Wednesday 6th August

Wednesday, 6 August 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A fire at the former Mermaid Hotel in Yeovil town centre is being treated as accidental. People with premium bonds in Somerset are being encouraged to check their numbers as over 800-thousand pounds of prizes remain unclaimed. Chard is set to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day later this month...and more.

A fire at the former Mermaid Hotel in Yeovil town centre is being treated as accidental. Smoke was spotted coming from the property on the High Street at around 8.30 yesterday morning. The fire service says the building was empty at the time and suffered 100% smoke damage.

People with premium bonds in Somerset are being encouraged to check their numbers as over 800-thousand pounds of prizes remain unclaimed in the county by bondholders.

A farm near Chard has taken delivery of two Albion cows and their calves to start a breeding programme. Albion Cattle are considered critically endangered, with a national population of just 300. The animals have been given conservation land to graze on at Beetham Farm in Combe St Nicholas in the hope they will soon start to breed.

A couple in Martock, whose home was extensively damaged when a car drove into the front of it, have thanked the local people for their support. The house on Long Load Road was left in an unsafe state following the collision in early July. Owner, Mark Talbot-Phillips, says it will take at least a year to repair the damage.

Chard is set to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day later this month. The war in the Far East claimed the lives of nearly 30,000 British soldiers and will be marked with a display and candlelight service at Chard Museum on Saturday, August 16th.

A Red Kite, considered at one time to be on the brink of extinction, has been spotted in Somerset. It was photographed flying above Maunsel Lock on the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal near North Newton. The appearance of a Red Kite in Somerset is part of a wider pattern of sightings across the UK.

More from News

Thursday 30th April

More than 4,500 people have expressed interest in joining a new NHS dental practice in Crewkerne. Somerset Council says a long-term solution is needed to make Hendford Hill in Yeovil fully safe for motorists. A Somerset man has won first prize at the World Marmalade Awards... and more
Wednesday 29th April

Somerset Council says Hendford Hill in Yeovil should be fully reopened to traffic by the end of May. Plans have been approved to build 40 new homes in Crewkerne. A huge pile of illegally dumped rubbish in Glastonbury has been cleared... and more
Tuesday 28th April

Police are appealing for witnesses to a fatal collision at Rimpton. A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage in South Petherton. Former Yeovil Town manager Gary Johnson has been retained as first-team manager of Taunton Town for next season... and more
Monday 27th April

A former school in Sherborne has been badly damaged by fire. A care home in Yeovil has been rated outstanding. ublic spaces in West Coker owned by Somerset Council are being handed over to the parish council. Mendip Golf Club has presented a cheque for £12,000 to Mind in Somerset... and more
Friday 24th April

Plans have been submitted to turn a property on Preston Road in Yeovil into a House in Multiple Occupation. Yeovil’s Marlie Packer has been recalled to the England Red Roses starting line-up for tomorrow’s Women’s Six Nations game against Wales. Three sisters from Yeovil will be running the London Marathon this weekend in support of Guide Dogs UK... and more
Thursday 23rd April

Helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton have completed six weeks of sorties, protecting Cyprus from attacks by Iran. People in Somerset who use domestic heating oil are calling on the government to regulate the oil supply industry. Patients are being invited to register at a new NHS dentist in Crewkerne... and more
Wednesday 22nd April

Expectant mothers are using Yeovil Hospital once again to give birth following the reopening of the maternity unit. A Yeovil man has been jailed for four years for committing sexual offences against two young girls. Plans have been approved to convert a pub in Milborne Port into housing... and more
Tuesday 21st April

NHS Somerset has delayed closing the hyper-acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. A former Avon and Somerset Police officer has been jailed for making indecent images of children. A Somerset man has been fined after pleading guilty to hunting a wild animal with dogs... and more