Local News Thursday 27th May

Thursday, 27 May 2021 06:00

South Somerset District Council has confirmed that it still wants to buy Huish Park. Help is being stepped up in Chard for people about to lose their jobs with the shutdown of the Oscar Mayer factory. A woman in her 20’s has been attacked in a so-called hate crime incident in Yeovil. It happened in the early hours of Monday. Police have been dealing with a spate of catalytic converter thefts in Castle Cary, Sparkford, North Cadbury and Bruton...and more.

South Somerset District Council has confirmed that it still wants to buy Huish Park, the home of Yeovil Town Football Club. Their announcement comes after a six-month moratorium period that allowed other parties to bid for the stadium. However, no competing bid has been made. South Somerset District Council will not own or be a shareholder of the football club. Instead, Yeovil Town FC will be a tenant of the council in the same way as other companies who are commercial tenants of the council.

Help is being stepped up in Chard for people about to lose their jobs with the shutdown of the Oscar Mayer factory. The site, which produces supermarket ready-meals, will close in three months' time with 800 people losing their jobs. Now, a project called ‘Fresh Start Chard’ has been launched to provide support to those affected by the closure

A woman in her 20’s has been attacked in a so-called hate crime incident in Yeovil. It happened in the early hours of Monday. The woman was walking towards the Pen Mill trading estate when three men shouted homophobic abuse at her. They chased her into Vale Road where she was assaulted and lost consciousness. When she came round she called a friend who alerted police before being taken to hospital. Police are asking anyone with information to call the non-emergency number 101.

Police have been dealing with a spate of catalytic converter thefts in Castle Cary, Sparkford, North Cadbury and Bruton. They say seven vehicles were targeted between 10 pm on Sunday (22-05) and lunchtime on Monday. Anyone with information that would help the police is asked to call the non-emergency number 101. If you discover your catalytic converter has been stolen, you should not drive your car but contact your insurance provider to arrange a repair.

Tributes have been paid to the sportswriter, David Foot, who has died aged 92. Born in East Coker, he was well known for his cricket reporting and was a keen follower of Somerset county cricket club. Known as Footie, he was also a prolific novelist and published author.

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Friday 13th March

The first of the new medium lift helicopters being built by Leonardo in Yeovil for the RAF will be delivered in 2031. Somerset Council has launched a public consultation on planned new charges at its two hundred public car parks. More women in Somerset are said to be taking up walking football... and more
Thursday 12th March

A Yeovil headteacher says he’s concerned about plans to stop giving school holiday food vouchers to families on low incomes. The owner of Yeovil Town is calling on fans to be patient as he continues his overhaul of the National League side. A high voltage fault is being blamed for plunging 1700 homes into darkness in the Ilminster area... and more
Wednesday 11th March

Plans have been submitted to convert two properties in Yeovil into houses of multiple occupation. A new court date has been announced for a Yeovil man charged with attempted murder. An engineer who has worked at the Leonardo factory in Yeovil for 40-years has won a top industry award... and more
Tuesday 10th March

Police say a fire at the former Oscar Mayer food factory in Chard was started deliberately. Yeovil College says it would have been adversely affected had Leonardo not won the contract to build new medium-lift helicopters. A seven-foot dragon will be visiting towns and villages in our area during the next few weeks to promote Somerset Day... and more
Monday 9th March

Two Wildcat helicopters from 815 Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton have arrived in Cyprus to help protect RAF Akrotiri from further Iranian drone strikes. New figures show that 40 people were killed on Avon and Somerset’s roads in the last 12-months. A Somerset man has been recalling the day 60-years ago when he was a passenger on the last train on the Somerset and Dorset Railway... and more
Friday 6th March

Defence Minister Luke Pollard has been explaining why it took the government so long to confirm a contract for the Leonardo in Yeovil to build new medium lift helicopters for the RAF. Police are investigating a break in at a pet shop in Ilminster. Somerset Council is to stop using red ink on council tax reminder letters... and more
Thursday 5th March

Two military helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton are being sent to Cyprus to help bolster UK’s defences amid the US-Israel war with Iran. Yeovil Town Council is seeking legal advice over the closure of the hyper acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. Flood warnings have been lifted on the Somerset Levels... and more
Wednesday 4th March

A man has died in a fire in Wincanton. Somerset Council is planning further cuts of twenty-one million pounds to help balance its books. A campaign to raise £30,000 for a minibus has been launched in Chard... and more