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July 26, 2026

Cocaine worth nearly £20m found in banana shipment

Good Morning Reading — 2026-07-26

A Hampshire Police and Thames Valley Police specialist unit helped move the drugs to a secure location.
Good Morning Reading
Morning briefing · 19 min read

Good Morning Reading

Reading and Wokingham before breakfast

Sunday 26 July 2026 Reading and Wokingham before breakfast · Your Sunday local briefing
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Lead Story
Cocaine worth nearly £20m found in banana shipment

Cocaine worth nearly £20m found in banana shipment

• A Hampshire Police and Thames Valley Police specialist unit helped move the drugs to a secure location.

Almanac · Daily readings

Today in Reading and Wokingham corridor

Conditions in your area this morning.

Reading
19°C
Overcast · High 23° · Low 18°
Wind
11mph
Moderate
Daylight
05:19
Sunrise · Sunset 21:01
Sources
31
checked for today
Local news · 11 stories

The local news that matters this morning

Here's the local news from the past 24 hours, made easy to digest.

Parents warned as hundreds of squishy toys seized
BBC Berkshire local news RSS feed · today

Parents warned as hundreds of squishy toys seized

• Reading Trading Standards officers impounded more than 320 toys last week, the council says.

Natural History Museum's new storage facility
BBC Berkshire local news RSS feed · today

Natural History Museum's new storage facility

• BBC Radio Berkshire goes behind the scenes to see the new facility being built in Shinfield.

Reading Chronicle news · today

Vital repairs approved for historic Caversham Court Gardens

• Source check from Reading Chronicle news: "Vital repairs approved for historic Caversham Court Gardens" is included in this local briefing because it may affect residents, records, services, travel, planning, events or local decisions.

New Peer-Learning Group for Thames Valley CEOs Launches Thanks to a Chamber Connection
Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce RSS feed · today

New Peer-Learning Group for Thames Valley CEOs Launches Thanks to a Chamber Connection

• A new peer-learning group for CEOs and business leaders in Reading and the wider Thames Valley launched last week, and it owes its existence to a Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce networking event.
• Executive coaches Hilary Rowland and Richard Catt met for the first time at a Chamber networking event earlier this year.
• They hit… The post New Peer-Learning Group for Thames Valley CEOs Launches Thanks to a Chamber Connection first appeared on Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Launches Ten-Point Plan to Unlock Thames Valley Growth
Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce RSS feed · today

Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Launches Ten-Point Plan to Unlock Thames Valley Growth

• Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce (TVCC) has set out a ten-point plan to unlock the full potential of the Thames Valley economy.
• The plan outlines priorities to strengthen business confidence and ensure that the UK’s true turbo economy, and one of the UK’s most productive economies, remains central to the nation’s future growth.
• Representing thousands of businesses… The post Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Launches Ten-Point Plan to Unlock Thames Valley Growth first appeared on Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Reading Chronicle news · today

New eco‑friendly playground opens at Berkshire housing development

• Source check from Reading Chronicle news: "New eco‑friendly playground opens at Berkshire housing development" is included in this local briefing because it may affect residents, records, services, travel, planning, events or local decisions.

Reading Chronicle news · today

Volunteer group welcoming visitors to Reading celebrates 5th anniversary

• Source check from Reading Chronicle news: "Volunteer group welcoming visitors to Reading celebrates 5th anniversary" is included in this local briefing because it may affect residents, records, services, travel, planning, events or local decisions.

Field Seymour Parkes Named Among the South East’s Most Recommended Law Firms in New Legal 500 Research
Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce RSS feed · today

Field Seymour Parkes Named Among the South East’s Most Recommended Law Firms in New Legal 500 Research

• Field Seymour Parkes (FSP) has been recognised as one of the South East’s most recommended law firms in new research published by Legal 500, ranking fourth in the region based on client Net Promoter Score (NPS).
• The research, which draws on feedback from nearly 20,000 law firm clients as part of Legal 500’s annual assessment… The post Field Seymour Parkes Named Among the South East’s Most Recommended Law Firms in New Legal 500 Research first appeared on Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Abbey Quarter BID · today

Training and upskilling

• Reading’s Business Improvement Districts enhance the town centre, making it cleaner, safer & more attractive for 900+ businesses in Central & Abbey Quarter.

