Monday 11th March

Monday, 11 March 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A man and a woman are due in court today charged with the murder of a baby boy at Yeovil Hospital. Somerset Council is to stop providing free sandbags to homeowners at times of major flooding. Students at Holyrood Academy in Chard have been invited to perform one of their shows at the Bristol Old Vic...and more

A man and a woman are due to appear at Bristol Crown Court in connection with the death of a baby boy during an incident at Yeovil Hospital. Brendon Staddon who was just two weeks old died in Yeovil Hospital last week. Daniel Gunter and Sophie Staddon both of no fixed address have been charged with his murder and of causing or allowing the death of a child.

Communities affected by flooding will no longer be given free sandbags by Somerset Council. The move is part of a raft of cost-cutting measures at Somerset Council, with homeowners being told that it’s their responsibility to protect their properties in the event of a flood.

It’s believed that a blaze in an empty property in Crewkerne was started deliberately. The three-storey derelict house on Abbey Street went up in flames last Wednesday. A short time earlier, Police received a call from a member of the public saying that a group of youths had broken into the property. Anyone who can help Police with enquiries is asked to call the non-emergency number 101.

Keeping Somerset's streets and public toilets clean could become the responsibility of town and parish councils as Somerset Council seeks to cut costs. The Council currently has contracts with IDVerde for street cleaning and grounds maintenance, which were inherited from the four district councils upon their abolition in April 2023. Rather than extending the agreements, Somerset Council plans to bring the services in-house as the contracts expire, saving between £200,000 and £300,000 a year. But the council believes it could save even more if the services are devolved to town and parish councils - something which could lead to further rises in local council tax bills.

A Somerset-based photographer is exhibiting her photos of the 'devastating' flooding of the Levels ten years on. Matilda Temperley's photos are on display until 19th May at the Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury. Alongside the exhibition, a programme of events and activities is taking take place supported by Somerset Rivers Authority.

A group of students at Holyrood Academy in Chard have been invited to perform one of their shows in Bristol later this month. The Year 10 to 13 students will stage their production of Kiss, Marry, Push off a cliff, at the Bristol Old Vic on Tuesday, March 19th.

More from News

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
Tuesday 9th June

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
Monday 8th June

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.
Friday 5th June

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
Thursday 4th June

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
Wednesday 3rd June

A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with assaulting three police officers. Somerset Council has begun legal action to recover more than £320,000 owed by housing developers. The line-up has been announced for this year’s Ilminster Midsummer Experience...and more