Somerset faces rapid population growth and new housing developments despite UK falling birth rates, raising concerns over NHS, GP and infrastructure strain.

St Gildas Catholic Primary in Yeovil marks World Book Day with a non-fiction theme, inspiring pupils amid UK concerns over children’s reading habits.

NSPCC data shows a rise in UK online child abuse image offences, with Snapchat and Meta platforms implicated. Charity urges tougher tech and government action.

Thousands join Cancer Research UK’s Walk All Over Cancer challenge, raising funds and awareness as NHS expands lung, bowel, and cervical cancer screening.

Discover top events in South Somerset this week: Fiddler on the Roof in Yeovil, Bob Fox live, Red Nose Day fundraiser, Yeovil Town v Morecambe, and more.

Spacious four-bedroom detached home for sale in Yeovil’s Brimsmore Development. Features en suite, south-facing garden, and a garage.

Spacious four-bedroom detached home for sale in Chard. Features modern kitchen, en-suite, garage, garden, and parking. Guide price £399,000.

Immaculate three-bed semi-detached house for sale in Yeovil, Home Drive. Features large garden, garage, off-road parking, near schools and amenities. £375,000.

Chard weather forecast: Sunny spells and mild temperatures expected 18–22 March, highs of 16C, lows of 1C–3C, light winds, medium UV and pollution levels.

Somerset Council is working hard to reopen the A30 Hendford Hill in Yeovil - while the nearby Chinnock Hollow has now been shut for five years

Law Lane was raised after the 2013/14 floods to prevent local homes from being cut off - but its future is not looking entirely secure

Somerset Council and Stonewater have been working hard to solve a legal issue surrounding 24 empty homes on Foldhill Lane in Martock

A Somerset MP has strongly criticised recent comments made by US President Donald Trump, which suggest people with learning disabilities cannot lead.

A developer in Somerset has ‘given a helping hand’ to an Ilminster school by presenting them with a large sum of money.

Tesco has begun installing more Evri-branded lockers in some UK locations under a new trial

Theo Paphitis featured on Dragons Den from the show's inception in 2005 until 2013 when he left to focus on his business empire

The chairman of the National Pharmacy Association said there was currently no stock of meningitis B vaccines for people to pay for privately.

Audience members are encouraged to wear orange Blippi glasses and join in the fun as the cast invites everyone to "be like Blippi."

A review into the death of a two-week old baby Brendon has concluded the incident 'could not have been forseen'.

A group of Year 10 students from Chard ‘proudly’ represented their school and saw the Royal Family at a ceremony in Westminster Abbey.

Love Lane in Ilminster will be closed 24/7 for 11 days from 23 March for National Grid connection works. No alternative route.

Somerset Council will be able to spend more on road repairs over the next four years following a "significant uplift" in funding from central government

Ferne Animal Sanctuary’s Spring Festival returns to Chard on 5 April with Easter egg hunts, animal encounters, family activities and charity fundraising.

Pupils at Herne View Church of England Primary School in Ilminster celebrated World Book Day ‘in style’ as staff and students arrived at school dressed up.

Investing in health with exercise, strength training, and good nutrition can save on future care costs in the UK. Discover tips for long-term wellbeing.

Children from Jigsaw Preschool joined Crewkerne’s The Orchards care home residents for World Book Day, sharing stories and laughter.

The M.E./Long Covid Support Group in Donyatt has received a £500 donation from Ilton charity bingo, funding aids for members living with chronic illness.

Acclaimed pianist Jonathan Delbridge to perform all Mozart piano sonatas in one day for charity at South Somerset Music Centre, Crewkerne, on 7 April.

A seven-bedroom house in Ilminster, with an additional two-bedroom detached cottage, is up for sale under Greenslade Taylor Hunt for £1,395,000

Staff and pupils at Manor Court Community Primary School enjoyed a 'fantastic celebration’ of World Book Day, embracing the national theme of reading for fun.

Staff at Holyrood Academy in Chard took part in the World Book Day festivities this year by all dressing up as their favourite book characters.

Members of Somerset Camera Club have been taking photos of the back of things for this week's theme

Ilminster-based Louis Skupien interviews Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke, the tenth man on the moon, discussing lunar missions, NASA, and moon landing history.

Join Chard Town Council’s pie-throwing event for Red Nose Day at Chard Guildhall, 20 March, 3–7pm. Raise money for Comic Relief with fun and food.

Designability launches UK-wide survey for disabled people to shape Unfair Index, highlighting everyday barriers and driving inclusive design and policy change.

Somerset residents may not pay the increase in council tax this month

After an Ilminster blackout left more than 1700 properties in darkness, Coop and Tesco confirmed food had to be 'withdrawn'.

Work to connect the Wool Gardens development in Crewkerne to the A356 Station Road will finally get under way in early-April

Almost 100 people were arrested across the South West last week after police forces joined together to target illegal drugs and child criminal exploitation.

As part of National Empty Homes Week, Somerset Council is pointing home-owners towards support to bring empty homes back into use

The 2025 £1 coin was snapped up for £90.08 on eBay after 16 bids

Penalties for breaking these new regulations have been reported to range anywhere from £180 to a whopping £30,000

Warning signs include faster-than-normal battery drain, devices heating up during charging, sudden percentage drops, and unexpected shutdowns

UK jobs face AI disruption as automation threatens roles in law, accounting, and journalism. Adaptability key as careers evolve in the age of AI.

Somerset Council moves from financial emergency to recovery, approving 2026/27 budget, cutting funding gap, and raising council tax below regional averages.

Two artists have collaborated to hold a special exhibition in Ilminster Arts Centre this month.

Somerset Council has rejected demands to stop approving new housing developments until additional flood prevention measures are put in place

A Chard man has won a community champion award in recognition of all his volunteering efforts in the South Somerset community.

A MAN who downloaded hundreds of thousands of pornographic images of children over more than 20 years at his home in Queen Camel is to be sentenced at Taunton Crown Court.

A Yeovil man who had only been a legal driver for 10 months has now been given a 12-month disqualification after being caught drug driving.