20 YEARS AGO

NOVEMBER 8, 1995

PEOPLE living in villages north of Ilminster were fuming about an illegal rave party at Ilton.

It attracted hundreds of revellers on the Friday night and Saturday morning and sleepless villagers living up to four miles away complained the following morning of excessive noise from a purpose-built speaker bus and a marquee at Brook Green.

 

AN ILMINSTER garage manager and a Barrington man were honoured for their courage.

Christopher Bull, 25, and Graham Colyer, 50, received Waley Cohen bravery awards from the Chief Constable, David Shattock, and the High Sheriff of Somerset, Roy Hewitt, at a ceremony held by the police in Taunton.

Mr Bull, manager at the Ditton Street garage, received his award for helping the police to apprehend three shoplifters, despite being attacked by the men.

 

10 YEARS AGO

NOVEMBER 9, 2005

CAMPAIGNERS in Horton were furious that part of their village’s heritage was in danger of disappearing forever.

A 250-year-old oak tree which had dominated the village’s skyline for two and a half centuries was under threat of being chopped down as its roots were damaging newly-built nearby houses.

 

RECORDS were broken in the 2005 Ilminster Lions 10k charity race with 211 entrants turning out in the wind and rain for the challenge.

Andrew Marriott of Yeovil set a new course record of 31 mins and 59 seconds, meanwhile Ann Taswell of Chard won the Ladies Race in 42 mins and eight seconds.

 

THE HONESTY of a passer-by saved a Chard bank embarrassment, as its cash machine was spitting out notes into the street.

Terry Harris, of Combe St Nicholas, was walking past the Fore Street bank when he heard beeping and turned around to find the machine giving out £10 notes. He very unselfishly collected the money up and took it into the bank.

 

5 YEARS AGO

NOVEMBER 8, 2010

A CHARD man accused waste officials of turning him away from the town’s recycling centre because he was “recycling too much”.

Rommell Alexander, 67, said that he was turned away from the household waste recycling centre in Beeching Close after making a third trip to the site on the same day.

 

SQUARE 1 Brasserie in Ilminster was developing a reputation as a hang-out for famous people.

It was only a couple of weeks before that Prime Minister David Cameron and his family popped in for breakfast while on their way for a holiday in Cornwall.

TV chef Gordon Ramsey had also visited, for lunch on this Saturday - and the News were told that he was perfectly polite and there wasn’t a swear word to be heard.