A former sub-postmaster from Wincanton says she's having to work a 70-hour week to pay off debts she incurred due to the Post Office IT scandal. Two people have been fined for illegal fishing in Yeovil. Images of wildlife taken by a photographer in Somerton have been chosen to feature on a new set of charity cards...and more.
A former sub-postmaster from Wincanton has described Alan Bates as a hero for the evidence that he gave at the public enquiry into the Post Office IT scandal. Tracey Merritt was prosecuted over alleged losses at her post office but had the charges later dropped. She’s still waiting to hear if she will be paid compensation. Tracey says when the Post Office terminated her employment, she was left with huge debts that she’s now having to work a 70-hour week to pay them off.
Two people have been fined for illegal fishing while on a visit to Yeovil. Appearing before magistrates in Swindon, Mark Varney, from Coventry was found fishing without a licence at Pavyotts Mill Lakes off the Dorchester Road and was ordered to pay £360 in fines. At the same hearing, Magdalena Maslak from Nuneaton was also found fishing without a licence at the same location and was ordered to pay fines of £255. The cases were brought by the Environment Agency who say illegal fishing undermines their efforts to protect fish stocks.
It’s expected that work upgrading gas pipes on the A37 Dorchester Road in Yeovil will be completed by the end of the month. Wales and West Utilities say they’re on target to remove the two-way traffic lights on the A37 off the Quick Silver Mail roundabout and also lift the road closure on East Coker Road by the scheduled date of Sunday, April 28th.
A photographer in Somerton has had his images chosen to feature on a set of new charity cards. Six photos taken by Ben Pulletz appear on the greeting cards being sold by the Co-op to raise money for the RSPB. Ben says being recognised by the Co-op has made all the hours he’s spent building his career seem worthwhile.
Avon and Somerset Police say they'll be carrying out enhanced patrols for drink and drug driving during and after England's opening World Cup game tonight. Somerset Chamber of Commerce is warning that the conflict in Iran is having a serious impact on local businesses. A master thatcher based in Ilminster says the traditional craft of thatching is under threat because of a lack of training opportunities...and more
Police are appealing for witnesses to a fatal two-vehicle crash on the A358 near Ilminster. A man from Norton-sub-Hamdon has appeared in court charged with drink driving. An original Mr Blobby costume from the former Blobbyland theme park at Cricket St Thomas has been put up for sale... and more
People in Somerset are being asked to take part in a new survey about alcohol use. Yeovil's MP Adam Dance will lead a debate in Parliament today on NHS dentistry. A Yeovil runner has been selected to represent England at a national endurance championship... and more
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
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
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
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
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.