WE have rounded up some of Reading's most shocking, eye-opening and important stories from the past week.
Here are a few of the most significant stories readers should be aware of:
1. Covid outbreaks at Ikea and B&Q stores
Homeware store Ikea, based at Pincents Kiln Industrial Park, confirmed on Wednesday (November 18) that 13 employees had tested positive for Covid-19, with a further 60 also self isolating.
Kim Chin-Sung, Ikea Reading Market Manager, said: "Shortly after this, other co-workers began receiving alerts from the NHS Track and Trace System in the normal way, and were immediately sent home to self-isolate on full pay.
"In line with government guidance, our store is closed to customers and is operating a contactless Click & Collect service.
"As an additional precaution we have significantly reduced our operation on-site."
Two staff members at DIY store B&Q, at Reading Gate Retail Park, Acre Road, also tested positive for the virus this week.
As an essential retailer, the store has reopened to the public following a deep clean.
2. School plans to sell land to fund sports centre and 3G pitch
A school in Reading could sell part of its land to fund a sports centre, as well as a 3G pitch which would be available to the public.
Reading School says its current sports facilities at Erleigh Road and Morgan Road fall short of modern standards and it currently has no sports centre at the school.
The school wants to sell part of the playing fields it owns at Morgan Road to fund a new sports centre at the main Erleigh Road campus, as well as new facilities at Morgan Road Playing Fields.
3. 'Brave' woman flees house to call police as home is ransacked by masked men armed with gun
A woman in her sixties fled her house to call police after two masked and armed offenders ransacked her home demanding cash in a terrifying incident.
Thames Valley Police said the burglary occurred in Woodley at a property in Clivedale Road.
It happened on Monday (November 16) between 6pm and 6.35pm.
4. Plans to shut care home and move all residents during pandemic announced
Plans to close a run-down care home in Thatcham are expected to be approved.
West Berkshire Council is looking to close Walnut Close Care Home to save £330,000 a year and move the 17 residents and 25 full-time staff to the three other care homes it runs.
5. Covid: Reading areas with the MOST and LEAST cases by week
A new update showed which areas in Reading has the most cases, according to the most recent week.
According to a Gov.UK map showing weekly increases and decreases in cases by area, four new parts of town have become 'high case areas'.
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