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

Monday 15th June

People in Somerset are being asked to take part in a new survey about alcohol use. Yeovil's MP Adam Dance will lead a debate in Parliament today on NHS dentistry. A Yeovil runner has been selected to represent England at a national endurance championship... and more
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