Thursday 26th February

Thursday, 26 February 2026 05:00

By Steve Haigh

Workers at Leonardo in Yeovil have been to Downing Street to hand-in a petition calling on the government to back British jobs. The decision to grant planning permission to upgrade Yeovil's Octagon Theatre has been enthusiastically welcomed by staff who work there. The search is on to find a defibrillator that has gone missing in Chard... and more

Workers at Leonardo in Yeovil have been to Downing Street to hand-in a petition calling on the government to back British jobs and confirm a £1.4 billion order to build new medium lift helicopters in Yeovil. Leonardo’s Italian owners are threatening to shut the Yeovil factory, putting thousands of jobs at risk, if the order isn’t confirmed by March 31st. The government says it won’t make a decision on the medium lift helicopter until after the delayed Defence Investment Programme has been published.

The decision to grant planning permission to upgrade Yeovil's Octagon Theatre has been enthusiastically welcomed by staff who work there. The Octagon closed four years ago with performances transferred to the Westland Entertainment venue. Somerset Council, who own the theatre say a £10 million government grant towards the £15 million upgrade project still has to be secured.

People living in flats in Somerset will soon be able recycle the same items as everyone else. Leaflets and food caddies are being sent to flat dwellers for when the new collection system for food waste, soft plastics and cartons begins at the end of March.

The search is on to find a defibrillator that has gone missing in Chard. It had been located outside the former Oscar Mayer site and was reported missing earlier this month. Chard Town Council says it’s the second time a defibrillator has been taken from the location and have appealed for it to be returned.

A church in Glastonbury, which closed its churchyard last year due to anti-social behaviour says its planning to reopen it very soon. The churchyard at St John’s in the centre of Glastonbury was closed last summer to stop it being miss-used for drug taking and drinking alcohol.

Taunton is planning a bid for the title of UK Town of Culture 2028. If successful, it will receive £3million to deliver a cultural programme showcasing the people, heritage, and stories that make Taunton special.

More from News

Wednesday 22nd April

Expectant mothers are using Yeovil Hospital once again to give birth following the reopening of the maternity unit. A Yeovil man has been jailed for four years for committing sexual offences against two young girls. Plans have been approved to convert a pub in Milborne Port into housing... and more
Tuesday 21st April

NHS Somerset has delayed closing the hyper-acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. A former Avon and Somerset Police officer has been jailed for making indecent images of children. A Somerset man has been fined after pleading guilty to hunting a wild animal with dogs... and more
Monday 20th April

Nearly one hundred roads in Somerset will be surface dressed this summer to prevent further damage. Almost all children starting primary school in Somerset in September have been offered a place at one of their top three school choices. People in Somerset are being asked to record wild mammals in gardens and other green spaces over the summer... and more
Friday 17th April

Yeovil MP Adam Dance has backed calls for a cap on heating oil prices. Invitations are being sent out to those in Somerset eligible for the latest Covid vaccine. A pub near Chard has closed just four months after reopening... and more
Thursday 16th April

Wessex Water has been told to pay £300,000 after a sewer spilled into the River Yeo killing dozens of fish. The Brewhouse Theatre in Taunton has been given a grant of half a million pounds. Today marks the official opening of the new visitor centre at Ham Hill... and more
Wednesday 15th April

Yeovil College has been upgraded to a Defence Technical Excellence College. Somerset Council is taking legal action against a housing developer that owes £35,000 in contributions towards local services in Broadway. An Ilminster couple have covered the first 400 miles of their epic walk around the coastline of mainland Britain... and more
Tuesday 14th April

Avon and Somerset Police has launched a new five-year plan to tackle anti-social behaviour. Additional GP appointments will soon be available at three local surgeries, following a £1 million investment to upgrade NHS facilities in Somerset. A Stoke-sub-Hamdon couple whose daughter died of cancer have raised £128,000 in her memory... and more
Monday 13th April

Yeovil MP Adam Dance is calling for better support for survivors of domestic abuse living in rural communities. The RSPB in Somerset is urging people to stop feeding birds to prevent the spread of disease. Yeovil Town Football Club says an issue that had threatened it with removal from the register at Companies House has been resolved... and more