Wednesday 23rd July

Wednesday, 23 July 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Somerset Council is planning to open twelve new Special Educational Needs units in mainstream schools. Yeovil Hospital is participating in a trial that could revolutionise the treatment of sepsis within the NHS. A 55-acre site in Chard, with plans approved to build 295 homes and a new football ground, has been put up for sale...and more

Somerset Council plans to open twelve new Special Educational Needs units in mainstream schools, starting in September. The move could save the Council £17m over the next five years. Somerset Council says the motivation for the move is not financial.

Yeovil Hospital is participating in a trial involving patients in critical care that could revolutionise the treatment of sepsis within the NHS. Sepsis, often referred to as blood poisoning, occurs when the body overreacts to an infection, causing damage to organs and tissues. While antibiotics are essential in their treatment, excessive use can lead to serious side effects and antibiotic resistance. The trial is looking at whether a five-day course of antibiotics is sufficient to treat sepsis safely.

A 55-acre site in Chard, with plans approved to build 295 homes and a new football ground, has been put up for sale. The land at Mount Hindrance comprises of three fields between the Blackdown Heights development and Cuttiford’s Door.

Greggs is advertising for staff to work at its new shop in Chard. A variety of roles are available at the Tapstone Road outlet, which is set to open in October.

A hoard of 2,584 historic silver pennies, discovered in Somerset by metal detectorists, is set to go on display locally. Known as the Chew Valley Hoard, the coins date from just after the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and depict both the defeated King Harold II and the triumphant William the Conqueror. The Chew Valley Hoard is due to go on display at the Museum of Somerset next summer.

The Somerset branch of The Campaign for Real Ale has launched its 2025 Pub Trail, featuring 50 pubs across the County. The trail covers a wide area, from the New Inn at Wedmore to the King’s Head in Crewkerne.

More from News

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
Monday 27th July

Gooch and Housego, based in Ilminster and one of the town’s biggest employers, has been sold in a multi-million-pound deal to an American private equity firm. A father who shook his four-week-old baby to death at a house in Chard has been sentenced to life in prison. A doctor who works for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is one of five people to have jointly set a new world record for rowing around Great Britain... and more
Friday 24th July

Avon and Somerset Police are warning people to watch out for scammers posing as Amazon. The CEO of the company that provides Somerset's recycling is warning of a major incident if people continue to put used batteries in waste bins. A former Yeovil pub could be demolished to make way for a major hotel expansion.
Thursday 23rd July

The West Country is officially one step closer to being declared in drought. Somerset Council says it's remodelling its service after a children's home was closed following an inspection. A new McDonald's planned off the M5 at Bridgwater could create up to 120 local jobs... and more
Wednesday 22nd July

Two men have been jailed for stealing electrical items and cash from a property in Yeovil. Somerset Council has defended its use of Yeovil’s new performance area in The Triangle, in Lower Middle Street. Tintinhull Primary School, near Yeovil, has won a top national award for outdoor play... and more