Wednesday 15th April

Wednesday, 15 April 2026 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Yeovil College has been upgraded to a Defence Technical Excellence College. Somerset Council is taking legal action against a housing developer that owes £35,000 in contributions towards local services in Broadway. An Ilminster couple have covered the first 400 miles of their epic walk around the coastline of mainland Britain... and more

Yeovil College has been upgraded to a Defence Technical Excellence College. The government has announced £175 million of investment for technical training at nineteen colleges, including Yeovil, where apprentices from Leonardo already undergo training.

Somerset Council is taking legal action against a housing developer that owes £35,000 in contributions towards local services in Ilminster. Higdon Homes Ltd secured planning permission to build 16 homes on St James Close in Broadway in 2016. As part of the permission, the developer was required to contribute towards facilities within the village, including the village hall and the pitch at Broadway Cricket Club. Somerset Council says the £34,982 that Higdon Homes Ltd promised to pay is still owed.

Glastonbury and Somerton MP Sarah Dyke says rising house prices, high rents and a lack of homes in Somerset have led to people living in vans in her constituency. The government says it is committed to building one and a half million new homes during the lifetime of this Parliament. But speaking in the Commons, Sarah Dyke said that for many people, buying or renting a home is unaffordable.

An Ilminster couple have covered the first 400 miles of their epic walk around the coastline of mainland Britain. Mike and Zoe Langley-Wathen are taking on the One Coast Any Age challenge, walking 7,300 miles around the British coastline for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. So far, the couple, who are both in their 70s, have covered 435 miles along the Sussex coast, raising £4,000 towards their target of £10,000.

Members of a local production of Calendar Girls have stripped off for a real-life photoshoot to help promote the show. Glastonbury and Street Musical Comedy Society are performing the musical at Strode Theatre in Street next week, with money raised going to Blood Cancer UK.

More from News

Tuesday 15th September

Police investigating an attack on a shop worker in Yeovil have released CCTV images of a man and woman they want to speak to. Farmers in Somerset are being warned to expect more cases of bluetongue. Ilminster Carnival Committee has announced the cancellation of this year's Children's Carnival due to a lack of entries... and more
Monday 14th September

Two new mobile NHS breast screening units have taken to the road in Somerset. More than 700 new homes are to be built alongside the M5 in Bridgwater. Dawes Twineworks in West Coker is one of several venues open to the public for free this month... and more
Friday 11th September

It’s going to cost more to park in Chard. Police have issued an image of a man they want to speak to in connection with two burglaries in Yeovil. Somerset Cricket Club is planning to stage performances by some of the world's biggest artistes at their Taunton ground... and more
Thursday 10th September

Work has begun building a new multi-million-pound David Lloyd leisure centre in Yeovil. NHS Somerset says a new system to handle emergency stroke care will lead to "better outcomes" for patients. Tickets for next year’s Glastonbury Festival will go on sale in October...and more
Wednesday 9th September

Police have released an image of a man they want to speak to following an assault in Yeovil. Businesses in Taunton say they're worried that planned changes to parking rules could put people off visiting the town. The Red Arrows will take to the skies near the Somerset border in a one-off display later this week... and more
Tuesday 8th September

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
Monday 7th September

Avon and Somerset Police are warning about a new scam involving criminals posing as police officers. Flu vaccinations are now available on the NHS ahead of the winter. Liverpool comedian John Bishop has cancelled his show in Taunton later this week after breaking his ankle... and more
Friday 4th September

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on a vehicle near Shepton Mallet. New taxi charges come into force in Somerset later this month. The fire service is treating as accidental a blaze at a flat in Yeovil town centre... and more