Local News Friday 24th February

Friday, 24 February 2023 06:00

People in Somerset who undergo hip replacement operations are no longer having to stay in hospital overnight. The RSPCA in Somerset says it's dealing with a sharp rise in abandoned pet rabbits. The Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard is closing for two weeks. People are being asked to take part in a charity Swimathon organised by Olympic gold medallist Duncan Goodhew. Soldiers from the 1st Regiment Army Air Corps, based at RNAS Yeovilton, have marched through Wincanton...and more.

People in Somerset who undergo hip replacement operations are no longer having to stay in hospital overnight. It follows the launch of a pilot scheme to reduce waiting lists, with patients leaving hospital within just a few hours of being operated on.

The former Leader of Somerset County Council, Councillor David Fothergill, has expressed alarm at a sharp rise in children having teeth extracted in hospital. Councillor Fothergill, who‘s currently chairman of the Local Government Association's Community Wellbeing Board, was speaking after figures showed an 83 per cent increase in children having teeth taken out in hospital this year. His comments come amid claims that a lack of NHS dentists is leading to an increase in cases of people of all ages having rotting teeth.

The RSPCA in Somerset says its dealing with a sharp rise in the number of abandoned pet rabbits. The charity says it’s a result of overbreeding during the lockdown and the cost of living crisis.

Soldiers from the 1st Regiment Army Air Corps, based at RNAS Yeovilton, have marched through Wincanton. The parade was held to mark the Regiment being awarded the Freedom of the Town.

The Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard is closing for two weeks for improvement works to be carried out. The sanctuary will shut to visitors from Sunday, March 19th to Saturday, April 1st. Changes to the site include building a new entrance, and the opening of a new art, crafts and education centre.

People in South Somerset are being asked to take part in a charity Swimathon organised by Olympic gold medallist Duncan Goodhew. Goldenstones Leisure Centre in Yeovil, Chard Leisure Centre and Wincanton Sports Centre will be involved in raising funds for Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie over the weekend of May 12th to the 14th. You can enter the Swimathon as an individual or with a team via the MySwimathon website.

More from News

Thursday 1st May

There’s been a call for the Somerset Levels to be designated a National Landscape. A Yeovil man has raised £2,000 for a new school minibus at Fairmead School in Yeovil by running the London Marathon. Exmoor Ales, which provides cask ales across the region and beyond, is closing its Somerset brewery and moving the business to Surrey...and more.
Wednesday 30th April

The long-awaited refurbishment of Yeovil police station is finally to get underway this summer. Plans have been approved to build 185 new homes off Bunford Lane in Yeovil. Police have arrested three men in Yeovil for being involved in the supply of Class A drugs. A Somerset jockey has been named Champion Conditional Jockey of 2025...and more.
Tuesday 29th April

New figures have shown that registering as a new patient with an NHS dentist in Somerset is still just as difficult as it was six months ago. The go-ahead has been given to build 160 new houses on Station Road in Castle Cary. A sailor from South Petherton has been chosen to lead a team in the round-the-world Clipper Race...and more.
Monday 28th April

Somerset Council is being criticised for taking too long to re-open Yeovil's Octagon Theatre. The Liberal Democrats have won a seat on Chard Town Council by one vote. Dates have been announced for this year’s illuminated carnival processions in South Somerset...and more.
Friday 25th April

Police are investigating the theft of a motorbike in Ilminster. Tributes have been paid to the former Yeovil Town player-manager, Cecil Irwin, who has died aged 83. Town criers from across the South West will be in Yeovil tomorrow competing for the loudest voice in the Yeovil Town Crier Competition 2025...and more
Thursday 24th April

Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident in which a child was struck by a car in Yeovil. This week, a planning inquiry is being held into plans to turn a Somerset shopping centre into a retirement complex. A Somerset woman is planning to walk the 70-miles of Hadrian's Wall to mark her 90th birthday...and more.
Wednesday 23rd April

Tourism bosses in Somerset say they feel confident the County will have a good summer for visitors this year. A group representing care providers in Somerset is warning that some residential homes are at risk of going out of business due to rising costs. A Somerset animal charity has taken into care, three orphaned badger cubs...and more.
Tuesday 22nd April

The Care Quality Commission has given two GP practices in Yeovil a 'good' overall rating. According to insurers, AXA, thefts at commercial premises in Somerset are on the rise. Bus users in Somerset could see changes to the frequency of services when the new West of England mayor takes office. Martock is to host its first Pride event in June...and more.