Local News Thursday 1st September

    Building a new multi-million-pound police centre in Yeovil has been put on pause. The peat industry in Somerset is facing pressure because of a new law that comes into force in two years. South Somerset District Council has been explaining why people in Chard think the famous Stringfellow monument in the town centre has been wrongly reinstated and Avon and Somerset police are warning of a scam in which fraudsters trick people into sending money to someone they say is a family member in distress.

    Building a new multi-million-pound police centre in Yeovil has been put on pause. Plans to redevelop the current Horsey Lane station with a new police centre have been in the pipeline since 2018. However, it now appears the plans could be scrapped with the Avon and Somerset police re-considering their requirements for policing across South Somerset. They say a firm decision will be made by no later than the Spring of next year.

    The peat industry in Somerset is facing pressure because of a new law that comes into force in two years, banning the sale of peat at garden centres. The move’s designed to reduce the release of carbon emissions, with Somerset having the largest peat industry in the UK. 

    South Somerset District Council has been explaining why people in Chard think the famous Stringfellow monument in the town centre has been wrongly reinstated. The structure was taken down as part of street improvements on Fore Street and recently returned to its original location. But locals believe it’s been repositioned facing in a different direction. The Council says the only change has been placing a plaque on the side of the monument in a different position which has given the impression that the structure is facing in a different direction when, in fact, it’s facing in the same direction it always has faced.

    Avon and Somerset police are warning of a scam in which fraudsters trick people into sending money to someone they say is a family member in distress. The messages usually come through a text or WhatsApp message. More than 180 reports of the scam have been reported to the local police so far this year. 

    More from News

    • Monday 15th June

      People in Somerset are being asked to take part in a new survey about alcohol use. Yeovil's MP Adam Dance will lead a debate in Parliament today on NHS dentistry. A Yeovil runner has been selected to represent England at a national endurance championship... and more

    • 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

    Today's Weather

    • Yeovil

      Light rain

      High: 22°C | Low: 13°C

    • Chard

      Light rain

      High: 21°C | Low: 13°C

    • Crewkerne

      Light rain

      High: 21°C | Low: 13°C

    • Somerton

      Light rain

      High: 24°C | Low: 13°C

    • Wincanton

      Light rain shower

      High: 23°C | Low: 13°C

    Recently Played