Wednesday 17th January

Wednesday, 17 January 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A Homeless Rough Sleeper Team working out of Yeovil Hospital has stepped up the help it provides during the cold spell. People in South Petherton are being told to stay away from a Rottweiler/Mastiff-type dog that’s gone on the loose. Rail users in Somerset are advised to plan before train drivers stage further strike action at the end of the month...and more.

A Homeless Rough Sleeper Team that works out of Yeovil Hospital has stepped up the help it provides to rough sleepers during the current cold spell. The team offers medical care and dietary advice to people without a place to live and who are not registered with a doctor.

People in South Petherton are being told to stay away from a Rottweiler/Mastiff-type dog that’s gone on the loose. Police say the dog has already been involved in an incident with a member of the public in the Mere Lynches area and could be dangerous if confronted. They ask anyone who spots the dog to call 101.

A motorist from Ilminster, caught driving at almost double the speed limit, has been fined £540 and with costs of £296. Scott Murray, of Canal Way, was clocked driving at 76 mph on a 40 mph stretch of the B3168 at Westport in Langport. Murray, who pleaded guilty to the offence at Taunton Magistrates Court also had six penalty points put on his licence.

Work repairing an embankment at the side of the A30 on the Somerset Devon border has been further delayed. Work was due to start last September but was pushed back to January. Now, its been postponed again, this time to mid-February. Motorists have complained of long delays due to temporary traffic lights installed close to Crawley Farm between Chard and Yarcombe where the embankment collapsed in July 2021.

Rail users in Somerset are advised to plan before train drivers stage further strike action at the end of the month. The driver’s union, ASLEF, has announced that its members will stop work between Tuesday 30th January and Monday 5th February. Drivers will also operate an overtime ban from 29th January and 6th February.

A community hub in Chard is holding an open day to demonstrate the good work that it does. The Chard Community Hub in Boden Street, which launched in May 2022, provides tinned food, cooked meat, fresh vegetables, and other food items, to those in greatest need. The open day takes place on Friday, 26th January.

More from News

Thursday 29th January

Somerset Council has warned that more homes are likely to flood with further heavy rain forecast to end the week. Discount retailer, The Original Factory Shop, which has an outlet in Crewkerne, has gone into administration. A Barista at Costa Coffee in Ilminster has won a place in the finals of a national competition...and more
Wednesday 28th January

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has announced plans to develop a new operational base on the Leonardo airfield in Yeovil. Several people have been rescued from their homes in Ilminster due to flooding. An £800,000 project is underway to restore two staircases at Montecute House...and more
Tuesday 27th January

Last week was the wettest seven-day period in Somerset for twelve years. NHS Somerset says it’s working towards making access to dental care fairer for all. A scout leader in Somerset has been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to Young People...and more
Monday 26th January

A new group has been formed to challenge plans to build 100 new homes in Keinton Mandeville. Bridgwater Town Council has voted to increase its share of the Council Tax by 5%. Organisers of Yeovil in Bloom are appealing for young people to get involved in this year’s competition...and more
Friday 23rd January

New data shows that South Western Ambulance is one of the worst-performing ambulance trusts in England. Plans to introduce improved accessibility at Yeovil Junction station have moved a step closer. A community centre in Street is providing vulnerable people with a warm, safe place to meet...and more.
Thursday 22nd January

A new NHS diagnostic centre has opened in Yeovil. The go-ahead has been given to build a replacement school for Milford Junior School in Yeovil. A new 500-bed hotel-style campus is being planned to accommodate workers at the new Agratas car battery factory near Bridgwater...and more
Wednesday 21st January

Councillors have approved controversial plans to build four large carnival club sheds near Ilminster. Somerset Council says there's an increasing gap between the cost of education and the amount the government provides to run local schools. The Bridgwater Tidal Barrier, aimed at protecting homes and businesses from flooding, has been reduced in size...and more
Tuesday 20th January

Citizens Advice says thousands of people in Somerset have lost some or all of their council tax discount. The UK's first autonomous full-size helicopter, manufactured by Leonardo in Yeovil, has successfully completed its maiden flight. A new pharmacy has opened in Wincanton...and more