Dog owners in South Somerset are being advised to prepare their pets for the end of lockdown. A Yeovil man who committed a string of sexual assaults spanning nearly 40 years has been jailed for 17-years. Extra volunteers are needed at Somerset's Covid vaccination centres. Avon and Somerset's new police and crime commissioner is seeking to recruit a deputy...and more.
Dog owners in South Somerset are being advised to prepare their pets for the end of lockdown. The RSPCA says suddenly leaving a dog at home without company can encourage destructive or aggressive behaviour as part of a stress reaction.
A Yeovil man who committed a string of sexual assaults spanning nearly 40 years has been jailed for 17-years. Barry Dunthorn, of Hendford Grove, was found guilty of nine counts of sexual assault on four males following a trial at Taunton Crown Court. The court heard how Dunthorn groomed his victims by giving them cash payments.
Extra volunteers are needed at Somerset's Covid vaccination centres. Although no appointments have yet been cancelled, fewer people are volunteering because they're returning to work or taking a holiday.
Avon and Somerset's new police and crime commissioner is seeking to recruit a deputy. Mark Shelford, who took over the role in May, says he wants the post holder to help him seek the views and concerns of local people.
People in the Bath and Wells diocese are being asked in a questionnaire who they would most like as their new Bishop. Peter Hancock retired as Bishop of Bath and Wells in May. The process to find his successor is expected to take a year to complete. People are asked to express their preferences in a survey on the Bath and Wells diocesan website.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.