Monday 12th August

Monday, 12 August 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Four people were arrested in Yeovil at the weekend during a large police operation put in place over concerns of possible disorder in the town. Bus users in Somerset are facing disruption today with staff at First Bus staging a walkout. Work is underway replacing a historic stained-glass window at Ilminster Arts Centre...and more.

Four people were arrested in Yeovil at the weekend during a large police operation put in place over concerns of possible disorder in the town. Police say the arrests were for offences, including a racially aggravated public order offence and possession of a knife. Officers stopped and searched 14 people, while six people in a dispersal zone were directed away from the area. In addition to the police having extra powers during Saturday’s operation, horses, a dog unit, a drone team, and officers from neighbouring forces were deployed. Those arrested remain in police custody.

Bus users in Somerset are facing more disruption today with staff at First Bus staging a walkout in their long-running pay dispute. The RMT union claim First Bus has refused to negotiate further on the pay claim but the company says it’s offered an above-inflation offer of 5.1 percent on all pay grades.

The next phase of road surface work in Somerset starts today. Surface dressing is a technique used to seal a road, improving skid resistance, and preventing water from getting under the surface, to help stop potholes from forming. Roads in our area being treated this week include; Canal Road in Ilminster, Fosse Way at Lydford on the Fosse, and Frome Road at Bruton.

A Planning Inspector has given the go-ahead for 37 new homes to be built at Walton near Street despite the plans being rejected by Mendip Council. They’d argued the homes would worsen road safety issues on the busy A39 but the Planning Inspectorate ruled in the developer’s favour, meaning the new homes can now be built on land off South Street in Walton.

A Somerset woman is planning to set a new world record for flying to the most countries in a hot air balloon. Allie Dunnington, who currently holds the women’s world record for flying through one-hundred-and-fifteen countries aims to beat the men’s world record held by her late husband.

An historic stained-glass window at Ilminster Arts Centre is undergoing restoration after being damaged by bad weather. The repairs are due to be completed by the autumn.

More from News

Thursday 1st May

There’s been a call for the Somerset Levels to be designated a National Landscape. A Yeovil man has raised £2,000 for a new school minibus at Fairmead School in Yeovil by running the London Marathon. Exmoor Ales, which provides cask ales across the region and beyond, is closing its Somerset brewery and moving the business to Surrey...and more.
Wednesday 30th April

The long-awaited refurbishment of Yeovil police station is finally to get underway this summer. Plans have been approved to build 185 new homes off Bunford Lane in Yeovil. Police have arrested three men in Yeovil for being involved in the supply of Class A drugs. A Somerset jockey has been named Champion Conditional Jockey of 2025...and more.
Tuesday 29th April

New figures have shown that registering as a new patient with an NHS dentist in Somerset is still just as difficult as it was six months ago. The go-ahead has been given to build 160 new houses on Station Road in Castle Cary. A sailor from South Petherton has been chosen to lead a team in the round-the-world Clipper Race...and more.
Monday 28th April

Somerset Council is being criticised for taking too long to re-open Yeovil's Octagon Theatre. The Liberal Democrats have won a seat on Chard Town Council by one vote. Dates have been announced for this year’s illuminated carnival processions in South Somerset...and more.
Friday 25th April

Police are investigating the theft of a motorbike in Ilminster. Tributes have been paid to the former Yeovil Town player-manager, Cecil Irwin, who has died aged 83. Town criers from across the South West will be in Yeovil tomorrow competing for the loudest voice in the Yeovil Town Crier Competition 2025...and more
Thursday 24th April

Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident in which a child was struck by a car in Yeovil. This week, a planning inquiry is being held into plans to turn a Somerset shopping centre into a retirement complex. A Somerset woman is planning to walk the 70-miles of Hadrian's Wall to mark her 90th birthday...and more.
Wednesday 23rd April

Tourism bosses in Somerset say they feel confident the County will have a good summer for visitors this year. A group representing care providers in Somerset is warning that some residential homes are at risk of going out of business due to rising costs. A Somerset animal charity has taken into care, three orphaned badger cubs...and more.
Tuesday 22nd April

The Care Quality Commission has given two GP practices in Yeovil a 'good' overall rating. According to insurers, AXA, thefts at commercial premises in Somerset are on the rise. Bus users in Somerset could see changes to the frequency of services when the new West of England mayor takes office. Martock is to host its first Pride event in June...and more.