Local News Thursday 8th December

    Local councils and charity organisations in Somerset have activated their cold weather plans. A Wincanton man has been jailed for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Avon and Somerset Police have made 110 arrests so far as part of their Christmas crackdown on drink and drug drivers. There’s been a sharp rise in the number of people who smoke cigarettes in South Somerset...and more.

    Local councils and charity organisations in Somerset have activated their cold weather plans to ensure that no one is left sleeping rough over the next few days, as temperatures are forecast to drop below freezing. Cecil Weir runs the homeless charity Julian House in Somerset. He’s asking the public to inform their local council if they see anyone sleeping rough so they can be offered a place to sleep.

    A Wincanton man has been jailed for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Appearing at Taunton Crown Court, Nicholas Edgell, aged 74, pleaded guilty to three breaches of his SHPO and also possessing indecent images of children. Edgell was jailed for two-and-a-half years but due to the time he has spent in custody will serve only a further nine months before being released.

    Avon and Somerset Police have made 110 arrests so far as part of their Christmas crackdown on drink and drug drivers. People say members of the public should call 999 if they believe someone is driving or is about to drive a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

    There’s been a sharp rise in the number of people who smoke cigarettes in South Somerset. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show the estimated percentage number of smokers in the district rose to 13.6 percent in 2021 compared to 11 percent in 2020. The district with the highest percentage increase was Somerset West and Taunton with the number of people smoking cigarettes up from 10.0 percent in 2020 to 17.3 percent in 2021.

    A road near Langport will be partially closed today for re-surfacing. Work to re-lay the road surface in Vessies Lane in Pitney is due to be completed by 5 pm.

    More from News

    • Friday 31st January

      A teenager has been arrested following a stabbing in Yeovil. Water bills in Somerset are set to go up on average by £123 from April. Yeovil MP, Adam Dance will officially open Yeovil’s new outdoor performance space later today...and more

    • Thursday 30th January

      Lloyds bank is closing its branch in Chard. A Sherborne man has been jailed after defrauding a Yeovil woman of £40,000. A volunteer group in Chard is urging people to sign up to a flood victims register. A councillor in Shepton Mallet has become the first Reform UK member on Somerset Council... and more

    • Wednesday 29th January

      New mums in Somerset could soon be offered a cervical screening test six weeks after giving birth. Police are asking for help in finding a Yeovil man wanted on recall to prison. The government has given half a million pounds towards planting more trees in Somerset, including 100 new trees in Yeovil...and more

    • Tuesday 28th January

      Work continues to clean up from the floods in Chard, Ilminster, Somerton, South Petherton, and parts of Yeovil. A man who threatened to kill a support worker at the mental health unit in Yeovil has been sentenced to a community order. A competition that gives new musicians the chance to play at this year's Glastonbury festival has opened for entries...and more

    • Monday 27th January

      A major incident has been declared by Somerset Council to ensure a multi-agency response to the flash flooding that's affected Chard, Crewkerne, Ilminster, South Petherton and parts of Yeovil. Police believe a 4x4 pick-up truck, found submerged in the River Yeo at Yeovilton at the weekend, may have been stolen. An appeal to raise £2 million to restore the Grand Organ at Wells Cathedral has raised over £1 million in less than 18 months...and more

    • News Friday 24th January

      Plans have been submitted to build a David Lloyd Health and Fitness Club in Yeovil. Carers in Somerset say spending cuts to mental health support services will be hugely damaging. People with memories of Somerset women's cricket side are being asked to take part in a project to preserve its history. Two of our local restaurants have been listed in the top 100 restaurants in the UK...and more

    • Thursday 23rd January

      Yeovil Town Council has defended its decision to increase its share of the Council Tax by an average of £80. A man who drove an e-scooter in Yeovil while disqualified from driving has been jailed for six weeks. According to new data, the Yeovil driving test centre is the 12th easiest in the UK to pass a driving test...and more

    • Wednesday 22nd January

      Somerset Council is to pay for fifty-bed spaces in nursing homes so that patients can be discharged from hospital quicker. Yeovil MP, Adam Dance, is calling for improved disabled access at Pen Mill and Yeovil Junction railway stations. Crewkerne could soon get a new farm shop...and more.

    Today's Weather

    • Yeovil

      Medium-level cloud

      High: 9°C | Low: 4°C

    • Chard

      Medium-level cloud

      High: 8°C | Low: 4°C

    • Crewkerne

      Medium-level cloud

      High: 8°C | Low: 4°C

    • Somerton

      Medium-level cloud

      High: 8°C | Low: 4°C

    • Wincanton

      Medium-level cloud

      High: 8°C | Low: 3°C

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