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.

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Tuesday 10th March

Police say a fire at the former Oscar Mayer food factory in Chard was started deliberately. Yeovil College says it would have been adversley impacted had Leonardo not won the contract to build new medium lift helicopters. A seven-foot dragon will be visiting towns and villages in our area during the next few weeks to promote Somerset Day... and more
Monday 9th March

Two Wildcat helicopters from 815 Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton have arrived in Cyprus to help protect RAF Akrotiri from further Iranian drone strikes. New figures show that 40 people were killed on Avon and Somerset’s roads in the last 12-months. A Somerset man has been recalling the day 60-years ago when he was a passenger on the last train on the Somerset and Dorset Railway... and more
Friday 6th March

Defence Minister Luke Pollard has been explaining why it took the government so long to confirm a contract for the Leonardo in Yeovil to build new medium lift helicopters for the RAF. Police are investigating a break in at a pet shop in Ilminster. Somerset Council is to stop using red ink on council tax reminder letters... and more
Thursday 5th March

Two military helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton are being sent to Cyprus to help bolster UK’s defences amid the US-Israel war with Iran. Yeovil Town Council is seeking legal advice over the closure of the hyper acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. Flood warnings have been lifted on the Somerset Levels... and more
Wednesday 4th March

A man has died in a fire in Wincanton. Somerset Council is planning further cuts of twenty-one million pounds to help balance its books. A campaign to raise £30,000 for a minibus has been launched in Chard... and more
Tuesday 3rd March

A woman from Ilminster has been jointly charged with another woman after a man’s body was found inside a car in Cornwall. Somerset businesses, involved in the supply chain for Leonardo, have welcomed the news that the Leonardo factory in Yeovil is to build new medium lift helicopters for the RAF. Plans have been submitted to build thirty-two homes in Milborne Port... and more
Monday 2nd March

The Leonardo factory in Yeovil has won a multi-million pound contract to build new medium lift helicopters for the RAF. A doctor, who previously worked at Yeovil Hospital, has appeared in court charged with illegally accessing NHS computers. A new Construction Innovation Centre has opened at Yeovil College... and more
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