Friday 27 March

Friday, 27 March 2026 05:00

By Steve Haigh

There's been a big improvement in ambulance response times in Somerset. Three local people have been charged with offences linked to the theft and supply of prescription-only drugs. A fragment of a jawbone found in a cave in Cheddar Gorge appears to show that humans kept dogs as pets as far back as 5,000 years ago... and more

New figures show that people who suffered a heart attack or stroke were reached more quickly by South West Ambulance in the first two months of 2026. Response times fell by 38 minutes. In 2023, average response times for category two emergencies stood at 72 minutes. The improved performance comes despite a 22 per cent rise in demand for the ambulance service.

Three people are due to appear in court charged with offences linked to the theft and supply of prescription-only drugs in Somerset. Alastair Caines, aged 40, of Yeovil; Stuart Eales, 54, formerly of Yeovil; and Louise Larby, 41, also formerly of Yeovil, are facing conspiracy charges over supplying Class C drugs. Stuart Eales and Louise Larby also face a charge of theft of controlled drugs between May 2022 and March 2024 while working for a pharmacy. All three are due to appear at Yeovil Magistrates’ Court on 31 March.

A woman from Ilminster has appeared in court charged with preventing the lawful burial of a relative whose body was found inside a car in Cornwall. Rosemary Manders, aged 54, of Ilminster, appeared before Truro Magistrates’ Court alongside Dinah Manders, aged 88, of Exeter. Both are charged with preventing the lawful and decent burial of Glen Manders between 15 October and 19 December 2024.

A new arts festival is being held in Yeovil town centre this weekend. The Yeovil Art Weekender, organised by Yeovil Art Space, will feature events, exhibitions and creative activities for all ages.

A fragment of a jawbone found in a cave in Cheddar Gorge in Somerset appears to show that humans kept dogs as pets as far back as 5,000 years ago. It was originally thought the bone belonged to a wolf, but new investigation techniques suggest a different story.

More from News

Wednesday 22nd April

Expectant mothers are using Yeovil Hospital once again to give birth following the reopening of the maternity unit. A Yeovil man has been jailed for four years for committing sexual offences against two young girls. Plans have been approved to convert a pub in Milborne Port into housing... and more
Tuesday 21st April

NHS Somerset has delayed closing the hyper-acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. A former Avon and Somerset Police officer has been jailed for making indecent images of children. A Somerset man has been fined after pleading guilty to hunting a wild animal with dogs... and more
Monday 20th April

Nearly one hundred roads in Somerset will be surface dressed this summer to prevent further damage. Almost all children starting primary school in Somerset in September have been offered a place at one of their top three school choices. People in Somerset are being asked to record wild mammals in gardens and other green spaces over the summer... and more
Friday 17th April

Yeovil MP Adam Dance has backed calls for a cap on heating oil prices. Invitations are being sent out to those in Somerset eligible for the latest Covid vaccine. A pub near Chard has closed just four months after reopening... and more
Thursday 16th April

Wessex Water has been told to pay £300,000 after a sewer spilled into the River Yeo killing dozens of fish. The Brewhouse Theatre in Taunton has been given a grant of half a million pounds. Today marks the official opening of the new visitor centre at Ham Hill... and more
Wednesday 15th April

Yeovil College has been upgraded to a Defence Technical Excellence College. Somerset Council is taking legal action against a housing developer that owes £35,000 in contributions towards local services in Broadway. An Ilminster couple have covered the first 400 miles of their epic walk around the coastline of mainland Britain... and more
Tuesday 14th April

Avon and Somerset Police has launched a new five-year plan to tackle anti-social behaviour. Additional GP appointments will soon be available at three local surgeries, following a £1 million investment to upgrade NHS facilities in Somerset. A Stoke-sub-Hamdon couple whose daughter died of cancer have raised £128,000 in her memory... and more
Monday 13th April

Yeovil MP Adam Dance is calling for better support for survivors of domestic abuse living in rural communities. The RSPB in Somerset is urging people to stop feeding birds to prevent the spread of disease. Yeovil Town Football Club says an issue that had threatened it with removal from the register at Companies House has been resolved... and more