Local News Wednesday 15th March

Wednesday, 15 March 2023 06:00

New road signs are being put up to advertise Yeovil as the “home of British helicopters”. Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard is closing for two weeks from next week for improvement works. A man’s been jailed after admitting to a number of shoplifting offences in Yeovil. National Highways will discuss the dualling of the A303 between Sparkford and Ilchester at a series of open events later this month...and more.

New road signs are being put up to advertise Yeovil as the “home of British helicopters”. South Somerset District Council has approved a request by Leonardo Helicopters to install the new signs on three of the main roads leading into the town. Leonardo says it will be paying for the signs to be installed and for their upkeep.

Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard is closing for two weeks from next week for improvement works. The centre is being upgraded to make it more accessible and wheelchair friendly.

A man’s been jailed after admitting to a number of shoplifting offences in Yeovil. Taunton Crown Court was told that David Bailey stole products, including cosmetics and electrical items, from shops in Yeovil on several occasions. Bailey pleaded guilty to four shoplifting offences, to taking a motor vehicle without consent and driving while disqualified, He was jailed for 18 weeks.

Another dental practice in Chard is closing. Chard House Dental Practice, on Leach Road, will shut at the end of April and has blamed the decision on a shortage of clinicians. It follows the announcement that MyDentist in Fore Street in Chard will close at the end of this month.

People in Chard have until next week to take part in a survey about shaping the town’s future. A Community Plan was launched last month to identify issues of importance to Chard residents, in particular, new ways to make the town greener and more attractive to shoppers. To comment on the plan go to the South Somerset website.

National Highways will discuss dualling the A303 between Sparkford and Ilchester at a series of open events later this month. Members of the Project Team will be at Haynes Motor Museum on Tuesday, March 28th and Friday, March 31st. Also, at Teals Farm Shop on Wednesday, March 29th and Thursday, March 30th to answer questions from residents and businesses who have been affected by the road widening scheme.

More from News

Monday 30th March

Avon and Somerset Police say its armed officers attended 2,700 incidents in Somerset last year. Plans have been submitted to build 40 new homes in Curry Rivel. South Western Ambulance is offering free CPR and defibrillator training to help improve cardiac arrest survival rates...and more
Friday 27 March

There's been a big improvement in ambulance response times in Somerset. Three local people have been charged with offences linked to the theft and supply of prescription-only drugs. A fragment of a jawbone found in a cave in Cheddar Gorge appears to show that humans kept dogs as pets as far back as 5,000 years ago... and more
Thursday 26th March

Somerset Council is offering food vouchers during the school easter holidays to families whose children receive free school meals. A local man has been charged in connection with an incident involving a firearm in Yeovil. The Environment Agency says it could take up to 10 years to protect homes at Holway House Park and Home Farm Park in Ilminster from flooding...and more.
Wednesday 25th March

Yeovil MP Adam Dance has raised concerns in the House of Commons about the planned closure of Yeovil Hospital’s hyper-acute stroke unit. Police in Yeovil are appealing for information after a man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm. A 13-year-old terrier named Mole has been rescued after becoming trapped underground...and more
Tuesday 24th March

Yeovil College has received a glowing report following an Ofsted inspection. The main road between Chard and Ilminster is to be better protected from flooding. A six-thousand-year-old wooden walkway has been uncovered on the Somerset Levels... and more
Monday 23rd March

A wildcat helicopter belonging 815 Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton has been in action tracking two Russian ships in the English Channel. People living in Somerset will have to pay to use Dorset’s household waste recycling centres from today. A road in Ilminster has closed to traffic today and will stay shut for the next ten days... and more
Friday 20th March

Police are appealing for witnesses to a three-vehicle crash in Sherborne. The jobs of housing maintenance staff at Somerset Council could be outsourced to a private contractor. A pie throwing event is taking place in Chard today for Red Nose Day ... and more
Thursday 19th March

Farmers in Somerset say they're struggling after a doubling in the price of red diesel. Yeovil MP Adam Dance has criticised Donald Trump over his comments about people with learning disabilities. A Somerset woman whose father was killed in a crash on the M5 is running the London Marathon to raise money for South West Ambulance...and more