Friday 21st November

Friday, 21 November 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A public inquiry is being held into plans to build a large solar farm in the village of Wayford. Fire crews have put out a small blaze at Tesco in Ilminster. Canadian firm KDC One is closing its Wellington factory, putting dozens of jobs at risk. It's Ilminster's turn to switch on the Christmas lights tonight... and more.

A public inquiry is being held into plans to build a large solar farm in the village of Wayford, between Chard and Crewkerne. Greentech Invest UK Ltd plan to develop the solar farm on 64 acres of farmland off Chard Lane in Wayford. The applicant claims it will provide 19,000 megawatts of renewable electricity, enough to power 5,000 homes. The public inquiry is scheduled to begin over four days on February 10th.

Fire crews have put out a small blaze at the Tesco store in Shudrick Lane in Ilminster. The cause has been traced to an electrical fan in a plant room, which is thought to have overheated and caught alight. The outbreak, which happened at around 9.30 am on Wednesday, was quickly brought under control by crews from Chard, Martock, Crewkerne and Ilminster. No one was injured.

Police are looking for a man with links to Somerset in connection with a serious assault on a woman in Devon. Tobias King, aged 36, lives in Teignmouth, but police say he could be in Chard or Yeovil. They want to question him in connection with an incident in Honiton on November 8th. King is described as around 6ft tall with short blond hair and a beard. Police say he could be seeking work on building sites.

The government has awarded a £600,00 grant to improve the regulation of so-called micro-providers of care services in Somerset. The Somerset Cares Alliance says the money will be used to develop new systems to safeguard staff and clients.

Canadian firm KDC One is closing its Wellington factory, putting dozens of jobs at risk. In October, the cosmetics firm claimed it wanted to expand in the UK and Europe. But this week, KDC One has confirmed it is closing its Wellington factory and shifting production to Scotland, citing manufacturing-related factors.

It's Ilminster's turn to switch on the Christmas lights tonight. The event starts with market stalls and other attractions in the town centre, starting at 1.30 pm, with the lights switched on at 7 pm.

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