Monday 19th August

Monday, 19 August 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident on the A303 Ilminster by-pass in which three people died. People needing a repeat prescription are asked to order it before the August Bank Holiday weekend. Somerset’s Armed Forces Hubs have been shortlisted for a national award...and more.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage to an accident on the A303 Ilminster by-pass in which three people died. It happened last Thursday at around 3.30 pm when a Skoda Yeti travelling westwards towards the Southfields roundabout collided head-on with a van. Two men and a woman in the Skoda died at the scene. Two people in the van were taken to hospital, one with serious injuries. If you witnessed the crash or have dashcam footage of either vehicle travelling on the Ilminster by-pass, you’re asked to please call the non-emergency number 101.

Engineering firm, Serco, has had its contract to deliver aircraft engineering support at RNAS Yeovilton extended by 12 months. The extension also applies to services provided by Serco at RNAS Culdrose. Serco, who employ 100 people, including 22 apprentices across the two bases, plan to take on ten apprentices as part of the contract extension.

People needing a repeat prescription are being asked to order it in advance of the upcoming August Bank Holiday weekend. NHS Somerset says over 70 Somerset pharmacies will be closed, with others having limited opening times, over the bank holiday weekend. They advise using the NHS app as the quickest way to order a repeat prescription.

A Somerset man has written a book based on his father's role in the Battle of Arnhem in 1944. Frank Hughes was part of Operation Market Garden in the Glider Pilot Regiment, where he silently flew behind enemy lines. ‘Veteran’ by Tan Hughes is on sale from today; a month ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem.

Somerset’s Armed Forces Hubs have been shortlisted for an HSJ Award. The hubs, run in partnership with the Ark Project near Merriot, have been recognised for their contribution to healthcare. The hubs are open to all members of the armed forces community, providing help to serving and retired military personnel experiencing homelessness, and mental health issues. To get in touch with the hubs, visit their website or speak to your GP, health coach, or village agent.

An employee at Leonardo in Yeovil has raised eleven hundred pounds for the Alzheimer's Society. Chris Flatt, a Liverpool supporter and keen collector of football pin badges, raised the funds by giving away some of his pin badges in a raffle.

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