A WELLINGTON teenager is jumping for joy after clinching first place in a national show jumping competition. Laura Scott, 16, of Bovet Street, won her class - 3ft followed by a 3ft 3in jump-off - in the UK Chasers National Finals at Warwick College over
IS the nest looking a bit empty these days? Mums and dads who have been used to staying at home looking after the children might find themselves with time on their hands as their offspring head off to school, college or university. What better time to
RESIDENTS in Lillebonne Close, Wellington, are outraged that mini goalposts promised to go in the nearby park have become full size. After being consulted by Taunton Deane Council on equipment for the teen area off Lillebonne Close, Wellington Town Council
A TEAM of Arctic explorers have made their way back home to Somerset. Led by West Buckland-based veteran Dom Mee, the joint Royal Navy and Royal Marines expedition returned to the UK on Saturday. Exercise Arctic Quest 1832 followed in the footsteps of
PETER Bowler and Jamie Cox, two of Somerset's most prolific batsmen in recent years and both former club captains, will both play the final innings of their distinguished County Ground careers in the championships match against Yorkshire which gets underway
CHARD'S regeneration chief says work is going on behind the scenes to push forward ambitious plans for the future of the town. In recent weeks, the Action for Chard Town group has come under fire for seemingly slow progress on delivering improvements
MINEHEAD'S joint managers Charlie Lewis and Marc Antonelli admitted they considered quitting after their 3-1 home defeat against Radstock Town in the first division of the Screwfix League last Saturday. More more on this story see the West Somerset edition
HOOKER Dick Tucker is back for Minehead Barbarians who have another home game in Somerset tomorrow - against Burnham (3.00pm). Youngsters Sam Lewis and Scott Huish are also included on the bench. For more local sporting action see the West Somerset edition
MINEHEAD will be looking to end their miserable start to the season when they play away to Westbury United in the Screwfix League's first division tonight (Friday). The game has been brought forward because of the wedding at Dunster of join manager Marc
HAYES Cottage at Stoke Road in North Curry is a splendid Grade II Listed thatched cottage with many period features. Situated in a prime location within this sought after and thriving village, the property lies within a short walk of the centre which
A notorious eyesore in Redruth is being demolished to make way for a new multi-million pound development at a site, which has been described as the gateway to the town. Avers Garage, just off the main A30, has stood empty for many years and was destroyed
FLY TIPPERS are already causing a problem following new rules governing the disposal of waste imposed by West Somerset District Council. From Monday, binmen have not been collecting 'side waste' left out beside black sacks. Instead residents are being
PLANS to provide a taxi rank at Minehead railway station are being thwarted by laws enacted more than 150 years ago. Under the Town Police Clauses Act of 1847, Hackney Carriages are only permitted to park on ranks in the town. But consultations are going
THE family of a missing man, who suffers from depression, think he could be in Minehead, police said on Thursday, September 9. Christopher Holmes, 23, has been missing since Friday, September 3, when he left the Tiller Pin public house, Leamington Spa
THE hunting fraternity has united in condemnation of the Government's decision to press ahead to ban hunting, claiming Exmoor will never be the same again. And West Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger said 'many hundreds' of jobs could be lost if the ban
HUDDLING in a small closet as a 140mph hurricane rips through a town is far from the perfect holiday - but a Wembdon family experienced just that on their trip to Florida. Alison and Nick Raine and their young sons had enjoyed two weeks visiting Disney
PEOPLE in Yeovil are being given the chance to cut speeding on their roads. Beat managers PC Jonathan Watson and PC Alan Ball are hoping people will take the opportunity to set up a Community Speedwatch scheme. The scheme can be set up in any area where
A MISSING woman from Slough Green was found dead beside the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, an inquest heard on Thursday, December 9. West Somerset Coroner Michael Rose ruled that Joy Smith, 44, died of a haemorrhage, due to lacerations to her wrists. The
BUSINESSES which rely on water in Taunton Deane fear they could be washed away by inflation-busting price increases. Wessex Water has announced the biggest hike in the cost of water in the UK -- 20 per cent over the next five years -- and the move has
A MISSING woman from Slough Green was found dead beside the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, an inquest heard yesterday (Thursday). West Somerset Coroner Michael Rose ruled that Joy Smith, 44, died of a haemorrhage, due to lacerations to her wrists. The
