Local News Wednesday 8th February

Wednesday, 8 February 2023 06:00

Dog owners are putting sheep at risk of fatal injuries by letting their pets run free in the countryside, Work to upgrade Yeovil Crematorium has fallen victim to council cutbacks. A war memorial in Crewkerne has been returned to the ownership of the Town Council. Leonardo Helicopters say their Yeovil airfield will be operational this evening.

Dog owners are putting sheep at risk of fatal injuries by letting their pets run free in the countryside, according to new research. The survey by NFU Mutual shows the South West has the second worst record in England for dog attacks on farm animals. Two out of three owners quizzed in the survey admitted that their dogs chase animals when off the lead.

Work to upgrade Yeovil Crematorium has fallen victim to council cutbacks. South Somerset District Council had earmarked five million pounds to extend the building but Somerset’s new unitary council, who take on the running of Yeovil Crematorium in April, say the improvements are unaffordable at the present time.

A war memorial in Crewkerne has been returned to the ownership of the Town Council. The memorial, known locally as Tommy, had been in the ownership of South Somerset District Council but with the district council disappearing in March Crewkerne Town Council successfully negotiated to have it and adjacent gardens transferred to them. The Town Council, with the help of local volunteers, will now be responsible for the memorial and gardens.

Leonardo Helicopters say their Yeovil airfield will be operational this evening. People living around the airfield are being advised of noise nuisance, with aircraft taking off and landing until late into the night.

A Somerset boy is to have his artwork displayed on the big screen. An image designed by Toby, who’s nine, will be shown during the opening titles of the new Puss in Boots movie after he won a competition run by the British Board of Film Classification.

A public footpath in Crewkerne is to stay shut for a further 12-months. The path, situated off Station Road in Crewkerne, closed 2-years ago for drainage work to take place. Somerset County Council say due to the work being on going, the footpath will stay shut until April next year.

More from News

Friday 27th February

The CEO of Leonardo has suggested the UK government could make an announcement immindently about ordering new medium lift helicopters to be built in Yeovil. A family run hardware business in Yeovil has gone into administration. The Lord Lieutenant of Somerset has been named the new patron of Somerset Chamber of Commerce... and more
Thursday 26th February

Workers at Leonardo in Yeovil have been to Downing Street to hand-in a petition calling on the government to back British jobs. The decision to grant planning permission to upgrade Yeovil's Octagon Theatre has been enthusiastically welcomed by staff who work there. The search is on to find a defibrillator that has gone missing in Chard... and more
Wednesday 25th February

Plans have been passed to carry out a £15 million upgrade of Yeovil’s Octagon Theatre. A new medical unit providing NHS and private treatments has opened in Shepton Mallet. Manor Court Community Primary School in Chard is celebrating after receiving a Gold Artsmark for excellence in arts and cultural education...and more
Tuesday 24th February

First Bus has announced changes to bus timetables on routes across Somerset. A Somerset drone company is celebrating getting through the audition round of ITV’s Britain's Got Talent. A public footpath in South Somerset is set to remain closed for up to two years... and more
Monday 23rd February

Yeovil MP Adam Dance is warning of a scaling back of jobs at the Leonardo helicopter factory in Yeovil. Work is underway on the multi-million-pound refurbishment of Yeovil police station. The A361 across the Somerset Levels has reopened... and more
Friday 20th February

10,000 incidents of potholes on Somerset’s roads have been reported to Somerset Council in the past four weeks. The Met Office is warning of more unsettled weather into March for Somerset. The Crowshute link in Chard will close for eight nights next month for road repairs... and more
Thursday 19th February

Yeovil fire station is to undergo a major refurbishment. A Yeovil based charity is appealing for adults to become mentors to young people. A Somerset woman has completed a 10,000 kilometre solo bike ride across Africa... and more
Wednesday 18th February

New figures have shown a rise in cases of suicide involving farmers, including in Somerset. Plans to merge the parishes of Castle Cary and Ansford have been scrapped. A Somerset-based charity working to end homelessness is marking its 50th anniversary... and more