Tuesday 2nd July

Tuesday, 2 July 2024 06:00

A prolific shoplifter has been banned from entering a number of stores in Yeovil. Motorway users faced a second weekday of problems on the M5 yesterday. The organisers of the Somerset Comedy Festival have had to cancel more shows...and more

A prolific shoplifter has been banned from entering a number of stores in Yeovil after being issued with a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order. Liam Allen, 35, of no fixed address, was given a one-year prison sentence at Taunton Crown Court after pleading guilty to 10 counts of theft between December 2023 and March 2024. The court also granted the order which prohibits him from entering Tesco Express, Tesco Extra, Boots, WH Smith, Superdrug and the Co-Op in the town.

Motorway users faced a second weekday of problems on the M5 yesterday. The road was closed around 10 am in both directions between junctions 23 and 24 after a serious incident, a short distance from Friday’s lorry crash. Although the motorway reopened shortly after midday, the delays remained for some time. Somerset Council is warning of disruption to waste collections for the rest of the week as a result. The crews use the M5 to access the depot where vehicles are emptied.

The organisers of the Somerset Comedy Festival have had to cancel more shows, following poor ticket sales. We told you last week that sets from big names like Sean Walsh and Simon Brodkin had been cancelled. But it has been announced that a further twelve performances have been axed. The organisers are urging the public to support the remaining shows if they possibly can.

And the cleanup operation is underway at Worthy Farm after festival goers left the Glastonbury site yesterday morning. An army of volunteers are now collecting huge amounts of rubbish strewn across the 800-acre site. Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that conversations are already underway with acts for the 2025 event, with 2026 set to be a so-called ‘fallow year’.

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Wednesday 28th January

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has announced plans to develop a new operational base on the Leonardo airfield in Yeovil. Several people have been rescued from their homes in Ilminster due to flooding. An £800,000 project is underway to restore two staircases at Montecute House...and more
Tuesday 27th January

Last week was the wettest seven-day period in Somerset for twelve years. NHS Somerset says it’s working towards making access to dental care fairer for all. A scout leader in Somerset has been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to Young People...and more
Monday 26th January

A new group has been formed to challenge plans to build 100 new homes in Keinton Mandeville. Bridgwater Town Council has voted to increase its share of the Council Tax by 5%. Organisers of Yeovil in Bloom are appealing for young people to get involved in this year’s competition...and more
Friday 23rd January

New data shows that South Western Ambulance is one of the worst-performing ambulance trusts in England. Plans to introduce improved accessibility at Yeovil Junction station have moved a step closer. A community centre in Street is providing vulnerable people with a warm, safe place to meet...and more.
Thursday 22nd January

A new NHS diagnostic centre has opened in Yeovil. The go-ahead has been given to build a replacement school for Milford Junior School in Yeovil. A new 500-bed hotel-style campus is being planned to accommodate workers at the new Agratas car battery factory near Bridgwater...and more
Wednesday 21st January

Councillors have approved controversial plans to build four large carnival club sheds near Ilminster. Somerset Council says there's an increasing gap between the cost of education and the amount the government provides to run local schools. The Bridgwater Tidal Barrier, aimed at protecting homes and businesses from flooding, has been reduced in size...and more
Tuesday 20th January

Citizens Advice says thousands of people in Somerset have lost some or all of their council tax discount. The UK's first autonomous full-size helicopter, manufactured by Leonardo in Yeovil, has successfully completed its maiden flight. A new pharmacy has opened in Wincanton...and more
Monday 19th January

The government is facing increasing pressure to clarify whether it will order new medium-lift helicopters from Leonardo in Yeovil. Somerset Council is spending £5 million on new laptops. A new singing group is being set up in Yeovil for people living with dementia...and more