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NHS at 75: How the service has shaped the West of England

As the NHS celebrates its 75th anniversary, the BBC looks at how the health service impacted the West.

History was made in Bristol when the first IVF baby, Louise Brown, was born in 1978.

And Finley from Wiltshire was the first person to have stem cells injected, to save his heart.

Video Journalist: Alexander Howick

5 July 2023

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A woman polished a large Gromit statue at the launch of the Gromit Unleashed 3 trail in Bristol. The statue has a multicoloured sparkly pattern. The woman is wearing a red and white shirt and a black dress over the top and she has red hair cut in a bob style

Aardman unveils new Wallace and Gromit trail

Emma, who has blonde hair and is wearing a black top, is sitting in front of a purple screen

MAFS' Emma shares her thoughts on dating Nathan

Riley Tolliver being arrested

Watch: Moment men are arrested after fatal stabbing

Timothy West. He is pictured looking up and away from the camera.

Late actor had strong connections to West Country

Luna pictured in her buzz lightyear suit. She is looking directly at the cameral and is also wearing a red lanyard around her neck.

Buzz Lightyear fan raises £1k for food bank

gamer

Gamer role introduced in children's hospital

Glasgow & West Scotland

Bristol Rovers player launches mental health walk

A compilation picture of Andrea Byrne speaking in front of a microphone in the radio studio and beside it is a picture of Andrea Byrne and her husband

Infertility: I felt husband would be better off without me

Payne's death a 'shock' says former pier manager

A singer singing into a microphone wearing a glittery headpiece which covers their face.

'I don't want my face as part of my music process'

A woman doing acrobatics above a toy horse

'We turned city's empty spaces into playgrounds'

Ambualnces in a hospital car park

Waiting eight hours in an ambulance in hospital car park

Henry performing a BMX stunt

BMX rider, 8, could soon be crowned world champion

Ainara Pederoso

'Sorry, but we won't be treating you'

UK prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer walking with Laura Kuenssberg

Watch: PM Starmer on riots, fuel payments and Grenfell

The Bristol Brabazon

The luxury plane that took flight 75 years ago

Zombie knife

Watch: Police chase zombie knife suspects in Bristol

A man proposes to his partner while Joe Sims interviews them for BBC Radio Bristol

Couple get engaged at Bristol Balloon Fiesta

Hot air balloons light up their burners in the dark at the Bristol Balloon Fiesta

Night glow lights up dark skies at balloon fiesta

A man stands against a green door shutter. He is wearing a dark jacket and red cap

'Bristolians will not allow chaos'

Funeral of Ivor Gardner

Wiltshire D-Day veteran dies aged 104

He fought his way into Germany before guarding prisoners of war, only returning home in 1946.

Salisbury Cathedral as the backdrop to illuminations

Stunning Illumination showcase returns to Cathedral

The installation explores humanity’s connection with time through soundscapes and visual display.

view from the spire of Salisbury Cathedral

Changing the bulb on UK's tallest cathedral spire

Staff climb more than 400ft to change the Salisbury Cathedral spire light bulb every four years.

Two parrots looking at eachother

Couple love showing people their 20 rescued parrots

David and Gill Vickery give a home to a host of birds after taking in two cockatiels 40 years ago.

A man and a woman dressed in Regency clothing. He is wearing a purple tunic with gold buttons, and she has a pink and white dress on with a blue frilly bonnet.

Jane Austen fans step back in time for festival

Regency costumes and afternoon tea for fans from around the world at annual gathering.

Lyneham Banks in Wiltshire. The road is wonky with fallen trees after a landslip.

Repair work begins on Wiltshire's 'wonkiest road'

The construction team working on the road say it is a "challenging" task.

Two skydivers prepare to jump from a plane above countryside on a sunny day

Skydivers take on Armed Forces Championships

More than 100 skydivers are competing for medals in the skies over Wiltshire.

Dan Thomas sitting on a tattoo couch holding the leg of his shorts up to show the tattoo, which is the Euros cup with the words: "England Euro 2024 Winners"

England fan admits Euro winners tattoo is 'bonkers'

But Dan Thomas says he is confident the Three Lions will win at Euro 2028.

Brian Matthews

New Lib Dem MP says party will be 'tail wagging Labour dog'

Brian Matthew is the new MP for the Devizes and Melksham constituency.

Man holding hand up to face while holding mobile phone and drink can

'What is wrong with you?' - Tory team object to filming

Members of the former Chippenham MP's team attempted to stop cameras filming her departure.

Robert Buckland

Former MP 'fed up with performance art politics'

Former MP Robert Buckland said he wanted the Conservatives to get back to 'doing stuff well'

A crowd watches a brass band play on the lawn of a hospice in Wiltshire.

Royal Marine musicians play for bandmate 'one last time'

The Royal Marine Band plays for one of its band members Sophie, who is terminally ill.

Doris sitting on a bench

'I'm doing it for the residents' - woman, 100, walking laps of care home

Doris Maslen, a resident at Marden Court in Calne, Wiltshire, walks up to two laps a day.

The sun visible at sunset through one of the structures at stonehenge

Stonehenge celebration takes place after powder paint protest

English Heritage say they removed the paint ahead of thousands of people celebrating the summer solstice.

Summer solstice at Stonehenge

'It's a spiritual experience, completely moving'

Summer solstice is one of the rare occasions when visitors can touch the stones.

Domenico Mazzotta is celebrating 50 years of serving ice creams to the people of Wiltshire.

Celebrating 50 years of serving ice cream

Domenico Mazzotta is celebrating five decades of serving summer treats to the people of Wiltshire.

A view of a police dashcam with a small motorbike in the distance on a rural road

Biker avoids jail after 120mph rush-hour chase

Dashcam footage shows a motorcyclist travelling down the road at speeds in excess of 120mph.

Tiger looking towards the camera with two cubs between her front legs

Rare tiger cubs born at safari park

New Amur tiger cubs at Longleat Safari Park give a vital boost to the European breeding programme.

Diana Dors statue

Britain's blonde bombshell remembered 40 years on

The actress, who was seen as the British Marilyn Monroe, died in 1984 aged 52.

Splash park image

New splash park will be 'better than ever'

The new splash park will cost £475,000 but will not involve an upgrade to its ancient changing rooms.