A residents' group fighting plans to turn a vacant care home in Yeovil into a hostel for homeless people claim it will lead to increased crime and antisocial behavior. A local charity is trying to raise 60 thousand pounds to support the children of Afghan refugees. A man has admitted killing one of the UK's wealthiest businessmen at his home near Gillingham in April earlier this year. A Yeovil man, dressed as the cartoon character, Bananaman, has embarked on a 30-mile sponsored litter pick.
A residents' group fighting plans to turn a vacant care home in Yeovil into a hostel for homeless people claim it will lead to increased crime and antisocial behavior. Bournemouth Churches Housing Association has applied for a ‘change of use’ on the former Acacia Lodge Care Home on Hendford Hill. If approved, they will close their hostel in Newton Road in Yeovil town centre and relocate the service to Hendford Hill. The residents’ group has obtained figures from Avon and Somerset Police which show that so far this year police attended 88 incidents of crime and anti-social behavior at Newton Road hostel. The group claim that to allow the former care home to be used as a homeless facility the incidents in Newton Road will transfer to Hendford Hill.
A local charity is trying to raise 60 thousand pounds to support the children of Afghan refugees. School in a Bag, based at Chilthorne Domer near Yeovil, usually provides school supplies to disadvantaged children overseas and say that they also want to support Afghan families settling in the UK.
A man has admitted killing one of the UK's wealthiest businessmen at his home near Gillingham in April earlier this year. Thomas Schreiber pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Sir Richard Sutton who owned a number of London hotels and was worth £300 million but denied murder and the attempted murder of Sir Richard's partner, his mother, Anne Schreiber. He'll stand trial in November.
A Yeovil man, dressed as the cartoon character, Bananaman, has embarked on a 30-mile sponsored litter pick. Kevin Doherty is collecting rubbish from the roadside between Yeovil and Weymouth in aid of Children’s Hospice South West.
Yeovil Town are back in action tonight (12-10). They take on Altrincham in a National League fixture at Huish Park, they kick off at 7.45 pm
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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