Wednesday 14th May

Wednesday, 14 May 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

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

The Labour Ward and Special Care Baby Unit at Yeovil Hospital is closing for six months following safety concerns. It follows an inspection by the Care Quality Commission that found paediatric services in Yeovil required “significant improvement”. The town’s MP, Adam Dance, has criticised Somerset NHS Foundation Trust for failing to commit that maternity services at Yeovil Hospital will return to normal after the 6-month shutdown.

Chard Youth Centre says it will be heartbreaking if it has to close. The centre, which has been in existence for 70 years, plans to shut in July. The Chard Area Youth Committee says it can no longer afford to fund the youth centre.

The road between Ilminster and Chard at Dowlish Ford is shut to traffic again today. This is to allow Wessex Water to carry out essential repairs. First Bus says that because of the closure, services to Listers Hill, Kingstone Turn, Dowlish Ford, and Sea Mills are not running.

A pub in South Petherton has just missed out on winning the title: Somerset Real Ale Pub of the Year. The Brewers Arms in South Petherton was named runner-up in the Somerset CAMRA Pub of the Year 2025 competition.

A patient at St Margaret’s Hospice has had her final wish granted: having a donkey brought to her bedside. St Margaret's says Britney, the donkey, provided Jacqui with comfort after being taken to the hospice by her owner, Richard Norman.

People in Somerset are being warned to protect their eyesight during the current sunny weather. A local eye specialist is advising people to wear sunglasses in bright sunshine, as the sun can cause lasting damage.

More from News

Wednesday 29th April

Somerset Council says Hendford Hill in Yeovil should be fully reopened to traffic by the end of May. Plans have been approved to build 40 new homes in Crewkerne. A huge pile of illegally dumped rubbish in Glastonbury has been cleared... and more
Tuesday 28th April

Police are appealing for witnesses to a fatal collision at Rimpton. A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage in South Petherton. Former Yeovil Town manager Gary Johnson has been retained as first-team manager of Taunton Town for next season... and more
Monday 27th April

A former school in Sherborne has been badly damaged by fire. A care home in Yeovil has been rated outstanding. ublic spaces in West Coker owned by Somerset Council are being handed over to the parish council. Mendip Golf Club has presented a cheque for £12,000 to Mind in Somerset... and more
Friday 24th April

Plans have been submitted to turn a property on Preston Road in Yeovil into a House in Multiple Occupation. Yeovil’s Marlie Packer has been recalled to the England Red Roses starting line-up for tomorrow’s Women’s Six Nations game against Wales. Three sisters from Yeovil will be running the London Marathon this weekend in support of Guide Dogs UK... and more
Thursday 23rd April

Helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton have completed six weeks of sorties, protecting Cyprus from attacks by Iran. People in Somerset who use domestic heating oil are calling on the government to regulate the oil supply industry. Patients are being invited to register at a new NHS dentist in Crewkerne... and more
Wednesday 22nd April

Expectant mothers are using Yeovil Hospital once again to give birth following the reopening of the maternity unit. A Yeovil man has been jailed for four years for committing sexual offences against two young girls. Plans have been approved to convert a pub in Milborne Port into housing... and more
Tuesday 21st April

NHS Somerset has delayed closing the hyper-acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. A former Avon and Somerset Police officer has been jailed for making indecent images of children. A Somerset man has been fined after pleading guilty to hunting a wild animal with dogs... and more
Monday 20th April

Nearly one hundred roads in Somerset will be surface dressed this summer to prevent further damage. Almost all children starting primary school in Somerset in September have been offered a place at one of their top three school choices. People in Somerset are being asked to record wild mammals in gardens and other green spaces over the summer... and more