The Assistant Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police says she wants to instil trust in the force. Chard businesses are voicing their concerns after major roadworks started in the town. A farmer who produces potatoes for the crisp industry says the rainfall is welcome but yields will be down... and more.
The newly appointed Assistant Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police says she wants to instil trust in the force. Rachel Shields has spent two decades policing in Northern Ireland. Avon and Somerset Police has seen a decline in its public trust and confidence over the last few years but a recent inspection found a number of improvements including neighbourhood policing and crime prevention.
Chard businesses are voicing their concerns after major roadworks started in the town earlier this month. The gas pipe work in the Old Town area has led to a road closure around the junction of Mill Lane and looks set to be closed for a number of weeks. Wales & West Utilities say the work needs to be undertaken to ensure the safety and reliability of the gas supply.
Meanwhile, a bakery in the town has permanently closed. Mortimer’s on Fore Street is now pointing customers to the nearest store in Crewkerne.
A farmer who produces potatoes for the crisp industry says the rainfall is welcome but yields will be down. Philip Vaux based in South Petherton reckons he will lose 30 percent of his crops due to the hot weather and not being able to irrigate. The Met Office this week revealed provisional data that shows the UK had its hottest summer on record. Philip says in the past they've been able to sell at higher prices to make up for losses but not-so these days.
And continuing the potato theme, Yeovil Town player Josh Sims has received a sack of spuds in celebration of scoring the first league goal of the season. It used to be a club tradition, but died out. Now it's been revived by a local greengrocer to help celebrate the Glovers's 130th anniversary.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service says July has been its busiest month ever for emergency calls. Police have recovered a 1970s Austin Mini pick-up stolen in Shepton Mallet. A specialist spinal injuries service at Yeovil Hospital has treated three hundred patients in its first year... and more
The Environment Agency has declared a drought across Somerset as the hot weather takes its toll on the county's water supplies. Police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal road traffic accident near Crewkerne. A bowls player from Yeovil has won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow...and more
Police have arrested two suspects in connection with a series of moped thefts in Chard. A combine harvester has been destroyed in a farm fire at Forton, near Chard. A bowls player from Yeovil has won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow... and more
The former Beales department store in Yeovil could be brought back into use as part of a wider masterplan for the future of the town. A yellow heat health alert is in place across Somerset from nine o’clock this morning until nine o’clock on Friday morning. A Somerset farmer says this year is the driest on his land since 1976... and more
Gooch and Housego, based in Ilminster and one of the town’s biggest employers, has been sold in a multi-million-pound deal to an American private equity firm. A father who shook his four-week-old baby to death at a house in Chard has been sentenced to life in prison. A doctor who works for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is one of five people to have jointly set a new world record for rowing around Great Britain... and more
Avon and Somerset Police are warning people to watch out for scammers posing as Amazon. The CEO of the company that provides Somerset's recycling is warning of a major incident if people continue to put used batteries in waste bins. A former Yeovil pub could be demolished to make way for a major hotel expansion.
The West Country is officially one step closer to being declared in drought. Somerset Council says it's remodelling its service after a children's home was closed following an inspection. A new McDonald's planned off the M5 at Bridgwater could create up to 120 local jobs... and more
Two men have been jailed for stealing electrical items and cash from a property in Yeovil. Somerset Council has defended its use of Yeovil’s new performance area in The Triangle, in Lower Middle Street. Tintinhull Primary School, near Yeovil, has won a top national award for outdoor play... and more
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