Local News Tuesday 19th July

Tuesday, 19 July 2022 06:00

An amber weather alert for extreme temperatures is in place across Somerset again today. A Yeovil man has been jailed for 12 years after pleading guilty to multiple offences. Plans have been submitted to build one-hundred-and-twenty new homes on the outskirts of Keinton Mandeville. Up to seventeen so-called local community networks could be established across Somerset as part of the new Somerset unitary council. An empty church building in Yeovil is to be converted into flats...and more.

An amber weather alert for extreme temperatures is in place across Somerset again today. Road gritters are being used to treat roads with reports of tarmac surfaces melting in the record temperatures. Speed restrictions are in place again across the rail network. Some services have been cancelled as temperatures rise above what train lines are designed to cope with. The RSPCA is reminding dog owners not to take their pets out for walks in the heat.

A Yeovil man has been jailed for 12 years after pleading guilty to multiple offences including sexual offences against children. 63-year-old Michael Sellings, of Horsey Lane pleaded guilty to 12 offences, which took place between November 2016 and June 2021.

Plans have been submitted to build one-hundred-and-twenty new homes on the outskirts of Keinton Mandeville. Land for the development has been earmarked south of the B315 between Keinton Mandeville and Somerton. The sites comprise three fields, ending near the village hall and the Lakeview housing development.

Up to seventeen so-called local community networks could be established across Somerset as part of the new Somerset unitary council. It’s believed the LCN’s will include representatives of parish and town councils, police and fire service, community groups, and perhaps members of the public. A pilot LCN for South East Somerset is currently running.

An empty church building in Yeovil is to be converted into flats. The former Elim Church on Larkhill Road will be turned into four living spaces after South Somerset District Council granted planning permission and a change of use on the building.

Repair or reuse old items instead of replacing them. That's the message from Somerset Waste Partnership as it hosts a series of events across Somerset as part of Reuse Week. It says people should try to think about reusing items before putting them in recycling bins.

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Police are investigating the theft of a motorbike in Ilminster. Tributes have been paid to the former Yeovil Town player-manager, Cecil Irwin, who has died aged 83. Town criers from across the South West will be in Yeovil tomorrow competing for the loudest voice in the Yeovil Town Crier Competition 2025...and more
Thursday 24th April

Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident in which a child was struck by a car in Yeovil. This week, a planning inquiry is being held into plans to turn a Somerset shopping centre into a retirement complex. A Somerset woman is planning to walk the 70-miles of Hadrian's Wall to mark her 90th birthday...and more.
Wednesday 23rd April

Tourism bosses in Somerset say they feel confident the County will have a good summer for visitors this year. A group representing care providers in Somerset is warning that some residential homes are at risk of going out of business due to rising costs. A Somerset animal charity has taken into care, three orphaned badger cubs...and more.
Tuesday 22nd April

The Care Quality Commission has given two GP practices in Yeovil a 'good' overall rating. According to insurers, AXA, thefts at commercial premises in Somerset are on the rise. Bus users in Somerset could see changes to the frequency of services when the new West of England mayor takes office. Martock is to host its first Pride event in June...and more.
Thursday 17th April

The father of a one-month-old baby boy in Chard is to stand trial for the murder of his son. New figures show that just under 1300 crimes were reported to the Police in Yeovil during the final quarter of last year. A night in a prison cell is offered at Shepton Mallet Jail to those who want to be alone this Easter...and more.
Wednesday 16th April

Big changes are being made to where taxi ranks in Yeovil are located. Farmers are being told to keep an extra lookout for people acting suspiciously following the latest livestock theft near the Devon and Somerset border. Channel 4’s Location Location Location is coming to Somerset, with anyone looking to buy a property locally invited to apply to be in the show...and more
Tuesday 15th April

A 36-year-old man remains in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of a sexual assault in Yeovil. Yeovil Labour Club has had its drinks licence revoked. NHS Somerset has been taking its physiotherapy team around the county to cut waiting times for patients. A men-only cooking course has been launched in Sherborne with all ingredients and equipment provided free of charge...and more
Monday 14th April

A new banking hub has opened in Crewkerne. South Western Ambulance is asking people to only dial 999 in a life-threatening emergency over the Easter weekend. £1.8 million is being spent improving walking and cycling routes around a major new housing development at Up Mudford in Yeovil...and more