A MAN was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after a crash on the A358 between Ilminster and Taunton on Tuesday afternoon (September 7). Diversions were put in place from 3.10-8.20pm as the emergency services freed two adults and three children
WORK on a bridge over Silk Mills level crossing west of Taunton will start in just over one month's time -- and an artist's impression of how it will look has been unveiled. The bridge -- part of a £14.5million raft of traffic measures, including a nearby
A MISSING piece of an oxygen mask did not significantly contribute to the death of a Taunton woman who was living on borrowed time, an inquest heard on Thursday, September 9. Jeanette Brock, 71, of Cambridge Terrace, died in Taunton Community Hospital
KORFBALL makes its debut in Taunton later this month with a three-hour tournament at the new Wellsprings Sports Centre (Saturday, September 25) and entry is free. It's a cross between basketball and betball and is regarded as the world's only truly mixed
A TEAM of runners from a Taunton fitness centre are gearing up to run the Taunton 10k run in September raising money for the County Gazette's 'Cash for Cancer Relief' campaign. Members of The Academy Personal Fitness Centre at Somerset County Cricket
A CLARION call has gone out to Minehead residents to raise a cup of coffee for cancer sufferers and their families. Rosemary Lawson, who lost her husband to cancer, will be joining in the Macmillan World's Biggest Coffee Morning on September 24. Now she
ONE of Wellington's biggest employers Swallowfield this week announced a stunning increase in profits. The good news comes as a welcome boost to Wellington - still reeling from the loss of 30 jobs following the collapse of Richardsons only last week.
POLICE in Wellington have called on the public to contact them if they spot trouble in the town, rather than suffering in silence. The plea from Sgt Richard Caburn came at Wellington Town Council's meeting on Monday night, following complaints about anti-social
POLICE and residents in Taunton are teaming up to help a community help itself. The new Lambrook Community Local Action Team was officially formed on Tuesday night (September 7), with the signing of its constitution. The meeting at the Dreamfields skatepark
CAR owners in the Wiveliscombe area who may have had their car broken into on Monday night are being urged to contact police. The appeal has come after police recovered a large amount of stolen property following the arrest of three people on Monday night
SECURITY fencing has finally been installed and Wellington's new outdoor skatepark is fully open for business. The long-awaited facility cost over £20,000 and has taken more than a year to arrive in the town after wrangles over the location and funding
WELLINGTON'S Richardsons petrol station could become an horrific eyesore if it remains disused for too long. Councillors at Wellington Town Council's meeting on Monday expressed their sympathy for everyone who lost their jobs with the shock closure of
THE site manager of Ilminster's Westbury Home's Meadowbrook development, has been named as one of the top 100 site managers across the UK. As part of the Pride in the Job Award 2004, Mr Middleton was accredited with the Quality Award in recognising his
YEOVIL Town travel to Cheltenham Town tomorrow (Saturday) hoping to continue their move to the top of the Coca-Cola League Two table. The game was set to be the last for defender Liam Fontaine, but it has been agreed that he can extend his loan period
BOWLS and beef were on the menu in Vivary Park when Somerset Ladies entertained Pen-y-Glyn from Wales. After the match 70 bowlers and supporters sat down to a sumptuous meal of roast beef. Somerset won the match 145-82. For more on this story and a round
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE won the final match of the 2004 Totesport League season to secure the final promotion spot. And their win over Somerset means Yorkshire will have to spend another season in Division Two. Somerset were unable to overhaul the visitors' 259
THIS well presented and recently renovated older style semi detached family home in Bridgwater Road, Taunton, offers well-proportioned accommodation and a convenient location. It is on the market with Bradford and Bingley Alder King for £234,995. It comprises
WEST Somerset District Council has complained about the way a recent comprehensive performance assessment was carried out. A 13-point letter sent to Audit Commission chairman James Strachan voices 'strong concerns' that some scores were predetermined,
A woman driver from Cornwall suffered serious injuries after a car apparently crossed carriageways and collided with her vehicle driven by a 40-year-old Falmouth man. The 43-year-old , from Lostwithiel, was driving a Renault Clio along the A39 near Truro
HUNT supporters in Mid Devon outraged by the Government's plans to push through a hunting ban are gearing up for mass protest. Members and followers of hunts from across the West Country have organised a mass gathering at the Devon County Showground tomorrow
