Wednesday 14th August

Wednesday, 14 August 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Somerset Council has reaffirmed its commitment to upgrading Yeovil’s Octagon Theatre. A Somerset woman has appeared in court charged with murder. A music concert, held at St Mary's church in Chard, has raised £1,000 towards repairing the church's vandalised windows...and more.

Somerset Council has reaffirmed its commitment to upgrading Yeovil’s Octagon Theatre after councillors approved a new cultural strategy for the county. The theatre has been closed since April 2023, with the council voting to scrap spending £30 million extending the building and to keep it shut until a new business case has been agreed. It’s planned that when the Octagon re-opens, Yeovil Town Council will take over its running.

A Somerset woman has appeared in court charged with murder. Christine Kekkonen, of Dunsford Terrace in Baltonsborough, was appearing at Bristol Magistrates Court where she pleaded not guilty to the murder of Henri Kekkonen. She was remanded in custody and sent for trial at Bristol Crown Court.

Experts say people in Somerset were treated to the best meteor shower of the year earlier this week. Hundreds of shooting stars, known as a Perseid shower, were seen crossing over Somerset skies on Monday night. Local astronomy photographer, Josh Dury, says there are still more shooting stars that will be visible over Somerset over the weekend.

Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner, together with the Chief Constable and the Chief Crown Prosecutor for the West say they're appalled by the recent violence and disorder in the force area. They've written an open letter saying that anyone being violent under the guise of protest will face the full force of the law. They asked that anyone with any information about planned violence or disorder to contact Crime Stoppers.

A music concert, held at St Mary's church in Chard, has raised £1,000 towards the cost of repairing the church's vandalised windows. Another concert is planned for December, with a further £3,000 needed to complete the repairs.

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Friday 27 March

There's been a big improvement in ambulance response times in Somerset. Three local people have been charged with offences linked to the theft and supply of prescription-only drugs. A fragment of a jawbone found in a cave in Cheddar Gorge appears to show that humans kept dogs as pets as far back as 5,000 years ago... and more
Thursday 26th March

Somerset Council is offering food vouchers during the school easter holidays to families whose children receive free school meals. A local man has been charged in connection with an incident involving a firearm in Yeovil. The Environment Agency says it could take up to 10 years to protect homes at Holway House Park and Home Farm Park in Ilminster from flooding...and more.
Wednesday 25th March

Yeovil MP Adam Dance has raised concerns in the House of Commons about the planned closure of Yeovil Hospital’s hyper-acute stroke unit. Police in Yeovil are appealing for information after a man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm. A 13-year-old terrier named Mole has been rescued after becoming trapped underground...and more
Tuesday 24th March

Yeovil College has received a glowing report following an Ofsted inspection. The main road between Chard and Ilminster is to be better protected from flooding. A six-thousand-year-old wooden walkway has been uncovered on the Somerset Levels... and more
Monday 23rd March

A wildcat helicopter belonging 815 Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton has been in action tracking two Russian ships in the English Channel. People living in Somerset will have to pay to use Dorset’s household waste recycling centres from today. A road in Ilminster has closed to traffic today and will stay shut for the next ten days... and more
Friday 20th March

Police are appealing for witnesses to a three-vehicle crash in Sherborne. The jobs of housing maintenance staff at Somerset Council could be outsourced to a private contractor. A pie throwing event is taking place in Chard today for Red Nose Day ... and more
Thursday 19th March

Farmers in Somerset say they're struggling after a doubling in the price of red diesel. Yeovil MP Adam Dance has criticised Donald Trump over his comments about people with learning disabilities. A Somerset woman whose father was killed in a crash on the M5 is running the London Marathon to raise money for South West Ambulance...and more
Wednesday 18th March

The murder of a two-week-old baby by his father at Yeovil Hospital could not have been predicted, according to a new report. A road in Ilminster is to close to traffic for eleven days later this month. A new Post Office counter is to open in Somerton... and more