Friday 23rd August

Friday, 23 August 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Police are appealing for witnesses after a teenager was assaulted by two women in Yeovil. Avon and Somerset’s new Police and Crime Commissioner is making an increase in neighbouring policing one of her top priorities. A one-thousand-year-old oak tree at Sparkford has been shortlisted for the Tree of the Year competition...and more.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a teenager was assaulted by two women in Yeovil town centre. The attack happened on Church Street at around 10.30 pm last Friday. Two females, aged 16 and 18, were arrested the following day and have since been released on bail. Police are asking anyone who witnessed the incident to call the non-emergency number 101.

Increased neighbourhood policing across Somerset is one of the priorities in a five-year policing plan by Avon and Somerset’s new Police and Crime Commissioner, Clare Moody. She says increasing neighbourhood policing will help to gather in more frontline intelligence but has concerns that underfunding means policing rural crime will remain a big challenge. There’s a chance to quiz the new Police and Crime Commissioner at an open meeting in Yeovil on Wednesday, October 9th.

Somerset Council is cutting the number of councillors who sit on its Executive. From September, the Executive will reduce from eight members to seven, with the number of Associate members cut from ten to six.

Jack Goodland, a member of Yeovil Bowls Club, has won two medals at the British Transplant Games. Jack, who was diagnosed with kidney failure at seven weeks old and had a transplant when he was two and a half, and a second transplant at the age of 22, took gold in the javelin and silver in bowls at the transplant games in Nottingham.

Yeovil’s new Liberal Democrat MP, Adam Dance, will be in King George Street in Yeovil tomorrow meeting with constituents. He’ll be outside the Library from 10 am to 12.30, taking questions and responding to any concerns local people raise.

An oak tree at Sparkford, estimated to be more than one thousand years old, has been shortlisted for the Tree of the Year competition. The King John Oak is located within the grounds of Hazelgrove Prep School. Dr Kate Lewthwaite of the Woodland Trust, who runs the Tree of the Year contest, says the King John Oak is very special.

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Friday 12th December

The Chief Executive of Somerset Council, Duncan Sharkey, has admitted to making mistakes in cutting jobs. Yeovil MP Adam Dance is supporting a Lib Dem initiative to introduce a new ‘Farm First’ training scheme. Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has launched an appeal to help buy a second helicopter... and more.
Thursday 11th December

A man has appeared in court in connection with an attack in Wincanton. A member of Somerset Council, jailed for 26 months for taking part in a Just Stop Oil protest, may not have to stand down as a councillor. NHS Somerset has announced that changes to stroke services at Yeovil Hospital will "go live" in the spring of next year...and more
Wednesday 10th December

Avon and Somerset Police say 62 drivers were arrested in the first week of the Christmas drink and drug driving campaign. A reindeer farm near Yeovil thinks it may have to close after being told it needs a Zoo licence. Father Christmas has made a special delivery of presents to Charlton Farm Children's Hospice in Somerset...and more
Tuesday 9th December

The Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset has criticised the government for axing the role. Police are appealing for witnesses to a road traffic accident near Ilminster in which a woman was seriously injured. Residents of Freedom Avenue in Yeovil are raising funds for charity with a big display of Christmas lights...and more.
Monday 8th December

Plans to build 150 new homes in Ilminster have been scrapped. A Somerset councillor has been jailed for 26 months. Marks & Spencer wants to build a new Food Store in Ilminster. Poundland has announced that it’s shutting its store in Middle Street in Yeovil...and more
Friday 5th December

Police are appealing for witnesses after an assault on a man in Chard. Lloyds Banking Group has announced a date for closing the Halifax in Yeovil. Train journeys on the Castle Cary to Taunton line will be disrupted next week due to engineering work. The mental health charity MIND in Somerset has produced a Christmas advent calendar... and more.
Thursday 4th December

The Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police says her force is doing all it can to reduce anti-social behaviour. Somerset Council has deferred a decision on introducing Sunday car parking charges. People living in deprived areas in Somerset are being fast-tracked for hospital treatment...and more
Wednesday 3rd December

Fire crews have rescued the driver of a car that got stuck in floodwater near Ilminster. Avon and Somerset Police are urging people going out to celebrate this Christmas to book a taxi or use public transport. A woman from South Petherton has come top at the British Down Syndrome Swimming Championships...and more,