Wednesday 8th May

Wednesday, 8 May 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A woman driver has been told she faces a prison term for causing the deaths of two people in a crash on the A303. The AA says there are more potholes than ever on Somerset’s motorway network, leading to an increase in damage to vehicles. The new cancer treatment unit at Yeovil Hospital should be open before the end of the year...and more.

A woman driver has been told she faces a prison term over the deaths of two people in a crash on the A303 at Camel Hill near Queen Camel. Appearing at Taunton Crown Court, Jessica Higgs, aged 20, from Warminster, pleaded guilty to two charges of causing the deaths of Tony Mist and Thelma Huse by dangerous driving while under the influence of drugs when her van collided with the couple's car in May last year. She was released on unconditional bail and will return to Court in August for sentencing.

The AA says there are more potholes than ever on Somerset’s motorway network, leading to increased vehicle damage. The motoring association says the last 18 months have been the worst for call-outs to tyre punctures because of potholes, especially in lane one of the M5.

Train passengers in Somerset are facing more disruption on the railways. An overtime by the drivers' union, ASLEF, is in place on Cross Country and GWR services until Saturday.

Somerset’s Home Library Service is looking for people to lead its teams of volunteers in Yeovil, Chard and Crewkerne. Home Library Service is a free service available to people who are housebound, those who are carers, or people vulnerable because of their health.

According to one of the fundraisers on the project, the new cancer treatment unit at Yeovil Hospital should be open before the end of the year. Karina Parsons says raising the £2.5 million needed to build the centre has been an amazing journey and that, hopefully, it won't be too long before the unit opens.

Chard Rugby Club have appointed a new head coach. Steve Pape, who played as a second-row forward for Bristol, Gloucester, Rosslyn Park and London Scottish during a long career will lead Chard into the 2024/25 season.

More from News

Wednesday 3rd June

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
Tuesday 2nd June

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
Monday 1st June

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
Friday 29th May

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
Thursday 28th May

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
Wednesday 27th May

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
Tuesday 26th May

A Martock agricultural machinery business has gone into administration, putting around thirty jobs at risk. A new sensory room has opened at a Yeovil schook to support neurodiverse pupils. The headteacher of a Chard primary school is stepping down... and more
Friday 22nd May

The National Farmers Union in Somerset has welcomed the government’s new trade deal with six Gulf countries. Campaigners say Somerset’s canals and locks are in urgent need new investment. The Liverpool comedian John Bishop is heading to Somerset later this year...and more