Thursday 15th May

Thursday, 15 May 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has been asked to intervene in the decision to close the maternity ward at Yeovil Hospital. A man who lives in Winsham near Chard has been given a suspended prison sentence for breaching his sex offender notification requirements. Plans have been submitted to convert Dolphin House in Yeovil into 18 residential units...and more

The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has been asked to intervene in the decision to close the maternity ward at Yeovil Hospital. The sudden shutdown, which takes effect next Monday and that will initially last six months, follows an inspection by the Care Quality Commission that found safety risks within the paediatric department at Yeovil Hospital. The issue regarding the decision to shut the unit was raised in the House of Commons during Prime Minister’s questions by Yeovil MP Adam Dance. After the unit closes, expectant mothers will have to travel to the County Hospital in Dorchester, the Royal United Hospital in Bath or Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton to give birth.

The family of a Yeovil man is asking for the public’s help in finding him. Ciaran King, aged 22, who also goes by Ciaran Lucas, was reported missing on Boxing Day. He’s described as white, 5ft 8ins tall, of slim build, with tattoos on both arms and his neck. If you know of Ciaran’s whereabouts, you’re asked to please call the non-emergency number 101.

Plans have been submitted to convert Dolphin House in Yeovil into 18 residential units.. Dolphin House in Hendford adjoins a mid-terraced property and Yeovil’s Masonic Hall. Each units will consist of one bedroom, a living room/kitchen space, and a shower room.

A man who lives in Winsham near Chard has been given a suspended prison sentence for breaching his sex offender notification requirements. A court in Yeovil was told that Christopher Reynolds had used a fake name to exchange messages on the networking app Grindr. Reynolds, aged 63, of Davies Close, Winsham, pleaded guilty to failing to comply with his notification requirements. He was sentenced to 16 weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months on condition that he does not commit any further offences.

Several care homes in Somerset are to trial a new type of alarm system to help reduce falls. The Nobi smart lighting system will be installed at four care homes and is designed to immediately alert carers when a resident falls to ensure assistance is got to them as quickly as possible.

Whites fish and chip shop in Chard has been named Chard and Ilminster News Fish and Chip Shop of the Year. Whites, on Boden Street, was the public’s pick as the best fish and chip shop in South Somerset in the Chard and Ilminster News poll. Palmer's Fish and Chips in Yeovil, and Vincent’s Fish Bar in Ilminster came joint runners-up.

More from News

Wednesday 14th May

The Labour Ward and Special Care Baby Unit at Yeovil Hospital is closing for six months following safety concerns. Chard Youth Centre says it will be heartbreaking if it has to close. The road between Ilminster and Chard at Dowlish Ford is shut to traffic again today. People in Somerset are being advised to wear sunglasses to protect their eyesight during the current sunny weather...and more
Tuesday 13th May

A Somerset beef farmer says the trade deal between the UK and the US must ensure that animal welfare standards are maintained. A Somerset teenager is trying to raise money to buy a bionic hand. Grants of up to £400 are being offered to schools in Somerset to encourage children to create new green spaces...and more.
Monday 12th May

A new task force has been set up in Chard to tackle the town’s growing problem of drug crime. A barn at Hinton St George has been destroyed by fire. A Crewkerne man who raped two women over a 10-year period has been jailed. Swimmers will be able to take a late dip in Shepton Mallet Lido tonight...and more.
Friday 9th May

The trust that runs the Somerset ambulance service has confirmed that up to forty jobs are at risk. Chinnock Hollow, near Yeovil, has been subjected to a permanent road closure. Police are appealing for witnesses to an incident where a defibrillator was vandalised in Ilminster. Somerset wicket-keeper James Rew has been drafted into the England Test squad to play Zimbabwe...and more
Thursday 8th May

Somerset Council says it's dealing with up to 800 reports of potholes on the County's roads every week. Events are taking place across our area today to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Sixteen doctors’ surgeries in Somerset, including four in South Somerset, are set to expand. A Martock man hopes to set a world record by jumping off the world's fourth-tallest mountain in a wingsuit...and more.
Wednesday 7th May

The Interim Chairman of Yeovil Town, Stuart Robins, says the club is close to finding a new owner. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is examining an incident in which a volunteer was struck by a wagon at the Gartell Light Railway centre near Templecombe. An Ilminster man has been charged with fox hunting. Councillor Tony Lock has been sworn in as the new Mayor of Yeovil...and more
Tuesday 6th May

A Somerset man is urging people with multiple sclerosis to be more open with friends and family about the disease. A week of events is underway in Somerset to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. Plans have been submitted to carry out major improvements to Dillington House near Ilminster...and more.
Friday 2nd May

Somerset Council has written to the government calling for urgent action to tackle the worsening situation of access to NHS dentistry in the county. The Mayor of Yeovil is urging people to join in with next week's celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. A Somerset father, whose daughter died suddenly aged 15 months, is starting a month of running 5k a day in her memory... and more.