Bristol in pictures: Rugby, a new train station and street art

The big rugby union derby at Ashton Gate on Friday night may not have gone Bristol’s way, but the more than 17,000 fans who saw it certainly got their money’s worth.

It was a pivotal week for commuters in parts of north Bristol with the opening of the new Ashley Down station, and Halloween preparations continue in and around the city.

A rainbow spied over one of the city’s hidden paradises also generated a stunning picture, and there was the small matter of what may well be the biggest entertainment venue in the city officially opening.

A thriller at the Gate: Bristol Bears and Gloucester contested an incredible derby at Ashton Gate on Friday night, with the visitors edging a high-scoring contest 44-41. Richard Lane (above) was one of the Bristol players to cross the line in the tryfest.

All aboard: Bristol Ferry Boat vessels are a familiar sight to many as they criss-cross the harbour. This week the company announced a new initiative where from November to February, it will offer a free harbour tour once a week to local community groups that work with and support Bristol residents.

Many hands make light work: Staff at Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm just outside Bristol have been harvesting about 10,000 pumpkins, which have been sustainably grown using the zoo’s elephant and rhino dung as soil enrichment fertiliser.

A peaceful haven: Henleaze Lake, a former quarry, is a members-only green oasis on the border of Henleaze and Southmead. In the summer it’s a respite from the city heat, but the swimming does not stop with the arrival of winter, with hardier souls continuing to brave the waters despite the dropping temperatures. Alison Kay took this picture of a rainbow over the lake, which opened in 1919.

Catching up: Just two Bristol lads shooting the breeze. Bristol Bears and England player Ellis Genge met up with BBC Radio Bristol presenter and actor Joe Sims in Knowle after Genge signed a new contract with his hometown club. You can check out their chat here.

Wait is over: The new station at Ashley Down comes after the Portway Park and Ride Station opened in the summer of 2023, becoming the first new station in the city for a century.

Are you ready? Talking of openings, the venue that promises to be the biggest in the city officially opened this weekend. The Prospect Building, a short walk from Temple Meads on Feeder Road, spans 25,000 sq ft and has multiple spaces inside. Operated by AMAAD, the team behind festivals such as Junction 2 and Love Supreme, it’s planned to make it a key hub for music, arts and events in the heart of the city.

Then the rain came: Flooding has been a theme this week, from the M5 being shut and motorists stranded to the usual spots in the city, such as the Lawrence Hill roundabout underpass (above), flooding.

Recognition: Detective Stuart Brooks was named Detective of the Year at the inaugural Avon and Somerset Police Federation Recognition Awards. One of DC Brooks’ colleagues said he was “the best detective I’ve ever worked with”.

One of his big cases was securing the conviction of a former prison officer who had physically abused dozens of children at the juvenile detention centre Eastwood Park in the 1970s and 1980s.

Grand ambitions: The thousands of players who have kickabouts at the Goals five-a-side centres in north and south Bristol play on pitches named after world-famous stadiums such as Wembley and the Maracana, or here – in Brislington – the Nou Camp. Steve Moore and mates tried their best to be their own version of Lionel Messi on Thursday.

Street art: Two new creations appeared in Bristol on Wednesday, this red teddy bear swinging below Gaol Ferry Bridge, which links the north and south of the city over the River Avon, and a child wearing a “dunce” cap, perched on a building high over Stokes Croft. Artist James Colomina explained his thinking behind the two pieces.

Drilling down: Plans for a new health hub in Bedminster have been approved. The redevelopment of the former HSBC, the pharmacy and the former William Hill bookies will create a new home for Omega Dental, creating a possible 2,000 new patient places.