Thursday 17th April

Thursday, 17 April 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

The father of a one-month-old baby boy in Chard is to stand trial for the murder of his son. New figures show that just under 1300 crimes were reported to the Police in Yeovil during the final quarter of last year. A night in a prison cell is offered at Shepton Mallet Jail to those who want to be alone this Easter...and more.

The father of a one-month-old baby boy in Chard is to stand trial for the murder of his son. Tony Bartlett, aged 38, is accused of killing Atticus Bartlett at an address in Chard on July 23rd in 2022. Mr Bartlett was sent for trial after appearing at Bristol Crown Court where he did not enter a plea to the murder charge and was released on conditional bail.

New figures show that just under 1300 crimes were reported to the Police in Yeovil during the final three months of last year. Between October and December 2024, 1,295 incidents were recorded, with violent and sexual offences accounting for 38 per cent of the total. Cases of anti-social behaviour made up 17% of all recorded crime. Avon and Somerset Police says the increase in crime is not uncommon in towns with a growing population like Yeovil.

Work has been completed refurbishing the sluice gate at Dunball on the Somerset Levels. The improvements, which have cost ten million pounds, will help to reduce the flood risk and provide greater protection for freshwater animals.

An event has been organised in Yeovil aimed at encouraging more young people to engage with politics and register to vote. It comes after figures from the Electoral Commission show that fewer 6-out-of-10 under 34-year-olds voted in last year’s general election. The event, organised by local MP Adam Dance and with guest speakers, is being held at Yeovil College on Friday, May 9th.

Details have been announced of how the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day will be marked in Chard. On VE Day, Thursday, May 8th, the Town Crier will read a proclamation from the balcony at the Guildhall at 8 am, followed by the raising of the official VE flag at 9 am. In the evening, at around 8.15 pm, a beacon will be lit with stalls and music provided in the Guildhall, to which everyone is invited.

A main road through Isle Abbotts will be shut to traffic for four days next week. Ashford Lane will be closed from Tuesday to Friday for the National Grid to carry out essential repairs.

A weekend of special events is being held at Shepton Mallet Prison for Easter. The 400-year-old jail that closed in 2013 and is now a tourist attraction is offering guided tours, ghost trails, Easter egg competitions, and the chance to spend a night in a prison cell.

Ahead of the upcoming Easter weekend, South Western Ambulance Service is reminding people to only dial 999 in a life-threatening emergency. They say to avoid putting extra pressure on the NHS, the public should choose carefully the right healthcare needed, as calling the 101 service can often be more appropriate than calling 999.

More from News

Monday 16th June

The new owner of Yeovil Town says he’s in talks with Somerset Council about buying back Huish Park. Water levels at some of Somerset’s reservoirs are below what they should be for this time of year. A Chard woman has been recognised in the King's Birthday Honours... and more.
Friday 13th June

Police are appealing for witnesses to a road traffic accident near Chard, which left one person with life-threatening injuries. Texas Rocks in Middle Street, Yeovil, has closed temporarily following a significant fire. A Yeovil dental hygienist has been named as a finalist in the Ms Great Britain competition...and more.
Thursday 12th June

Yeovil MP Adam Dance has criticised the Chancellor’s Spending Review for not delivering real change for Yeovil and South Somerset. The CEO of Leonardo UK states that they’re working towards closing the gender pay gap within the company. Yeovil Town is relocating its first-team training camp to Bristol... and more.
Wednesday 11th June

People in Somerset are being asked for their views on the state of the county’s roads and footpaths. A trial is being conducted at Yeovil Hospital to investigate whether administering shorter courses of antibiotics to patients can effectively treat sepsis. Somerset Council says it has no plans to reopen a block of public toilets in Chard...and more.
Tuesday 10th June

A mother from Chard says schools need to do more to identify students with dyslexia. A fire in a van that caught alight at Stoke-sub-Hamdon is being treated as accidental. A former Yeovil-based police officer, who made it appear he was working when he wasn’t, has been barred from policing...and more
Monday 9th June

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
Friday 6th June

Community Speedwatch volunteers in Keinton Mandeville have stopped monitoring the local traffic because of online and verbal abuse. Redstart Primary School in Chard has been rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted. A care home resident in Glastonbury has raised more than one thousand pounds for Children's Hospice Southwest by knitting soft toys...and more.
Thursday 5th June

Yeovil MP Adam Dance says he’s been told the temporary closure of the maternity unit at Yeovil Hospital will not be made permanent. Firefighters have dealt with a fire on a coach carrying passengers at Vagg Hill in Yeovil. The authorities in Chile are holding a man who lives in Milborne Port after being found with class-A drugs in a suitcase...and more.