Thursday 18th April

Thursday, 18 April 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A Martock man has been jailed after admitting to shining lasers at aircraft flying over Yeovil. Police are investigating an attempted break-in at the TK Maxx store at Babylon Hill. Nearly four hundred people have put their names forward for redundancy at Somerset Council...and more.

A Martock man has been jailed after admitting to shining lasers at aircraft. Appearing at Taunton Crown Court, Andrew Wilson was sentenced to four months imprisonment. At an earlier hearing, Wilson had admitted two counts of directing a laser beam at an aircraft, an offence under the Laser Misuse Act 2018. On the first occasion, he targeted a helicopter flying over Yeovil. The second incident involved an Airbus A320 passenger plane flying over Yeovil on its descent to Bristol Airport, with 200 people on board. The court was that Wilson had not only jeopardised the eyesight of several pilots but had recklessly endangered the lives of hundreds of innocent people. Story courtesy of Chard and Ilminster News.

Police are investigating an attempted break-in at the TK Maxx store at Babylon Hill, just outside Yeovil. It happened on Tuesday, April 16th at around 9 pm. Two men from Yeovil have since been arrested on suspicion of burglary offences.

Nearly 400 people have put their names forward for redundancy at Somerset Council. The Council plans to cut around one thousand jobs in this financial year, up to a quarter of the workforce, in an attempt to save £40m. 372 members of staff had applied for voluntary redundancy when the deadline to apply expired at the end of March.

Conservationists in Somerset have welcomed the news that a bill to ban the use of peat in gardening products has passed through the first stages in Parliament unopposed. The county has the largest peatlands in the South West and contributes a huge amount to the total UK output.

Staff from South Western Ambulance have been in London lobbying MPs as part of a campaign for fairer pay. On a visit to Parliament, Emergency Care Assistants, who work with paramedics as part of emergency ambulance crews, were asking for support for their campaign for higher pay, to better reflect their levels of training, and the important work they do.

Former Somerset and England cricketer, Marcus Trescothick has been presented his OBE for services to mental health. Marcus currently works as a mental health ambassador with the Professional Cricketers' Association. In 2006, he had to leave an England overseas tour due to his struggles with depression and anxiety.

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Monday 27th July

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Friday 24th July

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Thursday 23rd July

The West Country is officially one step closer to being declared in drought. Somerset Council says it's remodelling its service after a children's home was closed following an inspection. A new McDonald's planned off the M5 at Bridgwater could create up to 120 local jobs... and more
Wednesday 22nd July

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