Friday 12th September

Friday, 12 September 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

One of Somerset's most prominent horse trainers says planned tax increases on remote betting could be a ‘nail in the coffin’ for horse racing. An Ilchester man has been arrested in connection with a burglary in West Dorset. Somerset Council’s Chief Executive and other senior officers have been given a 3.2% pay rise...and more

One of Somerset's most prominent horse trainers, Joe Tizzard, says government plans to increase taxes on remote betting could be a ‘nail in the coffin’ for horse racing. It follows this week’s historic strike by British Horse Racing in protest at the planned tax rises.

An Ilchester man has been arrested in connection with a burglary in West Dorset. The man, who’s 28, was detained by officers from the Dorset Police Rural Crimes Team in connection with several thefts in West Dorset. He has since been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Somerset Council’s Chief Executive, Duncan Sharkey, and other senior officers have been given a 3.2 per cent pay rise, backdated to April. Mr Sharkey’s earnings will rise from £200,870 a year to £213,500 a year. Earnings by Executive directors at Somerset Council will rise to £158,670 a year.

A contractor has been appointed to refurbish Yeovil Police Station. Avon and Somerset Police say TCi (GB) will carry out the modernisation of the building on Horsey Lane. A new vehicle workshop will be built to replace the existing on-site facility. A new external staircase will also be constructed so the station complies with modern fire safety standards. No date has been given for when the work will start.

A community choir in Chard is appealing for new members. 'Meeting Voices' practice in the Guildhall on Wednesday nights. Prior experience or the ability to read music is not required to become a member of the choir.

Somerset-based ready meals producer, Charlie Bigham, has been thanked for helping to tidy up land alongside the Strawberry rail line near Wells. Every Friday, Charlie Bingham employees trim hedges, clear paths, and pick up litter along a 10-mile stretch of the converted railway track. The Strawberry Line Society says help of this kind is vital to keeping trains running on the line.

More from News

Friday 12th June

It's claimed the increasing availability of drugs such as ketamine and cocaine has normalised drug use among young people in Somerset. The trial of a man accused of killing his one-month-old son in Chard begins today at Bristol Crown Court. A stone pillar outside the Langport Arms Hotel in Langport has been replaced after it was destroyed in a car crash... and more
Thursday 11th June

Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the three aircrew from RNAS Yeovilton who died in last week's helicopter crash in Devon. Two men have been arrested and stolen vehicles seized following a major multi-agency operation in South Somerset. An event highlighting opportunities for women in the aerospace industry has been held in Yeovil... and more
Wednesday 10th June

The public will be consulted on how best to spend fifty million pounds of government funding to tackle flooding in Somerset. Avon and Somerset Police are backing a new road safety campaign aimed at reducing motorcycle fatalities. New welcome signs have been installed at entrances to the Mendip Hills National Landscape... and more
Tuesday 9th June

The government has announced a £50 million investment to strengthen Somerset’s flood defences. A woman from Stoke-sub-Hamdon has been banned from driving for 14 months after admitting drink-driving. Somerset Council has been told it must improve its adult social care services... and more
Monday 8th June

Plans for a new railway station in Langport remain stalled in Whitehall, according to Somerset Council. Plans to build 50 new homes in Broadway, near Ilminster, have been refused. The new water fountains in Yeovil’s Triangle, in Lower Middle Street, are being switched off during very hot weather because of safety concerns... and more.
Friday 5th June

A new NHS dental practice in Crewkerne says it won’t start operating at full capacity until July due to staff shortages. Somerset Council says it has no plans to show England matches in the World Cup on the Big Screen in Yeovil town centre due to safety concerns. A Somerset family has been thanked after completing a 73-mile walk raising money for a third world charity... and more
Thursday 4th June

An investigation continues today into the crash of a Royal Navy helicopter, based at RNAS Yeovilton, in which all three aircrew were killed. Somerset Council has confirmed that a new operator will take over several leisure centres across the county. The new live-action Masters of the Universe movie, filmed in Somerset, is released this week...and more
Wednesday 3rd June

A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with assaulting three police officers. Somerset Council has begun legal action to recover more than £320,000 owed by housing developers. The line-up has been announced for this year’s Ilminster Midsummer Experience...and more