Tuesday 1st April

Tuesday, 1 April 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Police are investigating the cause of a suspicious fire at the former Oscar Mayer site in Chard. Yeovil Town owner, Martin Hellier, has stepped down as club chairman. According to the website, Property Solvers, Martock has the slowest housing market in Somerset. A new Head Teacher has been appointed to run Sexeys School in Bruton...and more

Police are investigating the cause of a fire at the former Oscar Mayer site in Chard. On Sunday afternoon, smoke was spotted coming from one of the buildings. The fire service says they’re treating the blaze as suspicious, and the Police are investigating.

Somerset Council is setting up special educational needs units in 15 schools. The Council says creating the SEND places in mainstream schools could save £ 17 million over five years.

Martin Hellier, the owner of Yeovil Town, has stepped down as the club chairman. The move comes just days after Mr Hellier announced he was selling the club. He will remain as a director, but his son Jack Hellier has resigned his directorship. Stuart Robins, a director since May 2022, will act as Chairman until a buyer for the club is found.

The MP for Somerton and Glastonbury, Sarah Dyke, has criticized the Chancellor Rachel Reeves for not addressing the issue of the family farm tax in her Spring Statement last week. Speaking in the Commons, Ms Dyke said the Labour government was out of touch with the needs of rural communities, and claimed more farmers will leave the sector.

According to the website, Property Solvers, Martock has the slowest housing market in Somerset. It says selling a house in Martock took on average 160 days in the year March 2024 to February this year. The fastest housing market in Somerset was Somerton, where properties took just 121 days to sell.

A new Head Teacher has been appointed to run Sexeys School in Bruton. He’s Steve Clayson takes over in charge of the state-run boarding and day school following 17 years working in senior leadership roles in secondary and sixth form education.

The NHS in Somerset says it is now taking bookings for its spring Covid booster rollout. Appointments will be available from today, with more than 100-thousand people invited to come forward and get the vaccine. The booster is available to anyone over 75, care home residents, and those with a weakened immune system.

More from News

Friday 13th March

The first of the new medium lift helicopters being built by Leonardo in Yeovil for the RAF will be delivered in 2031. Somerset Council has launched a public consultation on planned new charges at its two hundred public car parks. More women in Somerset are said to be taking up walking football... and more
Thursday 12th March

A Yeovil headteacher says he’s concerned about plans to stop giving school holiday food vouchers to families on low incomes. The owner of Yeovil Town is calling on fans to be patient as he continues his overhaul of the National League side. A high voltage fault is being blamed for plunging 1700 homes into darkness in the Ilminster area... and more
Wednesday 11th March

Plans have been submitted to convert two properties in Yeovil into houses of multiple occupation. A new court date has been announced for a Yeovil man charged with attempted murder. An engineer who has worked at the Leonardo factory in Yeovil for 40-years has won a top industry award... and more
Tuesday 10th March

Police say a fire at the former Oscar Mayer food factory in Chard was started deliberately. Yeovil College says it would have been adversely affected had Leonardo not won the contract to build new medium-lift helicopters. A seven-foot dragon will be visiting towns and villages in our area during the next few weeks to promote Somerset Day... and more
Monday 9th March

Two Wildcat helicopters from 815 Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton have arrived in Cyprus to help protect RAF Akrotiri from further Iranian drone strikes. New figures show that 40 people were killed on Avon and Somerset’s roads in the last 12-months. A Somerset man has been recalling the day 60-years ago when he was a passenger on the last train on the Somerset and Dorset Railway... and more
Friday 6th March

Defence Minister Luke Pollard has been explaining why it took the government so long to confirm a contract for the Leonardo in Yeovil to build new medium lift helicopters for the RAF. Police are investigating a break in at a pet shop in Ilminster. Somerset Council is to stop using red ink on council tax reminder letters... and more
Thursday 5th March

Two military helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton are being sent to Cyprus to help bolster UK’s defences amid the US-Israel war with Iran. Yeovil Town Council is seeking legal advice over the closure of the hyper acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. Flood warnings have been lifted on the Somerset Levels... and more
Wednesday 4th March

A man has died in a fire in Wincanton. Somerset Council is planning further cuts of twenty-one million pounds to help balance its books. A campaign to raise £30,000 for a minibus has been launched in Chard... and more