Friday 16th May

Friday, 16 May 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A Wincanton woman, who is due to give birth with her first child at Yeovil Hospital, says she’s been left in shock after being told the maternity unit in the town is to close. A South Petherton man has appeared in court charged with riding a motorbike while under the influence of drugs. One of Ilminster’s oldest residents has died aged 104...and more

A Wincanton woman who is due to give birth with her first child at Yeovil Hospital says she's been left shocked after being told the maternity unit in Yeovil is closing due to safety concerns. Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has apologised for the sudden shutdown that will see the baby unit at Yeovil Hospital close on Monday for an initial period of six months. The decision follows an inspection by the Care Quality Commission that identified safety issues and staff shortages within the unit. Jem, who is 29 weeks pregnant, says at this stage, she does not know which hospital she will use to have her baby.

A South Petherton man has appeared in court charged with riding a motorbike while under the influence of drugs. Appearing before magistrates in Yeovil, Liam Kingsnorth, aged 19, of Mere Lynches in South Petherton, admitted being in possession of crack cocaine and cannabis when he was stopped by police in Martock following a car chase. Kingsnorth was also given a twelve-month community order with 80 hours of unpaid work.

One of Ilminster's oldest residents, Bill Lawson, has died at the age of 104. Bill, who served in the RAF during World War Two, worked most of his life in local government and, in retirement, lived in Ilminster. He was involved with the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans. A Memorial Service for Bill Lawson will be held at The Minster Church on Tuesday, June 10th, at 2 pm.

Marcus Stewart has left Yeovil Town following his diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease (MND). The former player, and more recently Head of Player Development at Huish Park, was diagnosed with MND in 2022. In a statement, Yeovil Town thanked Marcus for his contributions on and off the pitch and said he remains a cherished part of the club's history.

Yeovil's Mayor, Tony Lock, officially opened a new baby unit at a Yeovil nursery. The addition of the unit and a new garden area is part of a major upgrade of facilities at the Happy Days Nurseries, formerly known as Yew Tree Nursery, on Forest Hill in Yeovil.

More from News

Friday 13th March

The first of the new medium lift helicopters being built by Leonardo in Yeovil for the RAF will be delivered in 2031. Somerset Council has launched a public consultation on planned new charges at its two hundred public car parks. More women in Somerset are said to be taking up walking football... and more
Thursday 12th March

A Yeovil headteacher says he’s concerned about plans to stop giving school holiday food vouchers to families on low incomes. The owner of Yeovil Town is calling on fans to be patient as he continues his overhaul of the National League side. A high voltage fault is being blamed for plunging 1700 homes into darkness in the Ilminster area... and more
Wednesday 11th March

Plans have been submitted to convert two properties in Yeovil into houses of multiple occupation. A new court date has been announced for a Yeovil man charged with attempted murder. An engineer who has worked at the Leonardo factory in Yeovil for 40-years has won a top industry award... and more
Tuesday 10th March

Police say a fire at the former Oscar Mayer food factory in Chard was started deliberately. Yeovil College says it would have been adversely affected had Leonardo not won the contract to build new medium-lift helicopters. A seven-foot dragon will be visiting towns and villages in our area during the next few weeks to promote Somerset Day... and more
Monday 9th March

Two Wildcat helicopters from 815 Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton have arrived in Cyprus to help protect RAF Akrotiri from further Iranian drone strikes. New figures show that 40 people were killed on Avon and Somerset’s roads in the last 12-months. A Somerset man has been recalling the day 60-years ago when he was a passenger on the last train on the Somerset and Dorset Railway... and more
Friday 6th March

Defence Minister Luke Pollard has been explaining why it took the government so long to confirm a contract for the Leonardo in Yeovil to build new medium lift helicopters for the RAF. Police are investigating a break in at a pet shop in Ilminster. Somerset Council is to stop using red ink on council tax reminder letters... and more
Thursday 5th March

Two military helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton are being sent to Cyprus to help bolster UK’s defences amid the US-Israel war with Iran. Yeovil Town Council is seeking legal advice over the closure of the hyper acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. Flood warnings have been lifted on the Somerset Levels... and more
Wednesday 4th March

A man has died in a fire in Wincanton. Somerset Council is planning further cuts of twenty-one million pounds to help balance its books. A campaign to raise £30,000 for a minibus has been launched in Chard... and more