Thursday 31st July

Thursday, 31 July 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A bird flu surveillance zone has been imposed in Somerset. The go-ahead has been given to build sixteen new homes in Shepton Beauchamp. Year Four pupils at Herne View Primary School in Ilminster have been presented with dictionaries by the local Rotary Club...and more.

A bird flu surveillance zone has been imposed in Somerset. It follows the discovery of the most serious variant of bird flu – H5NI – on a poultry farm near Dulverton. A 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone have been established around the farm. The Animal and Plant Health Agency is asking all bird keepers to remain vigilant and follow stringent biosecurity measures to prevent future outbreaks.

Yeovil MP Adam Dance is accusing the government of neglecting families in his constituency. New figures have shown that child poverty in Yeovil rose from 17.7% in 2019-20 to 20.4% in 2023-24. Mr Dance says too many children in his constituency are growing up in poverty, and the number is rising, not falling. Mr Dance has welcomed the government drawing up a new strategy to tackle child poverty but says children in Yeovil need help now and not a promise of action in the future.

The go-ahead has been given to build sixteen new homes in Shepton Beauchamp. Land off Piece Lane, on the northern edge of the village, between Ilminster and South Petherton, has been earmarked for the development. Six of the homes will be affordable and managed by the Abri Housing Association.

The catering team at Yeovil Hospital has won a top award for the food it serves. At the Public Sector Catering Awards 2025, they were presented with an Exemplar Status Award by NHS England.

One hundred and twenty meters of hedging in Ilminster will be removed if plans are approved to build houses off Canal Way. Developers Persimmon Homes South West want to take down the hedging, close to the Meadows Medical Centre, to make way for a new access road to the development. Somerset Council is expected to make a decision on the application by the autumn.

Year Four pupils at Herne View Primary School in Ilminster have been presented with dictionaries by the local Rotary Club. Staff at the school have thanked members of Ilminster Rotary Club for their support, helping to encourage learning both in and outside the classroom.

More from News

Friday 12th June

It's claimed the increasing availability of drugs such as ketamine and cocaine has normalised drug use among young people in Somerset. The trial of a man accused of killing his one-month-old son in Chard begins today at Bristol Crown Court. A stone pillar outside the Langport Arms Hotel in Langport has been replaced after it was destroyed in a car crash... and more
Thursday 11th June

Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the three aircrew from RNAS Yeovilton who died in last week's helicopter crash in Devon. Two men have been arrested and stolen vehicles seized following a major multi-agency operation in South Somerset. An event highlighting opportunities for women in the aerospace industry has been held in Yeovil... and more
Wednesday 10th June

The public will be consulted on how best to spend fifty million pounds of government funding to tackle flooding in Somerset. Avon and Somerset Police are backing a new road safety campaign aimed at reducing motorcycle fatalities. New welcome signs have been installed at entrances to the Mendip Hills National Landscape... and more
Tuesday 9th June

The government has announced a £50 million investment to strengthen Somerset’s flood defences. A woman from Stoke-sub-Hamdon has been banned from driving for 14 months after admitting drink-driving. Somerset Council has been told it must improve its adult social care services... and more
Monday 8th June

Plans for a new railway station in Langport remain stalled in Whitehall, according to Somerset Council. Plans to build 50 new homes in Broadway, near Ilminster, have been refused. The new water fountains in Yeovil’s Triangle, in Lower Middle Street, are being switched off during very hot weather because of safety concerns... and more.
Friday 5th June

A new NHS dental practice in Crewkerne says it won’t start operating at full capacity until July due to staff shortages. Somerset Council says it has no plans to show England matches in the World Cup on the Big Screen in Yeovil town centre due to safety concerns. A Somerset family has been thanked after completing a 73-mile walk raising money for a third world charity... and more
Thursday 4th June

An investigation continues today into the crash of a Royal Navy helicopter, based at RNAS Yeovilton, in which all three aircrew were killed. Somerset Council has confirmed that a new operator will take over several leisure centres across the county. The new live-action Masters of the Universe movie, filmed in Somerset, is released this week...and more
Wednesday 3rd June

A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with assaulting three police officers. Somerset Council has begun legal action to recover more than £320,000 owed by housing developers. The line-up has been announced for this year’s Ilminster Midsummer Experience...and more