Local News Wednesday 4th May

Wednesday, 4 May 2022 06:00

National Highways say work on dualling the A303 in South Somerset is running to schedule. A restaurant owner from Somerset is having to turn down bookings because of staff shortages. A former school building in Somerton has been put up for sale. Yeovil Freewheelers blood bikes have taken delivery of a new motorbike. Children at Tintinhull Primary School have won a Gold Award from The Woodland Trust for their work improving the local environment and a caravan has been completely destroyed by fire at Long Sutton.

National Highways say work on dualling the A303 in South Somerset is running to schedule and should be completed by the deadline of Spring 2024. Meanwhile, the A303 between Hazelgrove and Podimore will be shut from Friday, 13th May to Sunday the 15th of May to allow for a temporary bridge to be built over the carriageway.

A restaurant owner from Somerset is having to turn down bookings because of staff shortages. Buddy Love, who runs the Flying Fish Pub and Restaurant at Ashill near Ilminster, says he’s doubled the salary for a chef with other incentives yet can’t fill the role. The government says it has created schemes to recruit people to work in hospitality but vacancies are still running at a high level.

A former school building in Somerton has been put up for sale. Somerton Infants School on Etsome Terrace stands in 0.84 of an acre of land. The school closed when it merged with the King Ina Church of England Academy in Somerton in 2014.

Yeovil Freewheelers blood bikes have taken delivery of a new motorbike. The voluntary organisation that delivers blood and medical supplies between NHS sites bought the bike with the proceeds from their fundraising activities.

Children at Tintinhull Primary School have won a Gold Award from The Woodland Trust for their work improving the local environment. Headteacher, Hayley Robinson, says the green agenda is a central part of the school’s values. Last year, Tintinhull Primary School was awarded a Level-2 certificate by the Royal Horticultural Society for tree planting.

A caravan has been completely destroyed by fire at Long Sutton. Appliances from Martock and Somerton tackled the blaze that broke out at around 1 pm on Monday afternoon.

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Thursday 25th April

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Wednesday 24th April

Yeovil Town FC have sent a strongly worded letter to the Football Association asking for plans to end FA Cup replays to be dropped. A Somerset woman who's spent the last 32 years living with Hepatitis C, says better support is needed for those affected by the contaminated blood scandal. A new school of musical theatre has opened in Chard...and more.
Tuesday 23rd April

Two teenage boys have admitted animal cruelty after filming themselves throwing a lamb down a stone staircase at Montacute. Somerset Council could lose around £5 million by selling the Marks and Spencer building in Yeovil. Chard, Wincanton, Castle Cary and Ansford are on a list of fifteen places in Somerset where new 20 mph speed limits could soon be introduced...and more.
Monday 22nd April

The parents of a two-week-old baby boy, accused of his murder at Yeovil Hospital, are to stand trial. Protesters have splashed red paint across the front of County Hall in Taunton for a second time. A comedy film about the world of competitive marrow-growing and made in Shepton Mallet has opened in cinemas across the UK...and more.
Friday 19th April

Work starts today building a new eastbound carriageway as part of dualling the A303 between Sparkford and Podimore. A childhood obesity clinic in Somerset has revealed that it is treating children as young as eight months old. Somerset Wildlife Trust has launched a campaign to recruit an army of young people to act as conservation champions...and more.
Thursday 18th April

A Martock man has been jailed after admitting to shining lasers at aircraft flying over Yeovil. Police are investigating an attempted break-in at the TK Maxx store at Babylon Hill. Nearly four hundred people have put their names forward for redundancy at Somerset Council...and more.
Wednesday 17 April

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