Tuesday 8th October

Tuesday, 8 October 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

A mother has pleaded not guilty to murdering her two-week-old baby son at Yeovil Hospital. A Yeovil man with two previous drink driving offences has escaped being sent to prison after refusing to take a breath test. Somerset gymnast Laura Gallagher has announced her retirement after 20 years in the sport...and more.

A mother has pleaded not guilty to murdering her two-week-old baby son at Yeovil Hospital. Brendon Staddon was born prematurely at thirty-three weeks in February and died in March. His mother, Sophie Staddon, aged 20, was appearing at Bristol Crown Court where she pleaded not guilty to murder and to causing or allowing the death of a child. This story is courtesy of BBC.

A Yeovil man with two previous drink driving offences has escaped being sent to prison after refusing to take a breath test. Appearing at Yeovil Magistrates Court, Jordan Maggs of St Michael’s Avenue pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen of breath when stopped by Police while driving in Crewkerne. Maggs was sentenced to a 12-month community order with an Alcohol Abstinence programme and banned from driving for 18 months with a £200 fine. This story is courtesy of Chard and Ilminster News.

An organisation representing water users in Somerset says a new way of charging households isn't likely to make a difference to what people pay for water. Bristol Water will lower prices in the winter but increase them in the summer to persuade people to use less water. Head of Engagement at the Consumer Council for Water, Cath Jones, says it’s doubtful the new charging scheme will have much impact.

The Somerset gymnast Laura Gallagher has announced her retirement after 20 years in the sport. Laura, who represented Team GB on the trampoline at the Olympics in Tokyo in 2021 and is a World and European Medalist, says she wants to spend more time with her family.

St Margaret's Hospice is asking people to put on an item of yellow clothing this week to help raise awareness of the work of the hospice. The Wear It Yellow campaign is part of Hospice Care Week with money raised supporting the charity's hospices in Taunton and Yeovil.

A new volunteer-run community café has opened in Chard. The CommuniTEA Waffle in Holyrood Street is described as a free space for people of all ages to meet, offering a family room and community bookshelf.

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.