Local News Tuesday 4th July

Tuesday, 4 July 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Avon and Somerset Police say young people in Somerset are carrying knives in the mistaken belief they need them for self-defence. Motorists are being advised to drive with caution on a road near Yeovil after it was undermined by badgers. A woman from Ilminster who set out to race up and down the highest peak in Wales in a wheelchair has completed the challenge...and more.

Avon and Somerset Police say an increasing number of young people in Somerset are carrying knives out of a mistaken belief they need them for self-defence. The force says it's working closely with specific communities to try to change this view.

Motorists are being advised to drive with caution on a road near Yeovil after it was undermined by badgers. Penn Cross Lane runs between East Coker and Pendomer, not far from Sutton Bingham reservoir. Somerset Council says temporary repairs have been made to the road and a more permanent solution will be found once the road has been properly surveyed.

Rail passengers in Somerset are being warned to expect disruption for the next six days, due to an overtime ban by train drivers. South Western Railway which runs services through Yeovil Junction and Sherborne stations will be impacted. It's the latest action by members of ASLEF in their long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

A medic from Shepton Mallet who has returned from a third trip to Ukraine says his team have done what they set out to do. Since the war started, Steve Brooks and a group of other medics have been providing medical training to Ukrainian forces, serving on the frontline.

A woman from Ilminster who set out to race up and down the highest peak in Wales in a wheelchair has completed the challenge. Tina Chappell was confined to a wheelchair after suffering a spinal injury five years ago. With a team of sixteen helpers, Tina climbed the mountain in two hours and twenty-three minutes, raising money for charity, Back-Up.

More from News

Tuesday 15th September

Police investigating an attack on a shop worker in Yeovil have released CCTV images of a man and woman they want to speak to. Farmers in Somerset are being warned to expect more cases of bluetongue. Ilminster Carnival Committee has announced the cancellation of this year's Children's Carnival due to a lack of entries... and more
Monday 14th September

Two new mobile NHS breast screening units have taken to the road in Somerset. More than 700 new homes are to be built alongside the M5 in Bridgwater. Dawes Twineworks in West Coker is one of several venues open to the public for free this month... and more
Friday 11th September

It’s going to cost more to park in Chard. Police have issued an image of a man they want to speak to in connection with two burglaries in Yeovil. Somerset Cricket Club is planning to stage performances by some of the world's biggest artistes at their Taunton ground... and more
Thursday 10th September

Work has begun building a new multi-million-pound David Lloyd leisure centre in Yeovil. NHS Somerset says a new system to handle emergency stroke care will lead to "better outcomes" for patients. Tickets for next year’s Glastonbury Festival will go on sale in October...and more
Wednesday 9th September

Police have released an image of a man they want to speak to following an assault in Yeovil. Businesses in Taunton say they're worried that planned changes to parking rules could put people off visiting the town. The Red Arrows will take to the skies near the Somerset border in a one-off display later this week... and more
Tuesday 8th September

Police in Avon and Somerset say they’re dealing with a big increase in reports of cloned vehicle fraud. A new video system designed to speed up stroke care has been launched in Somerset. Pilgrims are walking through Somerset this week to mark eight hundred years since the death of Saint Francis of Assisi... and more
Monday 7th September

Avon and Somerset Police are warning about a new scam involving criminals posing as police officers. Flu vaccinations are now available on the NHS ahead of the winter. Liverpool comedian John Bishop has cancelled his show in Taunton later this week after breaking his ankle... and more
Friday 4th September

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on a vehicle near Shepton Mallet. New taxi charges come into force in Somerset later this month. The fire service is treating as accidental a blaze at a flat in Yeovil town centre... and more