Tuesday 26th May

Tuesday, 26 May 2026 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A Martock agricultural machinery business has gone into administration, putting around thirty jobs at risk. A new sensory room has opened at a Yeovil schook to support neurodiverse pupils. The headteacher of a Chard primary school is stepping down... and more

Martock-based agricultural machinery firm SFM Technology has gone into administration, putting around thirty jobs at risk. The company, founded in 1985 and holders of a Royal Warrant, specialised in machinery for fruit harvesting, as well as equipment used in the aerospace and automotive industries. Companies House records show HMRC issued a winding-up petition against SFM Technology in October, with joint administrators appointed on May 15th.

Household waste bins across Somerset are being emptied earlier than usual this week because of the hot weather. Somerset Council says crews will begin collections from six o’clock each morning to avoid working during the highest temperatures later in the day. Residents are being asked to leave bins out the night before. Due to yesterday’s Bank Holiday, collections are also running one day later than normal this week.

A new sensory room has opened at Reckleford Infants School in Yeovil to support neurodiverse pupils. The space, called “The Cloud”, is designed to help children relax, regulate emotions, and feel supported throughout the school day.

A motorist from Street has been banned from driving for one year after being caught drug driving. Magistrates in Yeovil heard that Darren Scully, of Brooks Road in Street, was seen driving erratically on the A37 at Ilchester. Police said he was almost double the legal drug-drive limit. He was fined seven hundred pounds and ordered to pay additional court costs and a victim surcharge.

Luke Talmage is stepping down as headteacher of Manor Court Community Primary School in Chard after nine years. He’ll leave in the summer to become chief executive of the Educate Together Academy Trust, which oversees schools across the South West.

And congratulations to the scouts of South Petherton Scouts, who are celebrating after winning the Fox Trophy Novice Award. The group completed a two-night, seventeen-mile expedition carrying all their own equipment, cooking meals, and navigating checkpoints using maps.

More from News

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
Tuesday 2nd June

Somerset Prostate Cancer Support Group says a decision not to introduce mass screening for prostate cancer is the wrong one. A Martock woman has been banned from driving for 28 months. Somerset Council is marking Volunteers’ Week by thanking the volunteers who help deliver council services... and more
Monday 1st June

People in Somerset with Football Banning Orders are being reminded they must surrender their passports by the end of today ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup tournament. A road in Yeovil will close for nine days later this week. Farmers from Somerset were among the winners of this year's ITV Britain's Got Talent final...and more
Friday 29th May

South Western Ambulance Service is struggling to cope after a surge in 999 calls during the hot weather. Glastonbury and Somerton MP Sarah Dyke says a shortage of rental homes is making it harder for rural employers to attract workers. The National Trust is warning that changing weather patterns are making it difficult to maintain the Cerne Abbas Giant... and more
Thursday 28th May

People are being asked to take extra care in parks and open spaces as high temperatures and dry conditions increase the risk of fire. Plans to build hundreds of new homes in Yeovil can now go ahead after a High Court challenge by Mudford Parish Council was dismissed. A Somerset bakery chain has sparked a reaction after it stopped making iced buns... and more