Friday 4th September

Friday, 4 September 2026 06:00

By Steve Haigh

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

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on a vehicle that came off the road and fell into a ditch near Shepton Mallet. The car had been travelling on the A361 at East Compton Road on the morning of the August 18th. Later the same day, two men were seen removing items from the vehicle before setting it alight. Police are asking for witnesses or anyone with dash footage to please call the non-emergency number 101.

New taxi charges come into force in Somerset later this month. From September nineteenth the maximum standard fare for journeys of up to one mile will rise from four pounds sixty to five pounds and six pence. A standard two-mile journey will cost a maximum of eight pounds sixty, up from seven pounds sixty. The fares are maximums, and operators can still charge less if they choose.

The fire service is treating as accidental a blaze at a flat in Yeovil town centre. The fire above a shop in Westminster Street happened on Wednesday at around 8.30 pm. No one was hurt but the flat suffered 50 percent smoke damage.
Hundreds of affordable homes are to be built in Somerset following a government announcement. Magna Housing has been awarded £250 million to build 1,500 new homes in Somerset and Dorset over the next ten years. The cash is being put up by Homes England, the official government agency for housing and regeneration.

A Yeovil man is preparing to swim the English Channel to raise money for a charity teaching children water safety skills. Matt Read, who works at Leonardo in Yeovil, will take part in a Channel relay crossing later this month, supporting Swim Tayka, a charity which aims to prevent drowning through swimming education and water safety programmes for children.

Four gardens in our area will be open to the public from this weekend as part of the National Garden Scheme. Skool Beanz Children's Allotment in the Chilthorne Domer will be open to the public tomorrow, Saturday. On Sunday, the Old Coach House in Templecombe will be open to the public. The Newt in Bruton will be open next Wednesday, September 9th and, Kilver Court Gardens in Shepton Mallet will be open next Friday, September 11th.

More from News

Thursday 3rd September

Fifteen thousand people have signed a petition calling on Somerset Council to cancel plans for a huge data centre in Bridgwater. A nest of Asian hornets has been found in Somerset. More patients in Somerset are set to benefit from a hospital project aimed at restoring independence... and more
Wednesday 2nd September

Yeovil-based charity, School in a Bag, has started sending supplies to Nepal to help in the aftermath of the devastating floods. 6,000 people have signed a petition opposing plans for a new relief road in Chard. The Royal British Legion in Somerset is appealing for more volunteers to help run this year’s Poppy Appeal... and more
Tuesday 1st September

One person had to be cut free from a vehicle following a two-vehicle collision on the A30 near Chard. A Yeovil man has been jailed for 7-and-a-half years for supplying cocaine and cannabis. Two Somerset teenagers have become the youngest to swim the Bristol Channel... and more
Friday 28th August

An organisation that investigates loan sharks has opened a branch in Taunton. Free parking on Sundays in Somerset's main towns could end just before Christmas. Local communities in and around Draycott will be able to take advantage of a shuttle bus service... and more.
Thursday 27th August

A 21 mile stretch of the M5 is to be given a 50mph speed limit for three years. Chard remains a safe place to work, live and visit say Avon & Somerset Police. Sunflowers of Somerset is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a photography competition and community activities... and more.
Wednesday 26th August

Two people have been arrested and released under investigation after the death of a baby in Crewkerne. A large sand picture of the prime minister has appeared in Burnham On Sea. The wet winter and hot summer means cider producers are struggling with their yields... and more.
Tuesday 25th August

Fire crews have been dealing with a fire in Ilchester which broke out yesterday afternoon. Somerset’s frontline health services say heatwaves and tourism are making their jobs more difficult. A Chard health store has been named Natural Lifestyle Retailer of the Year.. and more.
Monday 24th August

The Chair of the NFU has repeated calls for a longer-term plan to tackle bluetongue, Three men have been jailed for their involvement in car key burglaries in Somerset. Police say they’re treating a fire in Norton Fitzwarren as suspicious... and more.