TAUNTON Deane MP Jeremy Browne became a father...but revealed he and partner Rachel Binks feared losing their newborn baby during a rollercoaster week.

Their joy at Molly's birth turned to despair within hours when experts diagnosed a life-threatening condition needing emergency surgery.

They wept after the bombshell at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton and feared the worst at hospital in Bristol.

But tears turned to relief when another consultant said the diagnosis was incorrect and Molly was fine.

Mr Browne said: “We were plunged into this awful world and then pulled out again.”

PLANS to move Taunton Post Office from its half-empty site in North Street 75 metres up the road were unveiled.

Bosses said the historic County Stores shop would be a better home for the services and launched a public consultation.

Tony Jones, of Post Office Ltd, said: “The relocation will create a more secure Post Office service to the community in the years to come.”

THE County Gazette teamed up with Pardoes solicitors to launch a competition to create a new county flag for Somerset.

Hundreds of entries were received with the panel of judges eventually plumping for a red dragon design on a yellow background.

Speaking at the launch of the contest, Somerset County Council heritage boss Tom Mayberry said: “Somerset has never adopted its own flag although the dragon is an ancient and important symbol and Somerset is lucky to have it.”

TWO madcap fundraisers agreed to spend 24 hours in a dog kennel to raise money for a newly-launched charity.

The canine caper was tackled by police dog handler Mandy Gornicki and Jack Linnell, manager of St Giles Kennels in Taunton.

The pair ate from dog bowls, slept on the floor and were only allowed out of their two metre square kennel for comfort and exercise breaks.

The stunt was in aid of the Dogs 4 Adoption charity, which was set up by the team at St Giles Kennels.