Thursday 27th August

Thursday, 27 August 2026 06:30

A 21 mile stretch of the M5 is to be given a 50mph speed limit for three years. Chard remains a safe place to work, live and visit say Avon & Somerset Police. Sunflowers of Somerset is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a photography competition and community activities... and more.

A 21 mile stretch of the M5 is to be given a 50mph speed limit for three years, as part of an ongoing project to repair the St Georges Bridge. It'll come into force next Thursday between junction 19 for Portishead and 22 for Burnham on Sea. A number of overnight closures and lane restrictions will also be taking place over the coming weeks.

Chard remains a safe place to work, live and visit; that’s according to Avon & Somerset Police who tell us that crime in the town has decreased slightly in recent months, despite their expectations of a rise this summer. The force says community policing remains important across the county, and that officers work with businesses and the local authority to support a safe night-time economy. Anyone experiencing crime or antisocial behaviour is encouraged to report it.

Meantime, a new business in the town has had to close for repairs after the shopfront was damaged, just one day after it opened its doors. Transformations Hair, Beauty & Aesthetics discovered smashed windows on the morning of Wednesday, August 5^th. The business had only just relocated from Ilminster.

Sunflowers of Somerset is celebrating its 10^th anniversary with a photography competition and collection of community activities. The Ilminster-based project distributed around 7,500 sunflower seeds to schools, care homes, cafes, churches and many more organisations in March and April, to mark both the start of spring and the passing of a decade for the organisation. Due to a wet couple of months, the seeds took longer to germinate for many, and the later hot weather scorched the fledgling plants, but an impressive number of sunflowers still made their way to maturity.

More from News

Tuesday 22nd September

Children with special needs could have a better chance of moving to a new school, without delay or disruption. A former Castle Cary pub is to be turned into a private house. Taunton's Brewhouse Theatre may have to close at the end of next month... and more.
Monday 21st September

Wessex Water's contacting large businesses, asking them to use less water. A ‘serious collision’ closed a stretch of the A30 in both directions yesterday afternoon.Two Somerset charities have benefitted from a combined £64,000, thanks to the Leonardo Rising Stars.
Friday 18th September

Three people from Yeovil have been sentenced after admitting offences linked to the theft and illegal supply of prescription-only medicines. An ancient burial site on the Quantocks has been damaged. Chard Guildhall is open for public viewing today... and more
Thursday 17th September

Audio

18,000 shoplifting offences have been recorded in the Avon and Somerset Police area in the last financial year. A Chard man has been sentenced for assaulting a police officer. Forefront Community Centre in Chard is celebrating 20 years of bringing people together in the town... and more
Wednesday 16th September

A pilot with the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance says there will be 'catastrophic' consequences if laser pointers continue to be pointed at their aircraft. Plans to build forty new homes in the village of Curry Rivel have been given the go ahead. The owner of a ram called Rambo in Keinton Mandeville has thanked firefighters for rescuing him after he got stuck in a concrete pipe... and more
Tuesday 15th September

Police investigating an attack on a shop worker in Yeovil have released CCTV images of a man and woman they want to speak to. Farmers in Somerset are being warned to expect more cases of bluetongue. Ilminster Carnival Committee has announced the cancellation of this year's Children's Carnival due to a lack of entries... and more
Monday 14th September

Two new mobile NHS breast screening units have taken to the road in Somerset. More than 700 new homes are to be built alongside the M5 in Bridgwater. Dawes Twineworks in West Coker is one of several venues open to the public for free this month... and more
Friday 11th September

It’s going to cost more to park in Chard. Police have issued an image of a man they want to speak to in connection with two burglaries in Yeovil. Somerset Cricket Club is planning to stage performances by some of the world's biggest artistes at their Taunton ground... and more