Monday 20th November

Monday, 20 November 2023 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A man from Galhampton near Castle Cary has been jailed for six years for causing death by dangerous driving. Next year’s Great Dorset Steam Fair has been cancelled due to increased costs. Volunteers in Chard, led by the Mayor, Gary Shortland, have been putting up the town’s Christmas lights...and more.

A man from Galhampton near Castle Cary has been jailed for six years for causing death by dangerous driving. Anton Hull, aged 21, of Long Street in Galhampton was twice over the legal drink limit when his van hit a car being driven by Sarah Baker at Anchor Hill in Wincanton. Sarah who was 29 was pronounced dead at the scene. Moments before the crash, Hull had filmed himself on his mobile phone saying he was ‘smashed’. In a statement read in court, Sarah's family said the pain of losing her had been immeasurable.

Two men have been jailed after police found them with tens of thousands of pounds worth of drugs in Yeovil. Kyle Kennedy and Bartosz Gorczyca, both aged 21, were sentenced to nine years between them for being in possession of drugs with a value of £50,000 when arrested. Both men pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, ketamine and MDMA.

Business owners in Somerset are being offered the chance to be paired up with successful leaders and entrepreneurs for support. Forty mentors have been lined up by Somerset Council to offer six hours of free mentoring to anyone running a business that is over a year old and employs more than two people. Anyone interested in taking part should apply online via somerset.gov.uk

A Somerset man has written a book capturing the experiences of his grandfather during World War One. David John says his grandfather talked about many things in life but it wasn’t until he had turned 80 that he opened up about his experiences of fighting in the First World War.

Volunteers in Chard, led by the Mayor, Gary Shortland, have been putting up the town’s Christmas lights. The display consists of six cross-street decorations and twenty illuminated frames on lamp posts. The lights will be officially switched on at 7.30 pm next Saturday with a Christmas craft fayre held in the Guildhall during the day. Radio Ninesprings will be hosting the Christmas lights switch-on in Chard with a live broadcast starting at 6 pm.

Next year’s Great Dorset Steam Fair has been cancelled due to higher costs of staging the event. The show is one of the most popular on the Dorset calendar but organisers say with costs rising to £5 million, ticket prices having to go up, and a risk that fewer people would attend, the event has become unaffordable.

More from News

Monday 20th January

Somerset Council says a government review of adult social care could cause the Council to go bankrupt. A pilot scheme in Somerset aimed at cutting hospital admissions to A&E by the most vulnerable patients has shown a 50 per cent reduction in visits. Somerset celebrity chef Josh Eggleton is converting a double-decker bus to help promote healthier eating in schools...and more.
Friday 17th January

Bruton Primary School is the latest to have a barrier installed outside the school to stop parents parking when dropping off and picking up children. A man has appeared in court charged with being drunk and disorderly at Yeovil Hospital. A veteran of World War Two in Castle Cary has been awarded France’s highest military and civil distinction...and more
Thursday 16th January

A Chard woman has appeared in court after driving her car towards a crowd of people who, she claimed, were causing a disturbance. Crewkerne residents will soon be provided with a new banking hub. Work has started removing 14 trees along the embankment of Chard Reservoir...and more
Wednesday 15th January

A Yeovil man has been arrested on suspicion of engaging in sexual communication with a child. A Community Fridge in Shepton Mallet says it saved ten tonnes of unwanted food from going to landfill in the run-up to Christmas. Somerset Council has started collecting empty toothpaste tubes for recycling at the kerbside for the first time...and more
Tuesday 14th January

Police are appealing for witnesses after two people died in a car crash near Shepton Mallet. A new passing loop could be introduced on the rail line between Castle Cary and Yeovil Pen Mill stations. St Margaret’s Hospice has thanked the public for making this year’s Christmas Tree Recycling project their most successful ever...and more
Monday 13th January

Plans to build forty-six new homes in Castle Cary have been rejected for a third time. Yeovil MP Adam Dance says he has no plans to step down from his dual role as a member of Somerset Council. Rug Ratz in Yeovil is closing permanently today, leaving the town without a children's soft play space...and more.
Friday 10th January

Yeovil Hospital has declared a critical incident due to a sharp rise in flu admissions putting pressure on bed spaces. Yeovil MP, Adam Dance, joined campaigners and colleagues in Downing Street this week to hand in a petition calling for action to tackle the shortage of NHS dentists. Yeovil's Marlie Packer has been replaced as England's Red Roses captain for 2025 season... and more
Thursday 9th January

Police say three children, missing from their home in Essex, have been found safe and well in Wincanton. Yeovil Hospital is asking visitors to A&E to wear facemasks to help avoid the spread of infection. Long traffic queues can be expected in Chard over the next nine months. A new arts and music performance space has opened in Crewkerne...and more.