Local News Thursday 29th June

Thursday, 29 June 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Police have seized cannabis plants with an estimated street value of two-hundred-and-fifty thousand pounds following a raid on a property in the Martock area. Helicopters belonging to HM Coastguard are going to be used to transfer critical NHS patients between hospitals in the Southwest. People in Langport, Wincanton, and Martock are being advised to check that they're registered to vote ahead of the upcoming Somerton and Frome by-election...and more.

Police have seized cannabis plants with an estimated street value of two-hundred-and-fifty thousand pounds following a raid on a property in the Martock area. Somerton Neighbourhood Policing Team confiscated three-hundred-and-sixty cannabis plants in the raid on a house in Martock on Tuesday.

It's been announced that helicopters belonging to HM Coastguard are going to be used to transfer critically ill NHS patients between hospitals in the Southwest. The agreement has been described as a blueprint for a service that could be rolled out across the NHS nationally.

The mother of a Somerset boy who has Tourette's Syndrome is hoping that Lewis Capaldi’s performance at Glastonbury Festival will have helped people to get a better understanding of what Tourettes is. The singer has Tourette's and struggled to perform some of his songs before asking the audience to help. He's now cancelled the rest of his summer tour saying he needs to get his mental and physical health in order. Heather Bryson-Banks says her son Harry sees Lewis Capaldi as a role model.

People living in Langport, Wincanton, and Martock are being advised to check they're registered to vote. Langport, Wincanton, and Martock form part of the Somerton and Frome parliamentary constituency, where a by-election to elect a new MP is being held on Thursday, July 20th. People should apply to have their names included on the electoral registry through the Somerset Council website.

There’s a chance this weekend to look behind the scenes at the historic Market House in Castle Cary. The Town Council is putting on guided tours of the Grade-2 listed building on Sunday, together with a display of the improvements that they plan to carry out at the Market House.

More from News

Friday 19th June

An amber heat health alert has been issued for Somerset with high temperatures expected to continue into next week. Schools across Somerset are taking part in a pilot scheme teaching children about money laundering. Ham Hill Country Park has been recognised with a top award for its efforts to protect the countryside... and more
Thursday 18th June

Children in care in Somerset are not receiving a good enough service, according to inspectors. NHS Somerset says dental care in the county is improving for the first time since the pandemic. Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is holding a topless open-water swim...and more
Wednesday 17th June

Avon and Somerset Police say they'll be carrying out enhanced patrols for drink and drug driving during and after England's opening World Cup game tonight. Somerset Chamber of Commerce is warning that the conflict in Iran is having a serious impact on local businesses. A master thatcher based in Ilminster says the traditional craft of thatching is under threat because of a lack of training opportunities...and more
Tuesday 16th June

Police are appealing for witnesses to a fatal two-vehicle crash on the A358 near Ilminster. A man from Norton-sub-Hamdon has appeared in court charged with drink driving. An original Mr Blobby costume from the former Blobbyland theme park at Cricket St Thomas has been put up for sale... and more
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