Abbey Quarter BID · today

Business Directory

• Reading’s Business Improvement Districts enhance the town centre, making it cleaner, safer & more attractive for 900+ businesses in Central & Abbey Quarter.

Abbey Quarter BID · today

Business networking

• Reading’s Business Improvement Districts enhance the town centre, making it cleaner, safer & more attractive for 900+ businesses in Central & Abbey Quarter.

Local utility · Practical note

Daily source desk

Primary sources checked for today's edition. Use these links to verify records, consultations, travel changes and local service updates.

Resident Desk · official

Public notices and resident checks

Council, planning, travel and official-source items that make this edition useful beyond the headlines.

Official notice: GWR live network updates. Checked today for council records, public notices, consultations, transport changes, openings or service disruption. Open source ->Official notice: Reading Borough Council news. Checked today for council records, public notices, consultations, transport changes, openings or service disruption. Open source ->Official notice: Reading Borough Council democracy records. Checked today for council records, public notices, consultations, transport changes, openings or service disruption. Open source ->Official notice: Reading one.network roadworks map. Checked today for council records, public notices, consultations, transport changes, openings or service disruption. Open source ->Official notice: Wokingham Borough Council news. Checked today for council records, public notices, consultations, transport changes, openings or service disruption. Open source ->
What's On · 8 items

What's on: next 7 days

A quick-view of 8 priority public listings from 8 tracked events over the next 7 days. Tap any item for the source and full details.

Sun 26 Jul · Englefield Estate · AllEvents Reading what's on. Heritage Live: UB40 featuring Ali CampbellSun 26 Jul · Englefield House · AllEvents Reading what's on. HERITAGE LIVE: UB40 ft Ali CampbellSun 26 Jul · Englefield, Reading, United Kingdom · AllEvents Reading what's on. UB40 ft Ali Campbell +Bitty McLean + Gentleman's Dub Club + General Levy + Bushman + Channel OneSun 26 Jul · Spill Bar · Reading Arts what's on. Live Music at SpillSun 26 Jul · Thames RiverCruise · Reading Arts what's on. NEW! for 2026 Sunday 2.5 hour ONE way trip from Goring to Caversham Pier CruiseSun 26 Jul · Thames RiverCruise · Reading Arts what's on. NEW! Goring 60 Minute round tripsSun 26 Jul · Reading Business Improvement District (BID) · Reading Arts what's on. Reading Dino TrailSun 26 Jul · Thames RiverCruise · Reading Arts what's on. River Trips from Caversham
Weekly Poll

Resident pulse

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  • Council and public services
  • Transport and disruption
  • Events and community life
  • Planning and official notices

On This Day · local fact

Did you know? · Reading

The Maiwand Lion in Reading's Forbury Gardens, unveiled in December 1886, commemorates 329 men of the 66th (Berkshire) Regiment killed in the Second Anglo-Afghan War.

Source →

Local picks · Amazon affiliate

Local picks on Amazon

Three local-interest Amazon UK searches for Reading readers, rotating daily.

WH
Local pick 1 · Wokingham

Wokingham History

Amazon UK search for Wokingham history using the newsletter affiliate tag.

Search Amazon UK →
WW
Local pick 2 · Woodley and Winnersh

Wokingham Walking Map

Amazon UK search for Wokingham walking maps using the newsletter affiliate tag.

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RH
Local pick 3 · Reading

Reading History Book

Amazon UK search for Reading local history using the newsletter affiliate tag.

Search Amazon UK →

As an Amazon Associate, qualifying purchases may earn commission once affiliate links are live. Affiliate tag: productli0e7f-21.

Until tomorrow morning Have a lovely day.
EST
2024
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No. 937 · 26 July 2026
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