Thursday 27th August

Thursday, 27 August 2026 06:30

A 21 mile stretch of the M5 is to be given a 50mph speed limit for three years. Chard remains a safe place to work, live and visit say Avon & Somerset Police. Sunflowers of Somerset is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a photography competition and community activities... and more.

A 21 mile stretch of the M5 is to be given a 50mph speed limit for three years, as part of an ongoing project to repair the St Georges Bridge. It'll come into force next Thursday between junction 19 for Portishead and 22 for Burnham on Sea. A number of overnight closures and lane restrictions will also be taking place over the coming weeks.

Chard remains a safe place to work, live and visit; that’s according to Avon & Somerset Police who tell us that crime in the town has decreased slightly in recent months, despite their expectations of a rise this summer. The force says community policing remains important across the county, and that officers work with businesses and the local authority to support a safe night-time economy. Anyone experiencing crime or antisocial behaviour is encouraged to report it.

Meantime, a new business in the town has had to close for repairs after the shopfront was damaged, just one day after it opened its doors. Transformations Hair, Beauty & Aesthetics discovered smashed windows on the morning of Wednesday, August 5^th. The business had only just relocated from Ilminster.

Sunflowers of Somerset is celebrating its 10^th anniversary with a photography competition and collection of community activities. The Ilminster-based project distributed around 7,500 sunflower seeds to schools, care homes, cafes, churches and many more organisations in March and April, to mark both the start of spring and the passing of a decade for the organisation. Due to a wet couple of months, the seeds took longer to germinate for many, and the later hot weather scorched the fledgling plants, but an impressive number of sunflowers still made their way to maturity.

More from News

Wednesday 26th August

Two people have been arrested and released under investigation after the death of a baby in Crewkerne. A large sand picture of the prime minister has appeared in Burnham On Sea. The wet winter and hot summer means cider producers are struggling with their yields... and more.
Tuesday 25th August

Fire crews have been dealing with a fire in Ilchester which broke out yesterday afternoon. Somerset’s frontline health services say heatwaves and tourism are making their jobs more difficult. A Chard health store has been named Natural Lifestyle Retailer of the Year.. and more.
Monday 24th August

The Chair of the NFU has repeated calls for a longer-term plan to tackle bluetongue, Three men have been jailed for their involvement in car key burglaries in Somerset. Police say they’re treating a fire in Norton Fitzwarren as suspicious... and more.
Friday 21st August

Adam Dance MP has added his voice to those criticising this week’s Channel 4 documentary on ADHD. Visitors can now explore more of Ham Hill with a new off-road mobility scooter hiring scheme. Young people are being encouraged to join the Ilminster Carnival children’s procession... and more.
Thursday 20th August

Castle Cary railway station’s makeover has been officially unveiled. A new 18 million pound diagnostic centre in Bridgwater has opened. A Crewkerne teenager has been named ‘coach of the year’ for his work with Bristol City.... and more.
Wednesday 19th August

The fire service in Somerset has issued a plea for the public to take every precaution to prevent wildfires. Plans have been approved for Numatic International to install one-thousand solar panels on roof of their Chard factory. Somerset fast bowler, Jake Ball, has signed a new one-year contract that will keep him at the club for the 2027 season... and more
Tuesday 18th August

People across Somerset are banned from today from using hosepipes to water gardens, clean windows or cars, or fill swimming and paddling pools. More cases of the potentially deadly livestock disease Bluetongue have been confirmed in Somerset. Work is underway to improve disabled access at Holyrood Academy in Chard... and more
Monday 17th August

Wessex Water, who supplies almost all homes and businesses in Somerset, has introduced a hosepipe ban effective from midnight tonight. A sinkhole on Station Road in Castle Cary has been repaired, two years after it was first discovered. A Wildcat helicopter from RNAS Yeovilton has taken part in the annual passing-out parade at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth... and more