Thursday 14th November

Wednesday, 13 November 2024 15:52

By Steve Haigh

Farmers in Somerset are being asked not to leave roads covered in mud following an accident near Ilminster A liver screening project developed in Somerset could be rolled out across the UK. Senior managers at Somerset Council have been awarded a 2.5 per cent pay rise...and more

Farmers in Somerset are being asked not to leave roads covered in mud. It follows an accident in Sea near Ilminster in which a motorcyclist suffered serious injuries after skidding on a mudded road and being thrown from his machine. Last month, the A3088 Cartgate link road near Yeovil had to be closed to clear mud from the road. Somerset Council is reminding farmers that it is an offence to leave a road covered in mud, with paying to clean the road should it be their fault.

A liver screening project developed in Somerset could be rolled out across the UK. The 1.4 million pound project analysed blood tests of thousands of adults for signs of liver disease and identified 700 people with potential problems. Doctor Tim Jobson, a Somerset NHS Foundation Tru liver specialist, says their work represents a major breakthrough in treating liver disease.

Somerset Council senior managers have been awarded a 2.5 percent pay rise. The increase is in line with nationally agreed pay scales for council staff, but it comes at a time when hundreds of staff are set to lose their jobs through compulsory redundancy.

The ancient Somerset tradition of charm-making has been revived. Mark Heyward, collects stones, bones, feathers, flowers and leaves, and puts them in small glass bottles. The mixture - worn as a pendant - is said to bring the wearer good fortune or good health. What started as a hobby during lockdown has become a business with Mark selling his pendants all over the world.

A project in Merriot, aimed at building people’s confidence, self-esteem and well-being, has been given a King’s Award for Voluntary Service. The ARK project at Egwood provides people with a safe outdoor space to connect with themselves and others
through nature, rural arts and using animals.

A Yeovil gym has raised £2,300 for a mental health charity. Progress Gym founder Rob Harris presented a cheque for £2,313 to Mind in Somerset having raised the money by completing a 130-kilometer walk around Yeovil.

More from News

Friday 21st August

Adam Dance MP has added his voice to those criticising this week’s Channel 4 documentary on ADHD. Visitors can now explore more of Ham Hill with a new off-road mobility scooter hiring scheme. Young people are being encouraged to join the Ilminster Carnival children’s procession... and more.
Thursday 20th August

Castle Cary railway station’s makeover has been officially unveiled. A new 18 million pound diagnostic centre in Bridgwater has opened. A Crewkerne teenager has been named ‘coach of the year’ for his work with Bristol City.... and more.
Wednesday 19th August

The fire service in Somerset has issued a plea for the public to take every precaution to prevent wildfires. Plans have been approved for Numatic International to install one-thousand solar panels on roof of their Chard factory. Somerset fast bowler, Jake Ball, has signed a new one-year contract that will keep him at the club for the 2027 season... and more
Tuesday 18th August

People across Somerset are banned from today from using hosepipes to water gardens, clean windows or cars, or fill swimming and paddling pools. More cases of the potentially deadly livestock disease Bluetongue have been confirmed in Somerset. Work is underway to improve disabled access at Holyrood Academy in Chard... and more
Monday 17th August

Wessex Water, who supplies almost all homes and businesses in Somerset, has introduced a hosepipe ban effective from midnight tonight. A sinkhole on Station Road in Castle Cary has been repaired, two years after it was first discovered. A Wildcat helicopter from RNAS Yeovilton has taken part in the annual passing-out parade at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth... and more
Friday 14th August

Police are investigating an incident in which obscene words were scratched onto the World War One memorial at Ham Hill. Yeovil MP Adam Dance has repeated his call for the upgrade of the town’s police station to include a custody suite. A Somerset carnival club is building a specially adapted float to allow a wheelchair user and her assistance dog to take part in this year’s carnival circuit...and more
Thursday 13th August

An Ilminster family is celebrating after winning one million pounds on the National Lottery. Police have released a picture of a man they want to speak to in connection with suspected frauds in Somerset. Somerset Council has opened a tendering process to find a main contractor for the £15 million upgrade of Yeovil’s Octagon theatre... and more
Wednesday 12th August

Experts say with good visibility forecast for this evening, people across Somerset should have some of the best views of the solar eclipse anywhere in the UK. A Somerset councillor is calling for the Stop Line cycle route between Chard and Ilminster to be better supported. It's 40-years ago this week since a Lynx helicopter built in Yeovil set a new World Helicopter Speed Record... and more