WELLINGTON are at near full strength for their Devon and Cornwall League game at home to Old Plymothians tomorrow (3.00pm). Brothers Kevin and Ian MacKenzie are back in the side after misisng last weekend's defeat at Falmouth. For more local sporting
WELLINGTON climbed up into mid-table after their second successive victory up at Cadbury Heath last Saturday. With assistant manager Roger Brereton in charge of the side, they never looked in danger of losing the game which ended Cadbury Heath 0, Wellington
DAVE Sheehan, caught up in the hurricane in Flordia last weekend, will be back in charge of Wellington for the FA Vase tie at home to Wootton Bassett on Sunday (3.00pm). Sheehan should have arrived back in this country last Staurday but did not come back
SOMERSET families with four generations in the same area are needed to launch a new TV programme. ITV1 Westcountry is looking for great-grandparents, grandparents, parents and children to film for seven days. The eight-part series, The Way We Were, will
SOMERSET belly dancing group the Desert Divas this week lent their support to Macmillan Cancer Relief's annual fundraiser -- the World's Biggest Coffee Morning. The dancers, led by Raheesha -- alias Carla Gale -- hope they can encourage more people in
SOMERSET'S private car sellers are being warned of a potential internet shipping scam. People who have advertised their cars on the worldwide web are being sent cheques by a foreign purchaser. A police spokesman said: "This includes extra money, normally
Last orders will be called from one of Falmouth's famous pubs on October 1. The Admiral Nelson, which for many years was the Dock and Railway will be developed into 16 luxury apartments. Landlord Terry Duckett said he would be returning to his native
Counterfeit goods worth more than £10,000 were seized at a car boot sale in Taunton last weekend. A team from Somerset County Council's Trading Standards, working alongside police, bagged up 638 DVDs and CDs -- including some titles, like Spiderman 2
POLICE believe the knifeman who stabbed a Taunton newsagent to within an inch of his life probably comes from outside the area. A 28-year-old Taunton man arrested and released on bail soon after the attack on Mark Jeanes was this week eliminated from
A BUSY road in Taunton used daily by scores of schoolchildren has been branded one of the worst to cross in Britain in a competition. Staplegrove Road was one of 14 "nightmare" roads in England, Wales and Northern Ireland named and shamed by youngsters
PROGRESS is being made on the County Gazette's Action Sports Appeal. The plan is to bring a world class action park to Taunton, for use by skateboarders, freestyle BMX riders and in-line skaters. Fundraisers from the Community Skatepark Project (Taunton
POLICE believe the knifeman who stabbed a Taunton newsagent to within an inch of his life probably comes from outside the area. A 28-year-old Taunton man arrested and released on bail soon after the attack on Mark Jeanes was this week eliminated from
A BUSY road in Taunton used daily by scores of schoolchildren has been branded one of the worst to cross in Britain in a competition. Staplegrove Road was one of 14 "nightmare" roads in England, Wales and Northern Ireland named and shamed by youngsters
Counterfeit goods worth more than £10,000 were seized at a car boot sale in Taunton last weekend. A team from Somerset County Council's Trading Standards, working alongside police, bagged up 638 DVDs and CDs -- including some titles, like Spiderman 2
PUBLIC transport campaigners in the Burnham area are claiming a victory in their fight to reverse bus service cuts, after three routes were restored. People in the area reacted with fury after Somerset County Council instigated a series of cutbacks earlier
TAUNTON Town made a winning start in the Somerset Floodlit Youth Football League when they beat Cheddar 4-0 at home on Monday night. Scott Graham, Ross Saunders, Aaron Braddick and Jack Adams scored for Taunton.
TAUNTON Town will be strengthened by the return of four players - possibly five - for tomorrow's Southern League game away to Thame United. And Taunton boss Russell Musker is also hoping that Torquay United may release young 'on loan' defender Nick Skinner
TAUNTON have made a splendid start to the new rugby season. They beat Nailsea and Backwell 37-6 away last Saturday - their first league victory on the opening day of a season for ten years. It was also their firstaway win in a lague match since Christmas
SOMERSET belly dancing group the Desert Divas this week lent their support to Macmillan Cancer Relief's annual fundraiser -- the World's Biggest Coffee Morning. The dancers, led by Raheesha -- alias Carla Gale -- hope they can encourage more people in
THERE are plenty of fun events lined up in aid of the Cash for Cancer Appeal. If you want to support the campaign go to one of the events listed here, or if you are organising a fundraiser let the newsroom know by phoning 01823-365100 or e-mailing newsdesk
