Monday 1st December

Monday, 1 December 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

New figures show that crime in the Avon and Somerset police area rose by 8% in the year to June. South Western Railway has restarted running hourly services through Sherborne, Yeovil and Crewkerne following months of disruption. Persimmon Homes South West has donated £1500 towards the running costs of Castle Cary Rugby Club...and more

New figures show that crime in the Avon and Somerset police area rose by 8% in the year to June. The total number of crimes increased from 156,941 between July and June 2024 to 170,002 between July and June this year. The most significant increases were in theft offences, which rose by 18%, and drug offences, which grew by 20%.

South Western Railway has restarted running hourly services through Sherborne, Yeovil and Crewkerne following months of disruption. SWR has been operating reduced services between Salisbury and Exeter since August due to track damage caused by the summer’s high temperatures. Engineers have now completed repairs to the track, allowing trains to travel at their regular speeds.

A major road closure will take effect in Crewkerne from tomorrow. Two-way traffic lights will operate on the A356 Broadshard Road between 9 am and 7 pm before the road closes to through traffic in both directions from 7 pm to 6 am the following day. The closures will be repeated on Wednesday and Thursday. It's to allow Wessex Water to replace monitoring equipment.

A Somerset transport firm is applying for permission to operate vehicles from an industrial unit in Martock. South West Pitch Services Ltd, based in Templecombe, wants to operate two goods vehicles and one trailer from Unit 11C on Great Western Road in Martock. People who live close to the site and believe they could be affected have until Thursday, December 11th, to submit written representations to the Traffic Commissioner.

A date’s been announced for work to start replacing ageing traffic signals at the A39 junction with Clarks Village in Street. Somerset Council says six sets of traffic lights, which span the junction need renewing as they are more than 30 years old. The work will start on January 5th and last for 16 weeks. The road between Westway Roundabout and Street Roundabout is also being resurfaced and a new path for cyclists and pedestrians is being added.

You can now take soft plastics like crisp packets, biscuit wrappers, and lids from ready meals to the Co-op store on Stiby Road in Yeovil for recycling. The in-store facility has been added as part of a major store upgrade, with customers now also provided with self-service tills.

Persimmon Homes South West has donated £ 1,500 towards the running costs of Castle Cary Rugby Club. The cheque presentation made to Club Chairman, Gary Power, comes ahead of Persimmon Homes starting work building 162 new homes at Tor Point in the town.

More from News

Friday 13th March

The first of the new medium lift helicopters being built by Leonardo in Yeovil for the RAF will be delivered in 2031. Somerset Council has launched a public consultation on planned new charges at its two hundred public car parks. More women in Somerset are said to be taking up walking football... and more
Thursday 12th March

A Yeovil headteacher says he’s concerned about plans to stop giving school holiday food vouchers to families on low incomes. The owner of Yeovil Town is calling on fans to be patient as he continues his overhaul of the National League side. A high voltage fault is being blamed for plunging 1700 homes into darkness in the Ilminster area... and more
Wednesday 11th March

Plans have been submitted to convert two properties in Yeovil into houses of multiple occupation. A new court date has been announced for a Yeovil man charged with attempted murder. An engineer who has worked at the Leonardo factory in Yeovil for 40-years has won a top industry award... and more
Tuesday 10th March

Police say a fire at the former Oscar Mayer food factory in Chard was started deliberately. Yeovil College says it would have been adversely affected had Leonardo not won the contract to build new medium-lift helicopters. A seven-foot dragon will be visiting towns and villages in our area during the next few weeks to promote Somerset Day... and more
Monday 9th March

Two Wildcat helicopters from 815 Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton have arrived in Cyprus to help protect RAF Akrotiri from further Iranian drone strikes. New figures show that 40 people were killed on Avon and Somerset’s roads in the last 12-months. A Somerset man has been recalling the day 60-years ago when he was a passenger on the last train on the Somerset and Dorset Railway... and more
Friday 6th March

Defence Minister Luke Pollard has been explaining why it took the government so long to confirm a contract for the Leonardo in Yeovil to build new medium lift helicopters for the RAF. Police are investigating a break in at a pet shop in Ilminster. Somerset Council is to stop using red ink on council tax reminder letters... and more
Thursday 5th March

Two military helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton are being sent to Cyprus to help bolster UK’s defences amid the US-Israel war with Iran. Yeovil Town Council is seeking legal advice over the closure of the hyper acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. Flood warnings have been lifted on the Somerset Levels... and more
Wednesday 4th March

A man has died in a fire in Wincanton. Somerset Council is planning further cuts of twenty-one million pounds to help balance its books. A campaign to raise £30,000 for a minibus has been launched in Chard... and more