Local News Monday 7th November

Monday, 7 November 2022 06:00

Yeovil’s Marlie Packer was among the try scorers in England’s win against Canada to go through to the final of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. A Wincanton man has appeared in court charged with raping and kidnapping a woman. The South Western Ambulance Service which operates in Yeovil and across South Somerset has the longest wait times in the country for speaking with an operator in an emergency. Yeovil’s Octagon theatre is set to benefit from new arts funding...and more.

Yeovil’s Marlie Packer was among the try scorers in England’s win against Canada to go through to the final of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. The final score was England 26 - Canada 19. England now play the hosts New Zealand in the final next Saturday. Marlie Packer began her playing career with Yeovil Rugby Club.

A Wincanton man has appeared in court charged with raping and kidnapping a woman. Gary Bridger of Dancing Lane was appearing at Bournemouth Crown Court. The charges relate to incidents on July 7th in Sherborne. Bridger, who pleaded not guilty will stand trial on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2023.

The South Western Ambulance Service which operates in Yeovil and across South Somerset has the longest wait times in the country for speaking with an operator in an emergency. It takes almost one minute on average for ambulance control staff to answer a 999 call compared with just five seconds at the West Midlands Ambulance Service. South Western Ambulance says it’s recruiting more call handlers to help speed up answering 999 calls.

Yeovil’s Octagon theatre is set to benefit from new arts funding. The Arts Council has announced £111 million of new funding, with the Octagon in Yeovil, South West Heritage Trust and Somerset Arts Works in our area getting a small but not insignificant share of the money.

Local TV personality, Sarah Beeny, who lives near Bruton, is urging people undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer not to feel ashamed when they lose their hair. Sarah, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer, says if someone has breast cancer and is being treated, the fact they’ve no hair is not a reason to be ashamed. She says people who are bald are often stereotyped, which is something that she is now campaigning to change.

More from News

Friday 12th June

It's claimed the increasing availability of drugs such as ketamine and cocaine has normalised drug use among young people in Somerset. The trial of a man accused of killing his one-month-old son in Chard begins today at Bristol Crown Court. A stone pillar outside the Langport Arms Hotel in Langport has been replaced after it was destroyed in a car crash... and more
Thursday 11th June

Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the three aircrew from RNAS Yeovilton who died in last week's helicopter crash in Devon. Two men have been arrested and stolen vehicles seized following a major multi-agency operation in South Somerset. An event highlighting opportunities for women in the aerospace industry has been held in Yeovil... and more
Wednesday 10th June

The public will be consulted on how best to spend fifty million pounds of government funding to tackle flooding in Somerset. Avon and Somerset Police are backing a new road safety campaign aimed at reducing motorcycle fatalities. New welcome signs have been installed at entrances to the Mendip Hills National Landscape... and more
Tuesday 9th June

The government has announced a £50 million investment to strengthen Somerset’s flood defences. A woman from Stoke-sub-Hamdon has been banned from driving for 14 months after admitting drink-driving. Somerset Council has been told it must improve its adult social care services... and more
Monday 8th June

Plans for a new railway station in Langport remain stalled in Whitehall, according to Somerset Council. Plans to build 50 new homes in Broadway, near Ilminster, have been refused. The new water fountains in Yeovil’s Triangle, in Lower Middle Street, are being switched off during very hot weather because of safety concerns... and more.
Friday 5th June

A new NHS dental practice in Crewkerne says it won’t start operating at full capacity until July due to staff shortages. Somerset Council says it has no plans to show England matches in the World Cup on the Big Screen in Yeovil town centre due to safety concerns. A Somerset family has been thanked after completing a 73-mile walk raising money for a third world charity... and more
Thursday 4th June

An investigation continues today into the crash of a Royal Navy helicopter, based at RNAS Yeovilton, in which all three aircrew were killed. Somerset Council has confirmed that a new operator will take over several leisure centres across the county. The new live-action Masters of the Universe movie, filmed in Somerset, is released this week...and more
Wednesday 3rd June

A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with assaulting three police officers. Somerset Council has begun legal action to recover more than £320,000 owed by housing developers. The line-up has been announced for this year’s Ilminster Midsummer Experience...and more