VOLUNTEERS and staff of the West Somerset Railway are preparing for the arrival of Thomas the Tank Engine tomorrow, Saturday. The famous blue locomotive from the Island of Sodor is making his annual visit to West Somerset this weekend. And although
MONSOON weather conditions during June have failed to dampen the spirits of West Somerset's tourism industry. Tourist information centres in Minehead and Porlock are reporting bouyant visitor numbers, and travellers on the West Somerset Railway were
ACCIDENT and Emergency patients will be seen quicker and in more comfort thanks to a £300,000 refurbishment of the department at Taunton's Musgrove Park Hospital. The unit, which sees around 1,000 patients a week, has been modernised to improve the patient
A FORMER student of Richard Huish College, in Taunton, has won a scholarship at Oxford University. After two terms in her first year Daisy Parsons was identified as one of the highest achieving students in Theology. Daisy said: " It was extremely encouraging
HOARDINGS surrounding a council building site in Williton are to become a showcase for budding local artists. New offices for West Somerset Council are being built on the Killick Way site. Now, a competition to show off the talents of local young artists
SOME shops in West Somerset are still unaware that new anti-smoking legislation applies to them. West Somerset Council officers are visiting business premises to check appropriate signage is in place, and are offering information and guidance to businesses
THE owners of the White Horse Inn, in Bradford-on-Tone, were pleasantly surprised by the arrival of their celebrity guests for lunch last Saturday. Donna and Phil McCann, together with their children were sat eating lunch on Saturday, when celebrities
THERE are likely to be more local postal strikes following last Friday's action. The Communication Workers Union Western branch meets tomorrow to discuss the dispute, with a national announcement expected soon after. Royal Mail bosses have slammed the
A PAIR of Taunton businessmen, from the Party On shop, in Taunton, are planning the biggest fancy-dress party in the world. Benjamin Arnold and Paul Durman, are organising the mammoth street party with the help of their friend Adam Steer. It is hoped
A £20 million redevelopment of Tonedale Mill in Wellington is due to begin later this month. Building contractor Cowlin Construction announced today the new project. The project will see the refurbishment of eight existing Grade II listed buildings
POLICE have appealed for witnesses of a collision in The Avenue, Minehead, in which a man driving a black car drove off without leaving details. The incident, which also involved a blue Volvo, happened at about 1.10pm yesterday, Tuesday. Ring Crimestoppers
A GROUP of Year 10 business studies students from Ladymead Community School, Taunton, travelled to London for a GCSE Enterprise Conference to improve their understanding of enterprise. Among the speakers at the event, attended by 200 pupils from various
A TAUNTON woman is putting up a reward for the return of a sentimental item of jewellery. Julie Tomkins lost a chunky silver Tiffany necklace with a heart on the clasp while she was at Esporta health club, in Taunton, on Tuesday evening. She said: "
OFFENDERS from the Wellington and Wiveliscombe area could soon find themselves meeting their victims as part of a new restorative justice scheme in the area. Somerset County Council is preparing to spend more than £26,000 into the running of the project
Garden Club: At the June meeting there were two talks. The first was from Mr Ken Prior-Sankey who is involved with the Taunton Flower Show. His talk was entitled Behind The Scenes at Taunton Flower Show. He explained that it took almost five days to get
I AM researching a BBC documentary on the experience of children who had fathers who fought in the First World War. Many never saw them again after they marched off to war. Half a million fathers died, the greatest loss suffered by any generation in British
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a suspected arson attack on a home on Taunton's Cheddon Road. The incident was reported on our website last night. The mid-terrace house, in Cheddon Mews, was taped off by police pending investigations by fire
IT'S billed as the Sumo match of the century, and the youngsters of Minehead Middle School can't wait for the big day. Speculation is at fever pitch as to who will come off better when head teacher Paul "Rollerball" Rushforth gets to grips with school
BeechgroveSGwk27 A CHILDREN'S centre, which aims to support local children in the Wellington district, opened at the weekend. Wellington county councillor Andrew Govier, officially opened the centre on Saturday after a welcome speech by centre manager
CHILDREN, parents, staff and governors at Old Cleeve First School have said a big thank you to unsung hero Pat Edwards, clerk to the governors. Pat, formerly school secretary, has been associated with the school for thirty years, and was clerk to the
THE A358 Priorswood Road, in Taunton, was partially blocked this morning, due to a two-car traffic collision. Heavy traffic mounted up due to the accident, and recovery works at Obridge Road, Grange Drive. No one was seriously hurt.
PARENTS in West Somerset are expected to be out in force at a council meeting tonight in an appeal for cash to keep a children's Playbus on the road. Struggling children's play charity Clowns is going cap in hand to West Somerset Council for cash to
A TIRED motorist who pulled over for a roadside nap sparked a police response this morning. A passer-by noticed a man slumped in a car with the engine running between Cotford St Luke and the B3227 at 6.50am. After failing to rouse the man, the police
THE latest crime figures in Wellington have been reported. During the last month, there were eight reports of criminal damage, eight thefts, and four criminal damage incidents to vehicles. There were also 16 assaults - a number of which were domestic
TAUNTON Amateur Boxing Club's Francis Lynn Francis picked up a silver medal in the welterweight division of the Golden Belt National Championship after going down to Jose Campbell of Aston ABC at the finals in Leeds on Saturday. It has been a remarkable
RELATE Somerset held a garden party in the grounds of St Mary Magdalene Church, Taunton, on Friday. Among the several guests were Taunton Deane Mayor and Mayoress Ken and Mary Hayward.
THE Taunton-based Somerset Road Club/Bicycle Chain team of Andy Winterbottom, Tim Reeves and Leigh Pinchen travelled to Neath in Wales last weekend to take part in the prestigious National Team Time Trial Championships. It was held on a wet and windy
