Tuesday 8th September

Tuesday, 8 September 2026 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Police in Avon and Somerset say they’re dealing with a big increase in reports of cloned vehicle fraud. A new video system designed to speed up stroke care has been launched in Somerset. Pilgrims are walking through Somerset this week to mark eight hundred years since the death of Saint Francis of Assisi... and more

Police in Avon and Somerset say they’re dealing with a big increase in reports of cloned vehicle fraud. Cloned vehicles are stolen cars which criminals give a false identity using the registration and details of a genuine vehicle, before selling them privately online and through social media platforms. Police are warning buyers to carry out thorough checks before purchasing a used vehicle.

A housing association is planning to build five hundred new homes in Somerset over the next ten years. Stonewater has been given three-hundred-and-fifty million pounds to deliver affordable homes across the county. It's the largest ever allocation of government funding received by Stonehouse.

A new video system designed to speed up stroke care has been launched in Somerset. Pre-Hospital Video Triage allows ambulance clinicians to speak directly to hospital stroke specialists by video, so patients can be assessed remotely. The system means hospital staff can prepare for scans before a patient arrives, helping to speed up diagnosis and ensure they receive treatment as quickly as possible.

Pilgrims are walking through Somerset this week to mark eight hundred years since the death of Saint Francis of Assisi. The Franciscan Peace Pilgrimage has been crossing England since July and arrived in Wells and Street yesterday. Organisers say they’re praying for peace during the journey and encouraging people to reconnect with the natural world.

Exmoor National Park says funding from a charity set up by a man with incurable cancer will help restore two hundred and fifty acres of wildflower meadows. Mark Burges Watson set up the charity Burge’s Meadows before dying of pancreatic cancer last year.

More from News

Thursday 8th October

Somerset Council is to press ahead with increases to parking charges at its car parks. Police say increasing numbers of young people in Somerset are riding e-scooters illegally. Wells market has received national recognition...and more
Wednesday 7th October

Somerset Council says it's started talks about what do with the Brewhouse theatre in Taunton after it closes at the end of the month. A Chard man has been sentenced for keeping multiple different dogs despite being banned from doing so. NHS van drivers based in Bridgwater who supply hospitals in Somerset with essential medical equipment will walk out on strike next week... and more
Tuesday 6th October

Prince William is visiting Ilminster today, where he will launch ‘Ready Together’, a new initiative helping communities prepare for emergencies. Barwick and Stoford Primary School near Yeovil says it's confident of emerging stronger after being placed in special measures by Ofsted. Vapes and weight-loss jabs are putting workers at recycling centres in Somerset at risk after being wrongly thrown away...and more
Monday 5th October

Ilminster is gearing up for a Royal visit by Prince William tomorrow. Plans have been approved to convert the former Battens Solicitors building on Princes Street in Yeovil into 21 flats. A 'Just Giving' page has opened for making donations towards Ilminster Carnival which, on Saturday, had to be cancelled midway through due to a gas leak...and more
Friday 2nd October

An investigation's underway after two people died in a collision near Taunton. A Somerset-based charity has warned of the risks of fuel poverty this winter. A Somerset healthcare service has been recognised with a national award.... and more.
Thursday 1st October

765 new homes have been given planning permission on the edge of Yeovil. Somerset Council’s Executive will meet to consider new parking charges. Four of the county’s best military cadets have been appointed as Lord-Lieutenant cadets... and more.
Wednesday 30th September

Police are appealing for a missing 17 year old from Castle Cary. A registered sex offender has been sentenced to 9 years in prison. A former Chard student who is one of six writers in the running to win this year's Booker Prize has paid tribute to his childhood teachers... and more.
Tuesday 29th September

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service say this summer saw record-breaking levels of demand. The charity that runs the Brewhouse Theatre has confirmed that it will definitely close. A Chard charity has launched a minibus service to improve community transport... and more.