Thursday 11th December

Thursday, 11 December 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A man has appeared in court in connection with an attack in Wincanton. A member of Somerset Council, jailed for 26 months for taking part in a Just Stop Oil protest, may not have to stand down as a councillor. NHS Somerset has announced that changes to stroke services at Yeovil Hospital will "go live" in the spring of next year...and more

A man has appeared in court in connection with an attack on another man in Wincanton. Arthur O'Brien, aged 33 from Knowle in Bristol, was charged with causing grievous bodily harm and being in possession of an offensive weapon. The charges relate to an incident on Wincanton High Street on Sunday, November 30th. Mr O’Brien was remanded in custody and will next appear in court on Friday, January 9th.

A member of Somerset Council, jailed for 26 months for taking part in a Just Stop Oil protest, may not have to stand down as a councillor. Michael Dunk was one of several Just Stop Oil activists who climbed gantries on the M25 in November 2022 to demand an end to new fossil fuel projects. Somerset Council says Councillor Dunk’s disqualification from holding office does not take effect immediately upon conviction, but only applies after the period for lodging an appeal has expired or, after the conclusion of the appeal, he is unsuccessful. They say Councillor Dunk will remain a member of the authority until he either resigns or decides not to appeal his conviction.

A woman with MND is criticising Somerset Council over the time it takes to access applications for disability facility support grants. Nicky Jones says she’s been waiting more than six months for the Council to fit adaptations to her home. She says the application process for disability facility grants isn’t working and needs to change.

NHS Somerset has announced that changes to stroke services at Yeovil Hospital will "go live" in the spring of next year. Under the changes, Yeovil Hospital will retain its acute stroke provision but from mid-2026 all hyper-acute stroke patients, who would have been treated in Yeovil, will be taken to either Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton or Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester, whichever is closer.

A Taunton man has completed 12 marathons in 12 months in memory of his mother. Peter Dunlop finished the year-long challenge this month in tribute to his mother, Jane, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2017. Peter raised £24,000 for Pancreatic Cancer UK by completing the 12 marathons.

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