Tuesday 1st October

Tuesday, 1 October 2024 06:00

A fifth person has been charged as part of the Michael Wheeler murder investigation. South Petherton Community Library is helping people to find out if they're eligible for pension credit. After a week-long closure, Network Rail have reopened the Yeovil Pen Mill to Thornford stretch... and more.

A fifth person has been charged as part of the murder investigation into the death of Michael Wheeler. Angus Warner, aged 32 from Crewkerne, was charged with conspiracy to murder and appeared before Yeovil Magistrates’ Court on Friday, where he was remanded in custody to appear before Bristol Crown Court on Friday 25 October. Four other men have been charged with the murder of the 37-year-old from Yeovil, whose body was found last week at a property in Yarlington after he had not been seen for more than a month. All have been remanded ahead of future court appearances.

South Petherton Community Library is helping people to find out if they're eligible for pension credit. The government scrapped winter fuel payments for all pensioners apart from those receiving certain benefits. Mark Freeman is the chair of the library and thinks many may not be aware of what they can access if they are eligible for pension credit.

Waste going to landfill is at a record low, according to figures released by Somerset Council. The numbers for 2023-24 suggest 2,300 tonnes of material was reused - this includes smart tech collected via the ‘Fixy Project’. The council says Somerset’s recycling rate of 56 per cent puts it in the top 20 per cent of waste authorities in England.

The NHS and the UK Health Security Agency are asking people in the West to get their flu vaccinations. It's part of their 'Get Winter Strong' campaign that will also encourage people to get COVID-19 boosters. It comes as uptake in the region amongst the over 65s remains high at over eighty percent. But the number of pregnant women, infants and people with long term health conditions taking up the offer of the vaccine is much lower.

And there’s good news for rail users. After a week-long closure, Network Rail have reopened the Yeovil Pen Mill to Thornford stretch, having installed over 2,000 new sleepers and 3,600 tonnes of ballast stone. The previous track was half a century old and prone to faults whilst the replacement is a so-called ‘continuously welded rail’, meaning fewer inspections and faults.

More from News

Wednesday 5th February

The Liberal Democrat Leader of Somerset Council, Councillor Bill Revans, says they had no choice but to ask the government to allow them to lift the 5 percent cap on raising Council Tax. Two teenagers have been released on bail following the stabbing in Yeovil. More than six thousand pounds has been awarded to local groups by Chard Carnival Committee...and more.
Tuesday 4th February

Somerset has been permitted to increase its Council Tax share by 7.5 percent. An Ilminster man, forced out of his house by last week's floods, says he doesn't know when he will be able to return home. Ilminster Literary Festival has launched its annual children’s writing competition, designed to encourage local children to write creative literature...and more.
Monday 3rd February

Five men have appeared in court charged with the murder of a man in Yeovil. A 16-year-old is the second person to be arrested in connection with a stabbing in Yeovil. Yeovil’s new outdoor entertainment space in Lower Middle Street has been officially opened by the town’s MP... and more.
Friday 31st January

A teenager has been arrested following a stabbing in Yeovil. Water bills in Somerset are set to go up on average by £123 from April. Yeovil MP, Adam Dance will officially open Yeovil’s new outdoor performance space later today...and more
Thursday 30th January

Lloyds bank is closing its branch in Chard. A Sherborne man has been jailed after defrauding a Yeovil woman of £40,000. A volunteer group in Chard is urging people to sign up to a flood victims register. A councillor in Shepton Mallet has become the first Reform UK member on Somerset Council... and more
Wednesday 29th January

New mums in Somerset could soon be offered a cervical screening test six weeks after giving birth. Police are asking for help in finding a Yeovil man wanted on recall to prison. The government has given half a million pounds towards planting more trees in Somerset, including 100 new trees in Yeovil...and more
Tuesday 28th January

Work continues to clean up from the floods in Chard, Ilminster, Somerton, South Petherton, and parts of Yeovil. A man who threatened to kill a support worker at the mental health unit in Yeovil has been sentenced to a community order. A competition that gives new musicians the chance to play at this year's Glastonbury festival has opened for entries...and more
Monday 27th January

A major incident has been declared by Somerset Council to ensure a multi-agency response to the flash flooding that's affected Chard, Crewkerne, Ilminster, South Petherton and parts of Yeovil. Police believe a 4x4 pick-up truck, found submerged in the River Yeo at Yeovilton at the weekend, may have been stolen. An appeal to raise £2 million to restore the Grand Organ at Wells Cathedral has raised over £1 million in less than 18 months...and more