Local News Monday 7th March

Monday, 7 March 2022 06:00

There’s renewed concern over the safety of pregnant ewes and newborn sheep in Somerset. The Liberal Democrats have taken a seat from the Conservatives after a by-election in South Somerset. A Yeovil care home has been put up for sale and could be redeveloped by a new owner. A Somerset man who gave up one of his kidneys to help a friend says it was an easy decision to make. A local man has been fined £400 after being caught driving at twice the speed limit on Tunnel Road at Beaminster...and more.

There’s renewed concern over the safety of pregnant ewes and newborn sheep in Somerset. Insurers, NFU Mutual, say farm animals with a value of £228,000 were either killed or injured by dogs in the South West last year. Rebecca Davidson from NFU Mutual says too many owners still let their dogs roam free in the countryside when they should be keeping them on a lead.

The Liberal Democrats have taken a seat from the Conservatives after a by-election in South Somerset. Ray Buckler was elected after receiving 390 votes, the Conservatives got 315. It's the first time the Lib Dems have held the Neroche seat on South Somerset District Council. Councillor Buckler will serve as a member of SSDC up to May 2023 after which the Council will cease to exist and be replaced by Somerset’s new unitary council.

A Yeovil care home has been put up for sale and could be redeveloped by a new owner. Cool Runnings Too, on Preston Road, is advertised with a guide price of £450,000.

A Somerset man who gave up one of his kidneys to help a friend says it was an easy decision to make. Jason Wide shared a house with his friend Philip Church and saw how ill he became due to kidney failure. When Jason discovered he was a match, he says it was obvious he had to help.

A local man has been fined £400 after being caught driving at twice the speed limit on Tunnel Road at Beaminster. Benjamin Docherty of Compton Pauncefoot, near Wincanton, was clocked travelling at 61 mph in a 30-mph zone. Apart from the fine, he was also given six penalty points by local magistrates.

The British Red Cross in Somerset is appealing for more volunteers to come forward. They’re looking for drivers to take cancer patients to and from appointments.

Baby eels that have travelled thousands of miles have started to arrive in Somerset. The Glass Eels started life near the Caribbean, and are now being given extra protection on rivers in Somerset by the Environment Agency.

More from News

Friday 7th March

The Leader of Somerset Council has repeated his call for a reform of the way that councils are funded. Crimestoppers is stepping up efforts to help tackle violent crime in Somerset. A new radar satellite is playing a crucial role in collecting data about flooding in Somerset...and more
Thursday 6th March

Somerset Council has approved a seven-and-a-half percent increase in council tax. People are being asked to return boxes of paracetamol bought from Boots Chemists in Somerset. It’s been revealed that five members of staff at Somerset Council are being allowed to work from home outside the UK...and more
Wednesday 5th March

Somerset Council has been told that hundreds of millions of pounds in loans taken out by former district councils, including South Somerset, have to be paid back. A Somerset charity says it needs more volunteers to help with research into new treatments for dementia. A local shop owner has welcomed Somerset Council’s decision to scrap plans to charge for parking after 6 pm...and more.
Tuesday 4th March

The population of Somerset has reached record levels with nearly one in ten born outside the UK. Stanchester School in Stoke-sub-Hamdon has been rated as ‘requiring improvement’. Experts have been called in to appraise a 15th-century piece of artwork in Sherborne...and more.
Monday 3rd March

A woman from Crewkerne has been fined £280 for assaulting two emergency workers. Plans have been announced to open new NHS dental surgeries in Chard and Crewkerne. A Yeovil man has been thanked for raising £10,000 for the cardiac charity Heartbeat...and more
Friday 28th February

A local man has been charged after allegedly driving a tractor while under the influence of alcohol. One hundred bikes, collected with household waste in Somerset, have been donated to charity. The junction of the A37 Ilchester Road and Stiby Road in Yeovil will again shut this evening for resurfacing...and more.
Thursday 27th February

Fourteen hundred people have added their names to a petition against Somerset Council's plans to scrap free car parks. St Margaret’s Hospice has won a share of £25 million of government funding. A man from Charlton Adam is preparing to visit Ukraine as an Aid Worker for a tenth time...and more
Wednesday 26th February

A local man has been charged with possessing an air weapon following an incident in Yeovil town centre. The Labour government has removed funding to the Amulet Theatre in Shepton Mallet that the previous Conservative government had allocated. Entries are now open for this year’s Minster Miles 10K fun run with organisers aiming to exceed last year’s number of runners...and more.