Wednesday 20th March

Wednesday, 20 March 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Eighty-one motorists were caught using a mobile phone at the wheel during a two-week crackdown carried out by Avon and Somerset Police. People in Crewkerne are being asked to report incidents of fly tipping to the Town Council. A nurse at Yeovil Hospital will be raising money for the Roald Dahl Marvellous Children’s Charity when she competes in this year’s London Marathon...and more.

Eighty-one motorists were caught using a mobile phone at the wheel during a two-week crackdown carried out by Avon and Somerset Police. ‘Operation Telecom’ ended on March 10th with almost twice the number of drivers caught using a mobile at the wheel, compared to last year. Police used patrols, unmarked vehicles, officers in plain clothes and officers stationed at local hotspots, as part of the campaign.

People in Crewkerne are being asked to report incidents of fly tipping to the Town Council. The Council says even its not on land they own, they will pass on the information to the appropriate agency. The Council has thanked local residents for reporting a large fly tip on a footpath behind Wadham School that’s now been cleared.

Yeovil Hospital has become the first in Somerset to use artificial intelligence to help diagnose prostate cancer. Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, who run Yeovil Hospital, are working with a Cambridge-based technology company to introduce AI working to teams of radiologists.

A new survey has suggested that up to half of Somerset’s roads could fail in the next 15-years if they're not properly maintained. Somerset Council says extreme weather is causing unprecedented pressures on highway maintenance. The government has pledged eight billion pounds of extra funding for road improvements in England over the next ten years.

Somerset Council says taxpayers will have to pay to remove red graffiti sprayed on the front of County Hall in Taunton. The Campaign group Palestine Action says it was behind the protest. Avon and Somerset Police are appealing for more information and are treating the incident as criminal damage.

A nurse at Yeovil Hospital will be raising money for the Roald Dahl Marvellous Children’s Charity when she competes in this year’s London Marathon. Emma Christie works as a Roald Dahl Nurse at Yeovil Hospital, caring for seriously ill children.

More from News

Wednesday 4th February

Somerset Council is asking the government for extra funds to pay for the damage caused by Storm Chandra. There’s been a setback to the campaign to reopen Chinnock Hollow. The Telegraph newspaper has named the Barrington Boar at Barrington in a list of the top 50 best pubs in the UK... and more
Tuesday 3rd February

Five flood warnings remain in place in Somerset covering the rivers Parrett, Yeo, Northmoor and Saltmoor. Somerset Council says it has no plans to demolish a derelict listed building near Chard Leisure Centre. A Yeovil farm shop has been honoured at a national awards ceremony... and more
Monday 2nd February

The Met Office has issued a warning of more heavy rain for Somerset. A survey by Somerset Council shows nearly two-thirds of households would be happy to pay more in council tax. Yeovil Town Council is offering free allotment spaces to support people’s wellbeing... and more
Friday 30th January

Data from the weather centre at RNAS Yeovilton shows rainfall in Somerset was almost double the average for January. A disabled man is taking Somerset Council to the High Court, claiming its council tax reduction scheme is discriminatory. Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard is seeking urgent support to replenish its stocks of hay... and more
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