A NUMBER of staff responsible for kerbside waste and recycling collections in Somerset have been suspended for "possible breaches of safe working practices".

POLICE are appealing for help to track down a man who failed to attend a court appearance.

VISITORS to a popular beauty spot will soon have the opportunity to support the area with a new virtual honesty box.

A MAN from London was fined £120 for drug driving in Weston-super-Mare.

THERE are plans for 50 homes in a village near Ilminster.

A YOUNG motorcyclist has died following a collision on a road in Somerset.

PARENTS and headteachers have been reacting to the decision which will restructure the schools system in Ilminster and Crewkerne.

Last year saw the show enjoy its highest average ratings for three years.

273 employees will be affected by the changes with the tour operator offering new roles in other locations.

RESIDENTS in Walrond Court in Ilminster were outraged last week after their doormats were taken away.

THE number of positive Covid-19 tests has fallen again over the latest 24-hour period.

TWO men from Somerset flouted the Covid-19 restrictions by making a 200-mile trip to attend a friend's birthday party.

TWO primary schools in South Somerset welcomed back all their students last week.

A MOTORIST caught behind the wheel three times while disqualified and suspected of drink or drug driving has been jailed for 26 weeks.

A MAN from South Petherton has been ordered to pay compensation and to comply with a curfew, after damaging a car.

FIREFIGHTERS were called to tackle a car fire in Yeovil last night (March 22)

More regular testing is regarded as a key to avoiding further national lockdowns.

SCIENTISTS believe they have explained the cause of a 'sonic boom' heard across Somerset over the weekend.

SOMERSET recorded a total of 40 positive Covid-19 tests in the latest 24-hour figures.

POLICE are appealing for information on the whereabouts of missing man Ian.

NEARLY all Somerset residents aged 55 and over have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

THE Covid-19 pandemic continued its downward trend in Somerset over the weekend.

AVON and Somerset Police have announced there will be mobile speed camera checks in the following locations during the week commencing today (Monday, March 22).

WORK on a long-awaited Somerset housing development will begin in a matter of months after detailed plans for the first homes were approved.

A MAN appeared at Taunton Magistrates' Court on March 15 for drink driving.

THE site of the Glastonbury Festival could soon be open to campers - even when the event is NOT running - and also plans to hold up to two days of music THIS YEAR.

Here are some of the UK's biggest milestones in the year since we first went into lockdown.

The duchess said that she and Harry had a secret ceremony with the Archbishop of Canterbury in their “backyard” three days before their royal wedding.

A PRIMARY school in Chard took part in an art project called 'Tree of Hope' during the most recent coronavirus lockdown.

CREWS battled a garage fire for four hours last night (March 20).

SPECULATION is rife over what caused a mystery 'sonic boom' that shook Somerset yesterday (Saturday).

A MAN appeared in Taunton Magistrates' Court on March 15 and was found guilty of harassment.

A PAINTING sold at auction in Taunton 20 years ago is returning to the same saleroom to go under the hammer once again.

More than 3.7m people in England can stop shielding on 1 April - new rules at a glance

WORKING together, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), Somerset Chamber of Commerce and the wider chamber network secured several important achievements for businesses in the 2021 Budget.

BELOW are our pick of pictures from the Somerset Camera Club for the week of March 15, 2021.

A MAN has been arrested after officers stopped a car driving at 122mph on the M5 - after GETTING A HAIRCUT IN WALES, police said.

A WRISTWATCH bought new by a sailor whilst serving on a ship at Singapore is expected to sell for more than £10,000 at auction.

CHARD'S new swimming pool may not open until March 2022 after “bad weather” and a positive coronavirus case delayed construction.

A WOMAN from Frome has been fined £83 for speeding in Bath last January.

A SOMERSET council is to pay a private contractor up to £450,000 to build a new Costa Coffee outlet as part of its commercial investment programme.

PEOPLE in Chard and Crewkerne will be able to hop on an electric scooter from Thursday (March 25).

IF everything goes to plan, it's just possible that things will be back to near normality in three months' time.

THE Covid-19 infection rate in Somerset has seen slight fluctuations in the latest figures.

THE Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Award winners have been announced for 2020/21, in a virtual ceremony on Thursday night.

WORK is progressing on ambitious plans to regenerate Chard town centre.

MORE than 2,000 disadvantaged children across Somerset will be offered the chance to enjoy food, exercise and friends over the Easter school holiday.

With an extensive network of distributors across the South West, Gallagher are leaders in temporary and electric fencing systems for all applications and types of livestock with an outstanding track record of innovation.

A COMPANY offering a sustainable driveway solution has arrived in South Somerset.

THE latest Covid related death has been recorded in Somerset, despite the number of positive tests remaining low.