Wednesday 15th November

Wednesday, 15 November 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A Wincanton man has been jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of rape and other offences. A family from Somerset is asking the government for better access to medicinal cannabis through the NHS. A new clothes shop has opened in Ilminster as part of a project to help young people with autism find employment...and more.

A Wincanton man has been jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of rape and other offences. Bournemouth Crown Court was told that Gary Bridger of Dancing Lane in Wincanton attacked a nurse at his mother’s home in Sherborne. She’d gone to the property to check that it was safe for his mother to return home from hospital. While inside the house, Bridger, grabbed the woman and forced her into a bedroom where he carried out the assault. The court was told that Bridger must serve a minimum of two-thirds of his 12-year sentence before being considered for release.

A family from Somerset is asking the government for better access to medicinal cannabis through the NHS. Parents, Emily and Spencer, pay thousands of pounds each year for private cannabis prescriptions for their 4-year-old daughter Clover, who suffers from epileptic seizures. The government says it needs more evidence before deciding whether it’s safe to prescribe medicinal cannabis on the NHS.

A trial using artificial intelligence is underway at four GP practices in Somerset. NHS Somerset says it’s using A1 to monitor ‘at risk’ patients so they can be supported at home to avoid being admitted to hospital.

A Chard pub has been recognised for the quality of its toilets. The Cerdic in Fore Street has been awarded a platinum rating in the Loo of the Year Awards. The awards are aimed at highlighting and improving standards of 'away from home' toilets across the UK.

A new clothes shop has opened in Ilminster as part of a project to help young people with autism find employment.‘Punky Dory’ in Silver Street sells vintage clothes and jewellery. It’s run by Silver Lining Internships, an employment placement organisation that supports young people with autism and special educational needs.

Chard boxer Paul Roberts has secured his second Southern Area Super Flyweight title. Roberts took the title defeating Martin Hillman of London with a seventh-round stoppage at York Hall in Bethnal Green. If you would like to meet Paul, he will be presenting trophies at the Chard and Crewkerne Amateur Boxing Show, at Holyrood School, in Chard, this coming Saturday.

More from News

Monday 15th June

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
Friday 12th June

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
Thursday 11th June

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
Wednesday 10th June

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
Tuesday 9th June

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
Monday 8th June

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.
Friday 5th June

A new NHS dental practice in Crewkerne says it won’t start operating at full capacity until July due to staff shortages. Somerset Council says it has no plans to show England matches in the World Cup on the Big Screen in Yeovil town centre due to safety concerns. A Somerset family has been thanked after completing a 73-mile walk raising money for a third world charity... and more
Thursday 4th June

An investigation continues today into the crash of a Royal Navy helicopter, based at RNAS Yeovilton, in which all three aircrew were killed. Somerset Council has confirmed that a new operator will take over several leisure centres across the county. The new live-action Masters of the Universe movie, filmed in Somerset, is released this week...and more