Tuesday 3rd March

Tuesday, 3 March 2026 05:00

By Steve Haigh

A woman from Ilminster has been jointly charged with another woman after a man’s body was found inside a car in Cornwall. Somerset businesses, involved in the supply chain for Leonardo, have welcomed the news that the Leonardo factory in Yeovil is to build new medium lift helicopters for the RAF. Plans have been submitted to build thirty-two homes in Milborne Port... and more

A woman from Ilminster has been jointly charged with another woman after a man’s body was found inside a car in Cornwall. Rosemary Manders, of Upton Lane, in Ilminster, and Dinah Manders from Exeter, are accused of preventing a lawful and decent burial. The charges relate to the discovery of a man’s remains in Helston, Cornwall, in December 2024. The two women have been given bail and will appear before magistrates in Truro on March 26th.

Somerset businesses, involved in the supply chain for Leonardo, have welcomed the news that the Leonardo factory in Yeovil is to build new medium lift helicopters for the RAF, after months of waiting for a contract to be signed. Three thousand three hundred jobs at the Yeovil factory have been secured by the deal, which it's hoped will generate 15 billion pounds over the next decade in worldwide orders.

A member of Somerset Council who announced last week that he was switching from the Conservatives to Reform UK has changed his mind. Councillor Alastair Hendry, who represents Highbridge and Burnham South, says he's now decided to re-join the Conservative group on Somerset Council.

A 49-year-old man who died while taking part in a skydive on the Blackdown Hills at the weekend has been described as highly experienced who had completed 10,000 jumps. Skydive South West, who operate out of Dunkeswell Aerodrome, say the man was using his own parachute equipment, doing a wingsuit jump with a friend when he died. An investigation is now underway.

Plans have been submitted to build thirty-two homes in Milborne Port. Land south of Court Lane, described as one of the last undeveloped green fields at the northern edge of the village, has been earmarked for the development. Bracken Developments Ltd says none of the new homes will be affordable, due to viability issues brought about by necessary engineering and drainage work. Somerset Council is expected to decide on the application by the summer.

A road in Chard will be shut to traffic from tomorrow for eight nights. The B3162 Crowshute Link will be closed from 6.30 pm to 11.30 pm until March 11th for resurfacing. Somerset Council says access to properties may be restricted and ask that while the work is being carried out, cars are not parked on the road.

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