Tuesday 24th October

Tuesday, 24 October 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Somerset Council says it's not going to let go of ten million pounds of government funding to upgrade Yeovil's Octagon Theatre despite the costs of the project having risen above thirty million pounds. A woman from Templecombe, whose husband was killed while on holiday in Greece has launched a GoFundMe appeal to help pay for a new round of legal costs. A set of autographs on a blank cheque by the original members of the Rolling Stones in 1963 have been put up for sale at auction in Chard...and more.

The Deputy Liberal Democrat Leader of Somerset Council, Liz Leyshon, says they are not going to let go of the opportunity to spend ten million pounds of government funding up-grading Yeovil's Octagon Theatre. Her comments follow the decision by Somerset Council to pause the planned thirty-million-pound redevelopment of the Octagon due to increased building costs and higher interest rates.

A woman from Templecombe, whose husband was killed while on holiday in Greece has launched a GoFundMe appeal to help pay for a new round of legal costs. Charlotte Jeffery is planning to return to court in Zante, where her husband Matthew was attacked by two men in 2019 and later died after one of the men found guilty of causing Mr Jeffery’s death was granted an Appeal. Mrs Jeffery, who is planning to attend the hearing, faces a legal bill of £20,000 for hiring a solicitor to represent her at the re-trial.

Avon and Somerset Police are reminding drivers that speed kills as part of a campaign to get more motorists to respect speed limits on Somerset's roads. Police say they’ve caught some drivers at night travelling over one hundred miles per hour on local roads.

This year's been a bumper harvest for grapes according to vineyards owners in Somerset. The combination of dry and wet weather throughout late spring and summer has helped provide many growers with their best year ever in terms of fruit yield.

A set of autographs by the original members of the Rolling Stones have been put up for sale at auction in Chard. The signatures from 1963 written on the back of a blank cheque include those of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts and the late Brian Jones. The auction takes place at Stuart Bull Auctions at 10, Fore Street, in Chard, on Thursday, November 16th.

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