SOMERSET County Council has approved its annual budget with minimal opposition – including a nearly five per cent rise in council tax.

BORIS Johnson will pledge to donate the majority of surplus coronavirus vaccines to poorer nations as he tries to rally world leaders to work together on efforts to combat the pandemic.

A BRIDGWATER firm which specialises in professional and personal wellbeing says businesses need to improve their wellbeing support for employees or risk losing them.

A MAN in Yeovil was given a community order after he assaulted a police officer.

DOZENS of firefighters battling blaze at Bridgwater & Taunton College campus...

WORKSHOPS at a Bridgwater & Taunton College campus have been 'completely destroyed' by a fire.

FIREFIGHTERS were on their way back to their station when they were diverted to a chimney fire.

SOMERSET has seen 81 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the latest 24-hour figures issued this afternoon (Thursday).

AMBITIOUS plans to unlock £25m of Government funding to 're-energise' Bridgwater have been submitted by Sedgemoor District Council (SDC).

A SHARP eyed person's actions have led to the arrest of suspect in the early hours of this morning (Thursday).

MORE than 4,000 laptops and tablets have been given to disadvantaged children in Somerset.

A MARRIED detective accused of sexually harassing a junior colleague insisted their relationship was consensual but he never fancied her.

A CHARITY in Glastonbury has received £45,000 to run a new 'Creative Community' project.

A SOMERSET man has built the UK’s biggest mobile pub - but can’t take it anywhere due to Covid restrictions.

A SHED in Yeovil was completely destroyed in a fire last night (February 17).

THE number of positive Covid tests in Somerset has remained low in the latest 24-hour period.

A SELF-CONFESSED couch potato has taken up running and is aiming to run the distance from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise funds for charity.

A PUB in North Somerset could soon be catering for a rather younger clientele than before, with the prospect of it becoming a nursery.

A health minister said there is “work in progress”following reports that parents could be asked to test their children at home twice a week.

A surge in global energy commodity prices has raised the cost of sourcing gas from the wholesale market, leading to an increase in the cap.

Gyms have not been able to open at all this year amid new lockdown restrictions introduced in January.

A new, free-to-use tool launched by Wessex Water can help you save money on your water bills, claim free water saving devices for your home and raise money for local charities.

WORKS to build a McDonald's restaurant near Bridgwater will start 'within the coming weeks', McDonald's has confirmed.

ANDREW Wilson died from Covid-19 at just 66-years-old at Musgrove Park Hospital - and the family wanted to thank ICU by donating toiletries and iPads.

SOMERSET has seen nine Covid-19 related deaths in the latest 24-hour period.

THE chairman of Somerset County Council has announced that he has cancer.

FARMERS are being invited to bid in Somerset’s biggest ever auction for works to reduce flooding, boost agriculture and improve the environment.

THERE were just 42 positive Covid-19 tests in the whole of Somerset in the latest 24-hour period.

Sky has confirmed it will be increasing the cost of a number of TV and broadband services from April 1 2021.

The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London on Tuesday even, Buckingham Palace confirmed.

EasyJet has announced a “protection promise” allowing customers to change details of their booking amid new travel rules in the UK.

Tesco say it is working to reverse the double transactions promising to refund all affected customers within a day.

Customers who have purchased packs with the affected use-by dates should not consume the product and dispose of the contents.

A POPULAR Somerset restaurant has closed its doors for good and could be converted into a house if plans are approved.

A POLICE detective is facing 44 allegations of conduct breaches and sexually harassing junior officers including telling one on a night out he wanted to 'f*** her'.

A WOMAN accused of murdering her husband is due to make a second court appearance today (Tuesday).

A GIRL was helped by the Coastguard and paramedics after her foot became impaled on a piece of driftwood.

MORE than £17,000 was donated to the neonatal unit at Musgrove Park Hospital this month - thanks to Charlie's Challenge.

The thin cake, made with batter and fried in a frying pan is perfect for a range of toppings with lemon juice and sugar the most traditional.

The next census will take part on Sunday 21 March 2021, and the ONS is currently hiring at least 30,000 field staff to help with the operation.

A WOMAN in her 60s is due in court today (Monday) charged with the murder of an elderly man over the weekend.

A MAN has died following a crash on the A303 in Somerset yesterday evening (Sunday).

THERE has been 60 positive coronavirus tests in the last 24-hours - and the rate of infection is dropping in all districts.

PUBS should re-open at the same time as non-essential shops come out of lockdown, according to the boss of one of the UK's biggest pub chains.

A COUPLE used lockdown to renovate a rundown 'unwanted' 1970s house - into a stunning dream home.

A SECTION of road in Somerset has been closed for safety reasons after this tree fell onto the carriageway yesterday (Sunday).

A NEW president of Bridgwater Operatic Society has been elected.

AMONG roadworks starting today (Monday) in Somerset are:

AVON and Somerset Police have announced there will be mobile speed cameras at certain times at the following locations across the force area in the week commencing today.

A BIN store at a home near Bridgwater was destroyed in a fire late last night (Sunday).