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

Thursday 6th August

A local man and convicted former neo-Nazi, selected by the Conservatives to stand in Crewkerne South in next year’s local elections for a seat on Somerset Council, has pulled out after a backlash against his candidacy. A charity that runs children's homes in Somerset is terminating its contract early following a critical report by Ofsted. A new playground and sports area is being built at Manor Court Primary School in Chard during the summer break...and more
Wednesday 5th August

Avon and Somerset's Police and Crime Commissioner is backing the wider use of police drones in towns like Yeovil to help tackle crime. Visitor numbers at Somerset's tourist attractions are down by around sixty per cent so far this year. A gardening expert says it'll take much more than the occasional shower to revive Somerset's parched lawns, parks and open spaces...and more
Tuesday 4th August

A Somerset doctor is calling for better community eye care. People in Glastonbury and Street are benefiting from a new bus service to Castle Cary railway station. A sailor from South Petherton is celebrating after sailing around the world... and more
Monday 3rd August

A yellow Heat Health Alert is in force across Somerset today. The swimming and leisure centre in Street remains closed following last Thursday's flooding in the plant room. Plans for a new primary school in Chard have been delayed until at least 2030... and more
Friday 31st July

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service says July has been its busiest month ever for emergency calls. Police have recovered a 1970s Austin Mini pick-up stolen in Shepton Mallet. A specialist spinal injuries service at Yeovil Hospital has treated three hundred patients in its first year... and more
Thursday 30th July

The Environment Agency has declared a drought across Somerset as the hot weather takes its toll on the county's water supplies. Police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal road traffic accident near Crewkerne. A bowls player from Yeovil has won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow...and more
Wednesday 29th July

Police have arrested two suspects in connection with a series of moped thefts in Chard. A combine harvester has been destroyed in a farm fire at Forton, near Chard. A bowls player from Yeovil has won a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow... and more
Tuesday 28th July

The former Beales department store in Yeovil could be brought back into use as part of a wider masterplan for the future of the town. A yellow heat health alert is in place across Somerset from nine o’clock this morning until nine o’clock on Friday morning. A Somerset farmer says this year is the driest on his land since 1976... and more