Monday 9th June

Monday, 9 June 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Somerset Council is giving £1.5m to Hill View Special School at Ash near Martock to prevent it from closing. Two men have been convicted of killing a Yeovil man they mistakenly believed to be a convicted paedophile. People across Somerset are being asked to make a note of any wildlife they see...and more

Somerset Council is giving £1.5m to Hill View Special School at Ash near Martock to prevent it from closing. The school, which opened in September last year and was funded by the Department for Education, is facing costly building issues and lower-than-anticipated pupil numbers.

Two men have been convicted of killing a Yeovil man they mistakenly believed to be a convicted paedophile. Mark Roberts, aged 39, of Juniper Close in Yeovil, and David Garland, aged 40, of no fixed address, were each found guilty of both murder and conspiracy to murder Michael Wheeler at Bristol Crown Court. Three other men were cleared of charges against them. The court heard that Michael Wheeler was friends with the men. Still, their relationship soured when they confused him with another Michael Wheeler, who was jailed in 2003 after admitting to grooming and sexually abusing two 13-year-old girls.

Somerset's main water provider, Wessex Water, is one of six water companies banned by the regulator OFWAT from giving bonuses to executives. The ban imposed on Wessex Water follows the company's conviction over two sewage spills last year.

A Chard man has been disqualified from driving for 18 months and given a 12-month suspended prison sentence. Dean Lawrence from Millfield in Chard was convicted of speeding, driving without insurance and being over the drug drive limit while at the wheel of a car in Chard last October.

People from across Somerset are being asked to make a note of any wildlife they spot. The Big Count, organised by the Somerset Wildlife Trust, gathers information for the Somerset State of Nature Report. We're being asked to record wildlife we see in gardens, parks, and community green spaces for this year's Big Count, which runs from June 16th to June 25th.

More from News

Tuesday 15th September

Police investigating an attack on a shop worker in Yeovil have released CCTV images of a man and woman they want to speak to. Farmers in Somerset are being warned to expect more cases of bluetongue. Ilminster Carnival Committee has announced the cancellation of this year's Children's Carnival due to a lack of entries... and more
Monday 14th September

Two new mobile NHS breast screening units have taken to the road in Somerset. More than 700 new homes are to be built alongside the M5 in Bridgwater. Dawes Twineworks in West Coker is one of several venues open to the public for free this month... and more
Friday 11th September

It’s going to cost more to park in Chard. Police have issued an image of a man they want to speak to in connection with two burglaries in Yeovil. Somerset Cricket Club is planning to stage performances by some of the world's biggest artistes at their Taunton ground... and more
Thursday 10th September

Work has begun building a new multi-million-pound David Lloyd leisure centre in Yeovil. NHS Somerset says a new system to handle emergency stroke care will lead to "better outcomes" for patients. Tickets for next year’s Glastonbury Festival will go on sale in October...and more
Wednesday 9th September

Police have released an image of a man they want to speak to following an assault in Yeovil. Businesses in Taunton say they're worried that planned changes to parking rules could put people off visiting the town. The Red Arrows will take to the skies near the Somerset border in a one-off display later this week... and more
Tuesday 8th September

Police in Avon and Somerset say they’re dealing with a big increase in reports of cloned vehicle fraud. A new video system designed to speed up stroke care has been launched in Somerset. Pilgrims are walking through Somerset this week to mark eight hundred years since the death of Saint Francis of Assisi... and more
Monday 7th September

Avon and Somerset Police are warning about a new scam involving criminals posing as police officers. Flu vaccinations are now available on the NHS ahead of the winter. Liverpool comedian John Bishop has cancelled his show in Taunton later this week after breaking his ankle... and more
Friday 4th September

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on a vehicle near Shepton Mallet. New taxi charges come into force in Somerset later this month. The fire service is treating as accidental a blaze at a flat in Yeovil town centre... and more