THE A303 at Podimore is blocked eastbound after an 'incident' earlier this morning. All lanes are closed.

FIREFIGHTERS rescued an adult and two babies from a house fire in the early hours of this morning (Monday, December 5).

POLICE are out in force across Somerset this week checking on motorists' speeds.

AN investigation is being carried out today (Monday, December 5) into a sink hole in a Taunton street.

A number of schoolchildren have died this week amid a deadly Strep A outbreak.

A separate case has been reported in Wales, taking the known UK total to six.

A PLANNING application that includes the erection of nine dwellings and the demolition of commercial buildings was among those received by South Somerset District Council in the last week.

AS Christmas draws closer, many motorists are getting into the festive spirit.

House prices in South Somerset have gone up by an average of over £3,000 in the month of September, according to figures from the Land Registry.

AN Avon and Somerset Police detective admitted 'sexual communication with a child under the age of 16', a disciplinary hearing will be told.

THIS is the business impact statement submitted by Max Punni whose pharmacy business lost £1.3million through the fraud carried out by Darren McKenzie

Somerset County Council has revealed plans to subsidise evening services connecting Taunton with the towns of Minehead, Bridgwater, Wellington and Chard after 8pm and running to at least 10.30pm.

A ‘STUNNING’ four-bedroom chalet house near Chard is on the market.

CHARD music lovers will get the chance to enjoy an afternoon of live music at a pub in the town with a professional musician who has played for King Charles III.

A MAN who stole more than £1.3million from his friend and employer and spent it on luxury holidays, designer goods and home renovations has been jailed for five years and eight months.

VILLAGERS have been thanked for their patience and co-operation as firefighters have tackled a thatched house fire in Ilton, near Ilminster.

Sir Elton John is to headline Glastonbury 2023 to mark his last-ever UK tour date.

Group A streptococcus (or Strep A) is known to cause scarlet fever, throat infections and, in very rare cases, invasive disease.

POLICE and firefighters remain at the scene of a fire at a thatched property in Ilminster, where there have been no reported injuries.

A YELLOW weather warning has been issued by the Met Office, with dense fog set to bring “difficult travel conditions” this evening and tomorrow morning.

A BODY has been found in a property that was severely damaged by fire on Sunday, police have confirmed.

A VAN driver accused of colliding with the rear of a car on the A303 Ilminster Bypass leaving the driver with life-changing injuries has been ordered to stand trial at Taunton Crown Court.

ARRESTED for a crime he did not commit, an Ilminster man lashed out at the police injuring one of the officers and threatened to “put a bullet” through his head.

A new free digital Carbon Planner tool from NatWest helps all businesses reduce their carbon emissions

Millions will see extra cash in their bank account this Christmas.

Check when you can expect post this week as thousands of Royal Mail staff strike.

CHARD town centre could be affected by an electrical issue and repair work will be carried out to protect the supply and avoid disruption around Christmas.

The future of four Somerset carnivals is hanging in the balance once more as the local authority prepares to debate plans for a new storage facility for a second time.

ALDI is trialling clear caps on milk bottles in its Somerset stores to improve its products' recyclability.

SOMERSET residents have been asked to consider using recycling centres and only cooking what they need so festive bin collections go off smoothly.

ILMINSTER residents are still invited to join a public consultation and have their say about the community and its future.

NEW data and statistics part of the UK Census 2021 have been released today (Tuesday, November 29).

ALL the children at St Mary and St Peter’s Church School in Ilton have received a timely surprise present.

FANCY having a say in how much our councillors are paid?

A FAMILY-FOCUSED warm bank has been set up to provide support this winter to those affected by the cost-of-living crisis.

A ROW has broken out in Somerset over the role the county council should play in how schoolchildren are taught about religion, writes Daniel Mumby.

TRUSTED local news media titles such as the Chard and Ilminster News sit right at the heart of local life.

BISHOP Michael, the recently installed 80th Bishop of Bath and Wells, is to become a patron of Somerset Day.

ONE person remains unaccounted for after a fire at a property at Windwhistle, Cricket St Thomas, on the morning of Sunday, November 27.

CHARD celebrated the start of the festive season with its Christmas lights switch-on event last weekend.

GREEN Ilminster joined forces with the town council to restore and enrich an existing green area.

REGENERATION works to a hedge line in Ilminster are due to take place in the coming weeks.

POLICE have published details of locations where they will be managing mobile speed cameras across Somerset this week starting today (Monday, November 28).

A PRIMARY school in Ilminster stepped back in time as pupils and staff shared a Victorian Day.

WITH winter upon us, Somerset residents are being reminded to protect their health and the health of people around them by getting their flu and Covid-19 vaccinations.

FIREFIGHTERS are at the scene of a property fire in Winsham, where they are tackling the blaze externally due to the “unsafe stability of the property”.

PEOPLE in Devon and Somerset can now see the latest statistics and details of fire and rescue incidents in their area thanks to a new website feature being tested by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, writes Molly Clapham.

AN 89-year-old caravan affectionately known as Lady Eccles is looking for a new owner in the next three-day Charterhouse auction.

SET in a tranquil riverside setting on the edge of the village, this characterful cottage has gardens extending to 0.94 acres.

A PRIMARY school in Ilminster has won the Green Flag Eco Award for its commitment to environmental topics.