Africa Week

Lainah Pentilla wants to show Jersey is a welcoming island to others

Crowds gathered in the Royal Square in Jersey to mark Africa Week in the island.

The charity Friends of Africa hosted events through the week to share the continent's culture with the wider community.

As part of the campaign, Friends of Africa helped to set up food stalls, fashion displays and music performances for the public in St Helier.

Temperature record broken for third day in a row

The May temperature records for both Jersey and Guernsey have been broken for the third day in a row

A picture of a sunny St Brelade beach. It shows people relaxing under umbrellas and walking along the shore. The sea and green cliffs are visible in the background. — The May temperature records for both Jersey and Guernsey have been broken for the third day in a row

The Channel Islands broke its temperature record for the hottest May day for the third day in a row.

Temperatures climbed to 34.2C (93.56F) in Jersey and Guernsey 31.5C (88.7F).

Dave Rigby, senior forecaster at Jersey Met, said the heatwave was the earliest the islands had ever had and it was "very unusual" to get three days in a row where temperatures continued to rise.

Later on, Jersey Met said the island had its first five-day spell of temperatures of at least 30C (86F) since records began in 1894.

Zoo relocates bats to 'fantastic' new homes

Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust said some of its bats had already found new homes.

Jersey Zoo announced it had found homes for its Livingstone's fruit bats.

In October last year the owner of the zoo, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, said it was looking for new homes for its colony of bats after weighing up the benefits of repairing its bat tunnel.

The trust said the new homes for the bats included existing holders BioTropica in France and Pairi Daiza in Belgium, as well as new holders across Europe.

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