Wednesday 13th November

Wednesday, 13 November 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A South Petherton man has appeared in court charged with four counts of assaulting police officers. Public Health officials in Somerset have welcomed the news that an improved anti-smoking pill will be available locally on the NHS. A Royal Navy Commander, based at RNAS Yeovilton, has raised £4,000 for Help the Heroes with a world record attempt...and more

A South Petherton man has pleaded guilty to four counts of assaulting police officers, two offences of causing criminal damage to police vehicles, and taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent. Appearing before magistrates in Yeovil, Matthew Reyland was also charged with a string of previous motoring offences, including driving while disqualified and without insurance. Reyland was remanded in custody for the preparation of pre-sentence reports, ahead of his next court appearance on December 13th. (story courtesy of Chard and Ilminster News).

A Yeovil man who was more than three times over the drink-drive limit when stopped by police has been given a 16-month driving ban. A member of the public reported Jason Waller after suspecting that he had been drinking because of the manner of his driving. Waller, of Abbots Meade, in Yeovil, pleaded guilty to driving after consuming excess alcohol and was also told to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work by magistrates in Yeovil.

Public Health experts in Somerset have welcomed the news that an improved anti-smoking pill is being made available on the NHS locally. It’s claimed the pill is more effective than nicotine patches or gums in helping people to quit tobacco. Around sixty thousand people smoke in Somerset and it’s hoped the drug could prevent thousands of smoking-related deaths each year.

A new care home has opened in Hatch Beauchamp with a communal allotment space where residents can grow their own fruit and veg. Beauchamp House, a Grade-2 listed property that has been under refurbishment for the past two years, is run by Care South and provides residential respite and nursing care.

A retired RAF pilot in Somerset has been speaking about being a foster parent at the age of 88. Nigel, who is believed to be the oldest foster carer in the County, has been providing a home for children awaiting long-term adoption for the last four years and has even been known to take those in his care to Glastonbury Festival. He says although it's hard work at his age it's still fun.

A Royal Navy Commander based at RNAS Yeovilton has raised £4,000 for a charity with a world record attempt. Rob Guest of 815 Naval Air Squadron raised the money for Help for Heroes attempting to set a new world weightlifting record.

More from News

Monday 19th May

Four thousand people have signed a petition calling for Yeovil’s maternity unit to be re-opened as soon as possible. UNISON is calling on Somerset Council to clarify how it will operate services now that hundreds of staff have been made redundant. The Bishop of Bath and Wells says he’s concerned about amendments to the assisted dying bill...and more.
Friday 16th May

A Wincanton woman, who is due to give birth with her first child at Yeovil Hospital, says she’s been left in shock after being told the maternity unit in the town is to close. A South Petherton man has appeared in court charged with riding a motorbike while under the influence of drugs. One of Ilminster’s oldest residents has died aged 104...and more
Thursday 15th May

The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has been asked to intervene in the decision to close the maternity ward at Yeovil Hospital. A man who lives in Winsham near Chard has been given a suspended prison sentence for breaching his sex offender notification requirements. Plans have been submitted to convert Dolphin House in Yeovil into 18 residential units...and more
Wednesday 14th May

The Labour Ward and Special Care Baby Unit at Yeovil Hospital is closing for six months following safety concerns. Chard Youth Centre says it will be heartbreaking if it has to close. The road between Ilminster and Chard at Dowlish Ford is shut to traffic again today. People in Somerset are being advised to wear sunglasses to protect their eyesight during the current sunny weather...and more
Tuesday 13th May

A Somerset beef farmer says the trade deal between the UK and the US must ensure that animal welfare standards are maintained. A Somerset teenager is trying to raise money to buy a bionic hand. Grants of up to £400 are being offered to schools in Somerset to encourage children to create new green spaces...and more.
Monday 12th May

A new task force has been set up in Chard to tackle the town’s growing problem of drug crime. A barn at Hinton St George has been destroyed by fire. A Crewkerne man who raped two women over a 10-year period has been jailed. Swimmers will be able to take a late dip in Shepton Mallet Lido tonight...and more.
Friday 9th May

The trust that runs the Somerset ambulance service has confirmed that up to forty jobs are at risk. Chinnock Hollow, near Yeovil, has been subjected to a permanent road closure. Police are appealing for witnesses to an incident where a defibrillator was vandalised in Ilminster. Somerset wicket-keeper James Rew has been drafted into the England Test squad to play Zimbabwe...and more
Thursday 8th May

Somerset Council says it's dealing with up to 800 reports of potholes on the County's roads every week. Events are taking place across our area today to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Sixteen doctors’ surgeries in Somerset, including four in South Somerset, are set to expand. A Martock man hopes to set a world record by jumping off the world's fourth-tallest mountain in a wingsuit...and more.