Local News Friday 1st October

Friday, 1 October 2021 06:00

Yeovil business owner, David Harris-Heffer, who runs the Vodaphone franchise in the town, says the government’s furlough scheme that ended yesterday helped save his company from bankruptcy. Around 400 people in Martock who bought tickets in the September People’s Lottery will find out today how much they have won. Opposition is growing over plans by Leonardo Helicopters to replace part of the grass runway at their Yeovil factory with a new hard surface runway. A tractor, stolen from a farm near Sherborne, has been found crashed in East Coker.

Yeovil business owner, David Harris-Heffer, who runs the Vodaphone franchise in the town, says the government’s furlough scheme that ended yesterday helped save his company from bankruptcy. Eleven and a half million people across the UK had their wages subsidised by up to 80% through the pandemic, including over 60,000 on furlough in Somerset.

Around 400 people in Martock who bought tickets in the September People’s Lottery will find out today how much they have won. It was announced earlier in the week that ticket holders in the postcode TA12 6 had won a share of £7.3 million. The full winning postcode and exact amount won by each ticket holder will be revealed at a cheque presentation event at Kingsbury Episcopi Community Centre this morning (01/10).

Opposition is growing over plans by Leonardo Helicopters to replace part of the grass runway at their Yeovil factory with a new hard surface runway. Leonardo says the grass runway is no longer fit for purpose, but people living nearby want the scheme scrapped. They’ve written to South Somerset District Council claiming that turning the runway into a hard surface would encourage more flights and create more noise at the airfield. It’s expected the District Council will make a decision on the plans before the end of the year.

A tractor, stolen from a farm near Sherborne, has been found crashed in East Coker. The blue Ford 5610 tractor with the registration C381 HMR was taken from Oborne on Monday. Police found it in Green Lane, East Coker. They’re asking for anyone with dashcam footage of the tractor to call the police non-emergency number 101.

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A dog, stolen in Norfolk seven years ago, has been found 200 miles away safe and well in Somerset. A man who lives in Seavington St Michael near Ilminster has been jailed after driving a car at police officers. One hundred new affordable homes could be built near Langport...and more
Friday 7th February

A Yeovil man has been fined £1,200 for sending hostile text messages to his ex-wife. A report into the performance of Avon and Somerset Police has found it doesn't answer emergency calls quickly enough. Twenty-two swimmers at the Trident Swimming Club in Chard have won places in this year’s Somerset County Swimming Championships...and more
Thursday 6th February

A man has appeared in court charged with murdering a one-month-old baby boy in Chard. Kingfisher Primary School in Yeovil has been highly praised by Ofsted. Somerset Council says it’s “extremely disappointed” after its bid to form a devolved Wessex group of local councils was rejected by the government...and more.
Wednesday 5th February

The Liberal Democrat Leader of Somerset Council, Councillor Bill Revans, says they had no choice but to ask the government to allow them to lift the 5 percent cap on raising Council Tax. Two teenagers have been released on bail following the stabbing in Yeovil. More than six thousand pounds has been awarded to local groups by Chard Carnival Committee...and more.
Tuesday 4th February

Somerset has been permitted to increase its Council Tax share by 7.5 percent. An Ilminster man, forced out of his house by last week's floods, says he doesn't know when he will be able to return home. Ilminster Literary Festival has launched its annual children’s writing competition, designed to encourage local children to write creative literature...and more.
Monday 3rd February

Five men have appeared in court charged with the murder of a man in Yeovil. A 16-year-old is the second person to be arrested in connection with a stabbing in Yeovil. Yeovil’s new outdoor entertainment space in Lower Middle Street has been officially opened by the town’s MP... and more.
Friday 31st January

A teenager has been arrested following a stabbing in Yeovil. Water bills in Somerset are set to go up on average by £123 from April. Yeovil MP, Adam Dance will officially open Yeovil’s new outdoor performance space later today...and more
Thursday 30th January

Lloyds bank is closing its branch in Chard. A Sherborne man has been jailed after defrauding a Yeovil woman of £40,000. A volunteer group in Chard is urging people to sign up to a flood victims register. A councillor in Shepton Mallet has become the first Reform UK member on Somerset Council... and more