Thursday 25th July

Thursday, 25 July 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A crowdfunding appeal has been launched raising money to help find a Chard man missing for almost two weeks in Sardinia. Somerset Council is to sell off some of its buildings to help balance the books. Building work on the UK's biggest electric vehicle battery factory near Bridgwater will begin next month...and more.

A crowdfunding appeal has been launched to raise money for a Chard man missing in Sardinia. The appeal has so far raised £2,200, which will be used to pay for a group of volunteers to travel to Sardinia to help find Michael Frison. It’s now almost two weeks since Michael was last seen.

A local man is part of a group taking a bank to the High Court over excessive mortgage repayments. David Riley bought a house in Yeovil in 2006 with a mortgage from Northern Rock, which then collapsed a year later. He and thousands of others were left trapped with excessive mortgage repayments they couldn't get out of.

Avon and Somerset Police have increased checks on detainees held in custody after concerns they were at risk of self-harm. It follows a report that found detainees were sometimes left undressed in cells after having their clothing removed. Avon and Somerset Chief Constable, Sarah Crew, says more regular checks on detainees are now being made.

Members of Somerset Council have voted to sell off some of the council’s most iconic buildings to help balance the books. It's part of plans by the council to save tens of millions of pounds by cutting jobs and transferring the delivery of non-statutory services to town and parish councils.

Building work on the UK's biggest electric vehicle battery factory near Bridgwater will begin next month. Piling work on Building One will begin first and run until spring next year. Quieter work will be done at night and around two hundred lorry movements are expected every day at the peak of construction work. The global battery business, Agratas, says it'll try to mitigate the impact on local people and promises to deliver on its 'local first' commitment to jobs and skill.

A Chard mother has started a podcast for other mothers to share their stories on parenting. Annie Tombs describes herself as a stay-at-home mum to her three-year-old son Eli and previously worked in special needs education. Last year, she started a Facebook group called Mums and Munchkins that now has more than 500 members, offering advice to mothers, together with children’s items for sale, and quick and easy children’s meal recipes.

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