Wednesday 13th May

Wednesday, 13 May 2026 at 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Concern's been expressed that too many of the 580 new council homes being built in Somerset will be clustered around Taunton and Bridgwater. Police are appealing for witnesses after a woman died following a crash on the M5. Haynes Motor Museum has been awarded £180,000 by The National Lottery to transform its Red Room gallery... and more

Concern's been expressed that too many of the 580 new council homes being built in Somerset will be clustered around Taunton, Bridgwater and the M5 corridor. It comes from Conservative opposition Lead Member for Housing on Somerset Council, Councillor Tom Power, who’s calling for the new homes to be more evenly spread across the county.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a woman died following a crash on the M5 in Somerset. It happened when a blue BMW was involved in a single vehicle collision between junction 24 at Bridgwater and junction 25 at Taunton in the early hours of last Sunday morning.

Gamesmaster Café in Ilminster has announced that it will close in June next year. The café, which provides internships for young people with special educational needs, says the business is no longer financially sustainable. Owner, Evelyn Ashford, has blamed the closure on the government cutting funding to the Access to Work programme.

People in Somerset are being invited to learn about fostering at drop-in events this month. Organised by Fostering in Somerset to mark Foster Care Fortnight, the sessions offer the chance to talk with carers and staff. More foster carers are urgently needed, with more than six hundred and fifty children currently in care across Somerset.

Haynes Motor Museum has been awarded £180,000 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to transform its Red Room gallery. The two-year project, called Red Room Reimagined: Engineering Futures, will introduce interactive STEM experiences, immersive displays, and a new learning programme designed to inspire future careers in automotive and heritage engineering.

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Friday 30th October

Wells Cathedral says it's having to get creative to bring in more money as financial pressures continue to grow. A convenience store in Martock has been allowed to keep its alcohol licence despite an employee working there illegally. Police have seized an illegally ridden e-scooter in Yeovil in response to concerns from local residents... and more
Thursday 29th October

A Yeovil man has been detained under the Mental Health Act for attacking his mother with a knife. People in Chard are being reminded that it’s unlawful to attach flags to lamp posts and street furniture. Wincanton Racecourse has called off its 'Badger Chase Day' because the ground is too firm... and more
Wednesday 28th October

Leweston School near Sherborne has announced that it is closing with immediate effect. NHS Somerset could merge with neighbours in Bath and North-East Somerset and Dorset to cut costs. Somerset’s Lord-Lieutenant has launched a campaign to get more people nominated for national honours... and more
Tuesday 27th October

Work has started building a new six-million-pound flood defence scheme in Taunton. Plans have been submitted to build a new church hall in Martock. People are being asked to donate gifts to this year’s Chard Christmas Present Appeal... and more
Monday 26th October

Eligible groups in Somerset are being encouraged to get their flu jabs. There’s a rare opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look inside Avon & Somerset Police’s control room. Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader, Daisy Cooper MP, has visited Yeovil... and more.
Friday 23rd October

Somerset is the 11th most challenging place in England to be a child according to a report. Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire could have its own elected ‘Wessex Mayor’ by 2028. Cricketer, Ian Botham returns to the county this weekend... and more.
Thursday 22nd October

The NFU says that testing for the virus Bluetongue needs to be sped up. Construction of new flats on Yeovil’s Grimsby Corner site will officially begin next year. The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for wind tomorrow... and more.
Wednesday 21st October

The owner of campsite in Somerset says a two-thousand-seven-hundred percent increase in business rates will be 'catastrophic' for his business. Plans to build nearly 300 new homes on the outskirts of Chard have been given the go ahead. Yeovil Town are through to the first round proper of the FA Cup after beating Leatherhead 5-2 at Huish Park last night... and more