Local News Wednesday 27th July

Wednesday, 27 July 2022 06:00

A box of old family photographs from the 1950s has been found in a store room at Pen Mill railway station in Yeovil during a clearout. Protesters are continuing to occupy a giant historic oak tree near Sparkford to stop it from being cut down as part of work to dual the A303. Rail passengers in Somerset are being advised not to travel today unless it’s absolutely necessary. Police are continuing their investigation into the death of a one-month-old baby in Chard...and more.

A box of old family photographs from the 1950s has been found in a store room at Pen Mill railway station in Yeovil during a clearout, and now Great Western Railway would like to return them to their rightful owner. A number of the photos show a young girl wearing the uniform of Westfield County Junior School, together with several handwritten notes. GWR regional manager, Alex Hills says considering the items have been hidden in a damp storeroom for 70 years, they are in very good condition.

Protesters are continuing to occupy a giant historic oak tree near Sparkford to stop it from being cut down as part of work to dual the A303. National Highways say the tree has to go to make room for a new slip road connecting the dual carriageway to Hazlegrove Prep School. Protesters, who claim the tree is 600 years old, have set up tents underneath the tree, and are occupying some of its branches.

Rail passengers in Somerset are being advised not to travel today unless it’s absolutely necessary. A one-day strike is being staged by the RMT Union over pay, jobs, and terms and conditions. As a result, GWR, South Western Railway, and Cross Country in Somerset are not running trains or running much-reduced services. Meanwhile, GWR says they have to adapt to the way passengers use the railway now, and will use it in the future.

Police are continuing their investigation into the death of a one-month-old baby in Chard. Police were called to Helliers Road in Chard on Saturday, July 16th after reports that a baby was critically ill. The infant died a week later in hospital. A 35-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and released on bail.

Police are appealing for witnesses to an attack on a 14-year-old boy in Pageant Gardens in Sherborne. It happened at around 5.30 pm on Friday, July 15th. Four teenagers have been arrested in connection with the incident. If you can assist the police, please call the non-emergency number 101.

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Tuesday 21st April

NHS Somerset has delayed closing the hyper-acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. A former Avon and Somerset Police officer has been jailed for making indecent images of children. A Somerset man has been fined after pleading guilty to hunting a wild animal with dogs... and more
Monday 20th April

Nearly one hundred roads in Somerset will be surface dressed this summer to prevent further damage. Almost all children starting primary school in Somerset in September have been offered a place at one of their top three school choices. People in Somerset are being asked to record wild mammals in gardens and other green spaces over the summer... and more
Friday 17th April

Yeovil MP Adam Dance has backed calls for a cap on heating oil prices. Invitations are being sent out to those in Somerset eligible for the latest Covid vaccine. A pub near Chard has closed just four months after reopening... and more
Thursday 16th April

Wessex Water has been told to pay £300,000 after a sewer spilled into the River Yeo killing dozens of fish. The Brewhouse Theatre in Taunton has been given a grant of half a million pounds. Today marks the official opening of the new visitor centre at Ham Hill... and more
Wednesday 15th April

Yeovil College has been upgraded to a Defence Technical Excellence College. Somerset Council is taking legal action against a housing developer that owes £35,000 in contributions towards local services in Broadway. An Ilminster couple have covered the first 400 miles of their epic walk around the coastline of mainland Britain... and more
Tuesday 14th April

Avon and Somerset Police has launched a new five-year plan to tackle anti-social behaviour. Additional GP appointments will soon be available at three local surgeries, following a £1 million investment to upgrade NHS facilities in Somerset. A Stoke-sub-Hamdon couple whose daughter died of cancer have raised £128,000 in her memory... and more
Monday 13th April

Yeovil MP Adam Dance is calling for better support for survivors of domestic abuse living in rural communities. The RSPB in Somerset is urging people to stop feeding birds to prevent the spread of disease. Yeovil Town Football Club says an issue that had threatened it with removal from the register at Companies House has been resolved... and more
Friday 10th April

Maternity services at Yeovil Hospital will reopen on Tuesday April 21st. A Somerset woman, who relies on a wheelchair for mobility, has criticised changes to the Motor Motability scheme. Somerset Freemasons have presented a cheque for forty-three thousand pounds to Young Somerset, a charity that supports young people in the county... and more