August began with the exciting news that three large Southampton colleges were merging under the same banner.

Southampton City College, Eastleigh College and Fareham College were all united under the title of the South Hampshire College Group.

The college merger was followed by the four-year sentencing of a Royal Mail lorry driver, Stefan-Alexandru Bloj, on August 2, after he fell asleep at the wheel while driving down the M271.

The incident resulted in the tragic death of a grandfather of six, David Sullivan.

Two days later, the devastating news was revealed that Southampton father, Christien Hurley, died just a month after his lung cancer diagnosis – a tribute was paid to him by fiancée Abbie.

On August 9, Network Rail was fined more than £1.2m after Kevin Mauger was crushed to death while cleaning a welding machine at the Eastleigh railway depot.

Two days later a major man hunt was launched to find convicted robber Anthony Arnold. 

He escaped police custody at Southampton General Hospital, where he was receiving treatment.

Adding to the list of Southampton criminals sentenced in August, Kyle McGailey was jailed for 20 weeks after throwing a cat down a flight of stairs at a Fair Oak home.

In education news, on August 23 it was revealed that Southampton would have an all-new engineering college in 2025 – and exciting prospect for Southampton students.

The day after our reporters were still speaking to students in that perennial staple of local newspapers - GCSE results day.

This was swiftly followed by residents in Mandela Way shaking their fists at the council for not taking away rubbish after finding out their bins were being used as a “24-hour buffet” for a group of rats.

Bringing the month to a close, the Echo saw a group of neighbours band together in order to criticize some ineffective bollards on Johns Road in Woolston.