Friday 22nd September

Friday, 22 September 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

The RSPB in Somerset says it is seeing big changes in bird migrations to and from the county. The Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police says delays in answering 101 calls are a result of understaffing and accidental pocket dials. Beekeepers in Somerset are appealing for help to spot Asian hornets that are a threat to honey bees...and more.

The RSPB in Somerset says it is seeing big changes in bird migration patterns to and from the county. It follows a report claiming the changing climate is affecting the numbers, distribution and behaviours of migratory birds, including cuckoos and chiffchaffs.

The Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police says delays in answering 101 calls are a result of understaffing, rising demand, and accidental pocket dials. Sarah Crew told a police performance and accountability board meeting that Avon and Somerset Police are dealing with around eighty thousand emergency and non-emergency calls every month.

Beekeepers in Somerset are appealing for help to spot Asian hornets. Somerset Beekeepers Association says they’ve received several unconfirmed sightings of Asian hornets that are a threat to the honeybee population. The insect is described as being like a large black wasp with yellow legs, an orange face, blackish brown body, with an orange stripe towards the end of its abdomen.

A Somerset mother who lost both her daughters to a rare but deadly disease is working to help other families dealing with the medical condition. Sarah Moore's daughter Harriet died aged eighteen months, then Kimberly died aged four. They both had Mitochondrial Disease. Sarah’s working with the Lily Foundation, which raises awareness of the disease.

The head chef of a gastropub based near Chard has won a ‘Best Pub Chef’ award. Charlotte Vincent, and her team at The Candlelight Inn in Bishopswood, were presented with certificates at the Great British Pub Awards ceremony held in Birmingham.

More from News

Tuesday 15th September

Police investigating an attack on a shop worker in Yeovil have released CCTV images of a man and woman they want to speak to. Farmers in Somerset are being warned to expect more cases of bluetongue. Ilminster Carnival Committee has announced the cancellation of this year's Children's Carnival due to a lack of entries... and more
Monday 14th September

Two new mobile NHS breast screening units have taken to the road in Somerset. More than 700 new homes are to be built alongside the M5 in Bridgwater. Dawes Twineworks in West Coker is one of several venues open to the public for free this month... and more
Friday 11th September

It’s going to cost more to park in Chard. Police have issued an image of a man they want to speak to in connection with two burglaries in Yeovil. Somerset Cricket Club is planning to stage performances by some of the world's biggest artistes at their Taunton ground... and more
Thursday 10th September

Work has begun building a new multi-million-pound David Lloyd leisure centre in Yeovil. NHS Somerset says a new system to handle emergency stroke care will lead to "better outcomes" for patients. Tickets for next year’s Glastonbury Festival will go on sale in October...and more
Wednesday 9th September

Police have released an image of a man they want to speak to following an assault in Yeovil. Businesses in Taunton say they're worried that planned changes to parking rules could put people off visiting the town. The Red Arrows will take to the skies near the Somerset border in a one-off display later this week... and more
Tuesday 8th September

Police in Avon and Somerset say they’re dealing with a big increase in reports of cloned vehicle fraud. A new video system designed to speed up stroke care has been launched in Somerset. Pilgrims are walking through Somerset this week to mark eight hundred years since the death of Saint Francis of Assisi... and more
Monday 7th September

Avon and Somerset Police are warning about a new scam involving criminals posing as police officers. Flu vaccinations are now available on the NHS ahead of the winter. Liverpool comedian John Bishop has cancelled his show in Taunton later this week after breaking his ankle... and more
Friday 4th September

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on a vehicle near Shepton Mallet. New taxi charges come into force in Somerset later this month. The fire service is treating as accidental a blaze at a flat in Yeovil town centre... and more