The UK Health Security Agency has increased its heat health alert for Somerset to amber. Trading Standards officers have shut down three shops in Taunton after illegal cigarettes and vapes were discovered on the premises. Bridgwater Town Council is considering running its own bus services...and more
The UK Health Security Agency has increased its heat health alert for Somerset to amber. The warning remains in place until Thursday afternoon, with more high temperatures expected across the county today and tomorrow. Health officials are advising people to stay hydrated, avoid prolonged periods in direct sunlight, and check on elderly or vulnerable neighbours during the hot weather.
Trading Standards officers have shut down three shops in Taunton after illegal cigarettes and vapes were discovered on the premises. The closures come after the government announced an extra thirty million pounds to tackle so-called “dodgy shops” and create a new police-led High Street Organised Crime Unit.
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance has launched a public consultation on plans to relocate to the Leonardo site in Yeovil. The charity, currently based at Henstridge Airfield, says it needs a larger base after the number of emergency flights tripled over the past decade. Feedback is now being gathered ahead of a planning application being submitted to Somerset Council.
Bridgwater Town Council is considering running its own bus services. Changes in government rules last year removed the ban on local authorities operating buses, opening the door for councils to create their own transport companies. Bridgwater Town Council says it’s now investigating whether becoming a bus operator could improve the reliability of local services.
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.
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
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
A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with assaulting three police officers. Somerset Council has begun legal action to recover more than £320,000 owed by housing developers. The line-up has been announced for this year’s Ilminster Midsummer Experience...and more
Somerset Prostate Cancer Support Group says a decision not to introduce mass screening for prostate cancer is the wrong one. A Martock woman has been banned from driving for 28 months. Somerset Council is marking Volunteers’ Week by thanking the volunteers who help deliver council services... and more
People in Somerset with Football Banning Orders are being reminded they must surrender their passports by the end of today ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup tournament. A road in Yeovil will close for nine days later this week. Farmers from Somerset were among the winners of this year's ITV Britain's Got Talent final...and more
South Western Ambulance Service is struggling to cope after a surge in 999 calls during the hot weather. Glastonbury and Somerton MP Sarah Dyke says a shortage of rental homes is making it harder for rural employers to attract workers. The National Trust is warning that changing weather patterns are making it difficult to maintain the Cerne Abbas Giant... and more
People are being asked to take extra care in parks and open spaces as high temperatures and dry conditions increase the risk of fire. Plans to build hundreds of new homes in Yeovil can now go ahead after a High Court challenge by Mudford Parish Council was dismissed. A Somerset bakery chain has sparked a reaction after it stopped making iced buns... and more