Monday 19th January

Monday, 19 January 2026 06:00

By Steve Haigh

The government is facing increasing pressure to clarify whether it will order new medium-lift helicopters from Leonardo in Yeovil. Somerset Council is spending £5 million on new laptops. A new singing group is being set up in Yeovil for people living with dementia...and more

The government is facing increasing pressure to clarify whether it will order new medium-lift helicopters from Leonardo in Yeovil. The Italian owners of the Yeovil factory are threatening to shut the site if the order, said to be worth £1.4 billion, is not confirmed by March 31st. Speaking in the House of Lords, Baroness Goldie said the government’s ‘dithering’ was putting thousands of jobs in Yeovil at risk.

The government says it wants farmers to be paid a ‘fairer price’ for their milk. It follows the latest price drop, which farmers say is the worst yet. Since October, payments to farmers have fallen by 35 pence a litre due to a global over supply of milk and a new trade deal with America.

Somerset Council is spending £5 million on new laptops. Council Leader Bill Revans says their staff laptops have exceeded the recommended four-year lifecycle, with many now over six years old. He says replacing the devices will help sustain productivity, minimise downtime, and ensure reliable access to the Council’s digital services.

A community speed watch group is restarting in the hamlet of Ford Street on the Blackdown Hills. It follows the introduction of Speed Indicator Devices and reports of an increase in drivers breaking the local speeding limit.

A former Royal Marine and Paralympian in Somerset has designed a new type of powered height-adjustable wheelchair. Phil Eaglesham contracted a disease while serving in Afghanistan, which left him unable to walk. Phil says having use of the all-terrain elevating wheelchair has been life-changing.

A new singing group is being set up in Yeovil for people living with dementia. The Octagon Memory Choir will meet at the Westland Entertainment venue on Fridays from the end of January, with carers and family also welcome.

More from News

Thursday 19th February

Yeovil fire station is to undergo a major refurbishment. A Yeovil based charity is appealing for adults to become mentors to young people. A Somerset woman has completed a 10,000 kilometre solo bike ride across Africa... and more
Wednesday 18th February

New figures have shown a rise in cases of suicide involving farmers, including in Somerset. Plans to merge the parishes of Castle Cary and Ansford have been scrapped. A Somerset-based charity working to end homelessness is marking its 50th anniversary... and more
Tuesday 17th February

Avon and Somerset Police are asking the owners of replica guns to hand them in. It's claimed motorists in the Bruton and Wincanton area are paying out hundreds of pounds in repairs due to the poor state of local roads. And, Yeovil Town take on Aldershot at Huish Park tonight... and more
Monday 16th February

Yeovil MP Adam Dance has warned that the Westlands entertainment venue in Yeovil would be at risk should Leonardo not be awarded a government contract to build new medium life helicopters. A Chard woman has been given a suspended jail sentence for carrying a knife in a public place. A petition has been launched to slowdown motorists using Coker Way and Wyatt Way in Chard... and more
Friday 13th February

Somerset Council has dropped plans to close two town centre car parks in Yeovil. A Yeovil man has been charged with attempted murder after a woman was attacked in her home. The Environment Agency has committed to reviewing its water management of the Somerset Levels following the recent floods... and more
Thursday 12th February

The government says it's ‘working flat out’ to arrive at a decision on ordering a new medium lift helicopter with Leonardo in Yeovil. We’re being asked to suggest where new electric vehicle charge points should be installed in Somerset. A new project is inviting people to look up and help map Somerset’s night skies... and more
Wednesday 11th February

Somerset Council has been told it can’t raise council tax by more than 5 percent. Businesses in Somerset are being warned to watch out for fake £20 notes. A Martock man has successfully completed a parachute-ski jump off the top of Mount Snowdon.
Tuesday 10th February

Eye operations in Somerset have been cancelled, due to a private company running out of NHS funding to provide the surgery. A local MP is calling for the permanent installation of pumps on the Somerset Levels to reduce the flood risk. A £3 million pound project has begun to refurbish the grand organ at Wells Cathedral... and more