Local News Friday 28th July

    A local man has been given a four-month suspended prison sentence and a one-year driving ban after being found guilty of causing death by careless driving. The go-ahead has been given to convert a former pub in Chard into a guesthouse. The South West is one of the most competitive regions in England for renting a home...and more.

    A Merriott man, found guilty of causing death by careless driving, has been given a four-month suspended prison sentence and a one-year driving ban. Christopher Banke was appearing for sentencing at Bournemouth Crown Court after earlier being found guilty of causing the death of motorcyclist, Adrian Saunders, on the A3066 at Beaminster in October 2021. Banke, who had pleaded not guilty to the careless driving charge, was ordered to pay court costs of three-and-a-half thousand pounds. 

    People are being encouraged to book their holiday accommodation and tourist attractions in Somerset using a new app called the Somerset Reward Card. It's to avoid commissions being paid to online travel agents and offers rewards to those who use it. 

    The go-ahead has been given to convert a former pub in Chard into a guesthouse. The Golden Fleece on Perry Street closed in 2020 due to poor sales. Somerset Council’s approved the change of use subject to the character of the building being retained.

    The RSPCA says there were three-hundred-and-sixty reports of cat cruelty in Somerset last year. Nationally, the number is almost eighteen thousand.

    The South West is one of the most competitive regions in England for the housing rental market, according to the property website Rightmove. Its figures suggest average requests for viewings per rental property stands at twenty-seven in our area. 

    Details have been announced of this year’s Ham Hill Dog Show. The event was cancelled last year due to the death of the Queen and takes place on Sunday, August 13th. All monies raised will go to the Ferne Animal Sanctuary near Chard and the Friends of Ham Hill.

    More from News

    • Thursday 17th April

      The father of a one-month-old baby boy in Chard is to stand trial for the murder of his son. New figures show that just under 1300 crimes were reported to the Police in Yeovil during the final quarter of last year. A night in a prison cell is offered at Shepton Mallet Jail to those who want to be alone this Easter...and more.

    • Wednesday 16th April

      Big changes are being made to where taxi ranks in Yeovil are located. Farmers are being told to keep an extra lookout for people acting suspiciously following the latest livestock theft near the Devon and Somerset border. Channel 4’s Location Location Location is coming to Somerset, with anyone looking to buy a property locally invited to apply to be in the show...and more

    • Tuesday 15th April

      A 36-year-old man remains in police custody after being arrested on suspicion of a sexual assault in Yeovil. Yeovil Labour Club has had its drinks licence revoked. NHS Somerset has been taking its physiotherapy team around the county to cut waiting times for patients. A men-only cooking course has been launched in Sherborne with all ingredients and equipment provided free of charge...and more

    • Monday 14th April

      A new banking hub has opened in Crewkerne. South Western Ambulance is asking people to only dial 999 in a life-threatening emergency over the Easter weekend. £1.8 million is being spent improving walking and cycling routes around a major new housing development at Up Mudford in Yeovil...and more

    • Friday 11th April

      Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident in Yeovil in which a man riding an e-bike was injured and later died in hospital. Somerset Fire and Rescue Service says the number of false alarm calls it receives is on the increase. A new micro-pub opens in Chard next week...and more

    • Thursday 10th April 

      Yeovil MP Adam Dance is calling for more targeted support for schools in Somerset. Police are appealing for witnesses to an accident near Wells in which a cyclist died. Plans have been approved to convert a former care home in Yeovil into a house of multiple occupation...and more

    • Wednesday 9th April

      A man from Yeovil has been jailed for stabbing another man in a pub in the town. Work is underway to help minimize the flood risk at Chard Reservoir. Plans have been submitted to build thirty-six new homes at Sparkford. A new Town Crier is needed in Glastonbury...and more

    • Tuesday 8th April

      Work is underway to demolish the Glovers Walk Shopping Centre in Yeovil. A Yeovil man has appeared in court charged with drink driving for a third time. Somerset Council has paid £35,000 in compensation for failing to deliver the right support to children with special educational needs. Another shop in Yeovil town centre is closing for good today...and more

    Today's Weather

    • Yeovil

      Heavy rain shower

      High: 14°C | Low: 8°C

    • Chard

      Sunny intervals

      High: 14°C | Low: 8°C

    • Crewkerne

      Sunny intervals

      High: 14°C | Low: 8°C

    • Somerton

      Sunny intervals

      High: 15°C | Low: 9°C

    • Wincanton

      Heavy rain shower

      High: 15°C | Low: 8°C

    Recently Played