Monday 17th August

Monday, 17 August 2026 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A sinkhole on Station Road in Castle Cary has been repaired, two years after it was first discovered. Somerset Council is carrying out urgent repairs to three of its buildings in Yeovil. A Wildcat helicopter from RNAS Yeovilton has taken part in the annual passing-out parade at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth... and more

A sinkhole on Station Road in Castle Cary has been repaired, two years after it was first discovered. Somerset Council says an initial attempt to fix what appeared to be a localised depression in the road revealed a much more complex problem, involving damage to a culvert beneath the road. The council says the work has involved deep excavation, extensive investigation and close coordination with utility companies.

A 34-year-old man from Chard has been jailed for sexual offences involving a child. Andrew McLeod, of Victoria Avenue in Chard, pleaded guilty when he appeared at Taunton Crown Court. He was sentenced to 22 months in prison, suspended for two years. He must also complete 200 hours of unpaid work and 40 rehabilitation activity days. McLeod has also been given a sexual harm prevention order lasting five years.

A former care home in Yeovil is set to become a care home again. Tyndale House, on Preston Road, closed as a care home in 2019 before being converted into an 18-bed house in multiple occupation in 2021.The owners, Tyndale Limited, have now secured planning permission from Somerset Council to return the building to use as a fully functioning care home.

Somerset Council is carrying out urgent repairs to three of its buildings in Yeovil. The work is taking place at Goldenstones Leisure Centre in Brunswick Street, Lufton Depot on the Lufton Industrial Estate, and Petters House in Petters Way. The repairs are expected to continue through the rest of the summer and into early autumn, with the council saying the timetable is designed to minimise disruption to the public.

A Wildcat helicopter from RNAS Yeovilton has taken part in the annual passing-out parade for junior officers at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. The aircraft, from 825 Naval Air Squadron, performed a flypast marking the completion of 29 weeks of intensive training for 150 junior officers that included 134 officers from the Royal Navy and 16 from allied partner navies.

More from News

Friday 14th August

Police are investigating an incident in which obscene words were scratched onto the World War One memorial at Ham Hill. Yeovil MP Adam Dance has repeated his call for the upgrade of the town’s police station to include a custody suite. A Somerset carnival club is building a specially adapted float to allow a wheelchair user and her assistance dog to take part in this year’s carnival circuit...and more
Thursday 13th August

An Ilminster family is celebrating after winning one million pounds on the National Lottery. Police have released a picture of a man they want to speak to in connection with suspected frauds in Somerset. Somerset Council has opened a tendering process to find a main contractor for the £15 million upgrade of Yeovil’s Octagon theatre... and more
Wednesday 12th August

Experts say with good visibility forecast for this evening, people across Somerset should have some of the best views of the solar eclipse anywhere in the UK. A Somerset councillor is calling for the Stop Line cycle route between Chard and Ilminster to be better supported. It's 40-years ago this week since a Lynx helicopter built in Yeovil set a new World Helicopter Speed Record... and more
Tuesday 11th August

Wessex Water says a hosepipe ban is possible if customers fail to cut their water usage. A record number of illegal dog fights were reported in Somerset last year. Yeovil Town's Mason Obeng has won the traditional sack of potatoes, given to the player who scores Yeovil's first goal of the new season, as a lucky omen... and more
Monday 10th August

A local councillor claims anti-social behaviour is putting people off coming into Yeovil town centre. South-West Water has announced a hosepipe ban in the Chard area. Great Western Railway has apologised after a wheelchair user from Chard became stuck at one of its stations... and more
Friday 7th August

Chard's biggest employer, Numatic International, makers of the Henry vacuum cleaner, has announced job cuts. A new Neighbourhood Plan for Hatch Beauchamp has officially been adopted. Two historic artefacts taken from Glastonbury Abbey more than 70 years ago have been returned...and more
Thursday 6th August

A local man and convicted former neo-Nazi, selected by the Conservatives to stand in Crewkerne South in next year’s local elections for a seat on Somerset Council, has pulled out after a backlash against his candidacy. A charity that runs children's homes in Somerset is terminating its contract early following a critical report by Ofsted...and more
Wednesday 5th August

Avon and Somerset's Police and Crime Commissioner is backing the wider use of police drones in towns like Yeovil to help tackle crime. Visitor numbers at Somerset's tourist attractions are down by around sixty per cent so far this year. A gardening expert says it'll take much more than the occasional shower to revive Somerset's parched lawns, parks and open spaces...and more