Monday 24th August

Monday, 24 August 2026 06:30

The Chair of the NFU has repeated calls for a longer-term plan to tackle bluetongue, Three men have been jailed for their involvement in car key burglaries in Somerset. Police say they’re treating a fire in Norton Fitzwarren as suspicious... and more.

The Chair of the National Famers Union, Tom Bradshaw, has repeated calls for a longer-term plan to tackle bluetongue, a disease that predominantly affects sheep and cattle and is spread by midges. It’s reported that there are currently over 300 cases on Exmoor, with another two thousand being investigated nationally. With bluetongue’s spread made worse by the recent hot weather, DEFRA has said they are looking at bringing more testing sites online, and have denied there are any vaccine shortages.

Three men have been jailed for their involvement in car key burglaries in Somerset. Dylan Morgan, 23, of Dickenson Road, Weston-super-Mare, Thomas Maguire, 19, of Bristol Road, Tarnock, and George Ruja, 19, of Church Street, Highbridge, were sentenced at Taunton Crown Court on Friday 14th August. The charges relate to several reported incidents in locations including Burnham-on-Sea, Weston-super-Mare and Glastonbury between March and May.

Police say they’re treating a fire in Norton Fitzwarren as suspicious. Crews were called to a large field fire on Friday afternoon with six fire appliances tackling the blaze. Avon and Somerset Police are appealing for witnesses and asking anyone with information to contact them on 101.

The Quedam Centre’s former Iceland store could be repurposed as a family entertainment centre, following a planning application to Somerset Council. High Score Arcades Ltd. have proposed rebuilding the business units with arcade and skill-based games, saying the new attraction could bring visitors back to the town centre, provide local jobs and support surrounding businesses.

The annual Seagull Screeching Contest returned to Weston-super-Mare this weekend. It’s the second time the event has been held in the town.12 year old Cooper Wallace, the two-time European Seagull Screeching Champion was the head judge.

More from News

Thursday 10th September

Work has begun building a new multi-million-pound David Lloyd leisure centre in Yeovil. NHS Somerset says a new system to handle emergency stroke care will lead to "better outcomes" for patients. Tickets for next year’s Glastonbury Festival will go on sale in October...and more
Wednesday 9th September

Police have released an image of a man they want to speak to following an assault in Yeovil. Businesses in Taunton say they're worried that planned changes to parking rules could put people off visiting the town. The Red Arrows will take to the skies near the Somerset border in a one-off display later this week... and more
Tuesday 8th September

Police in Avon and Somerset say they’re dealing with a big increase in reports of cloned vehicle fraud. A new video system designed to speed up stroke care has been launched in Somerset. Pilgrims are walking through Somerset this week to mark eight hundred years since the death of Saint Francis of Assisi... and more
Monday 7th September

Avon and Somerset Police are warning about a new scam involving criminals posing as police officers. Flu vaccinations are now available on the NHS ahead of the winter. Liverpool comedian John Bishop has cancelled his show in Taunton later this week after breaking his ankle... and more
Friday 4th September

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on a vehicle near Shepton Mallet. New taxi charges come into force in Somerset later this month. The fire service is treating as accidental a blaze at a flat in Yeovil town centre... and more
Thursday 3rd September

Fifteen thousand people have signed a petition calling on Somerset Council to cancel plans for a huge data centre in Bridgwater. A nest of Asian hornets has been found in Somerset. More patients in Somerset are set to benefit from a hospital project aimed at restoring independence... and more
Wednesday 2nd September

Yeovil-based charity, School in a Bag, has started sending supplies to Nepal to help in the aftermath of the devastating floods. 6,000 people have signed a petition opposing plans for a new relief road in Chard. The Royal British Legion in Somerset is appealing for more volunteers to help run this year’s Poppy Appeal... and more
Tuesday 1st September

One person had to be cut free from a vehicle following a two-vehicle collision on the A30 near Chard. A Yeovil man has been jailed for 7-and-a-half years for supplying cocaine and cannabis. Two Somerset teenagers have become the youngest to swim the Bristol Channel... and more