THIRTY Thales workers have been told a deal to sell their department to another company has fallen through. The Taunton company, which is closing in July with the loss of 118 jobs, was looking to sell its beryllium section to American company GSI Group
RESIDENTS from Halcon and Lambrook in Taunton are invited to join the Community Clean-Up Day on Wednesday, April 4. The day starts at 10am from the All Saints Church Hall on the Roman Road but residents can take part at anytime up until 3pm. During
CONTENTIOUS plans to dual the A358 between Taunton M5 and Ilminster A303 will increase traffic fumes and exacerbate and increase ill health amongst children, according to one councillor. Taunton Deane's Halcon ward councillor Tim Slattery said he was
DETAILED plans of the proposed Second Strategic Road Route which will link Somerset and the South West to London are to be considered by Somerset County Council Executive at its meeting on the April 25. Exact details of the route, which runs along the
A WELLINGTON man who lives right next door to the proposed Mantle Street medical centre has claimed it will be a nightmare if the scheme is approved. Norman Clarke lives on Foxdown Drive and his drive would run right past the suggested centre, replacing
AN angry Taunton mother is appealing for help to trace a woman driver who knocked down her five-year-old daughter. Kirsty Devine says her daughter Chloe Ann was crossing Wellington Road with a friend of hers, Victoria Stone, around 4.15pm on Monday afternoon
A PREGNANT woman was given a house by the council with smashed windows, mould on the walls and dangerous debris strewn in the garden. Maria Brawn, 17, was given a two-bedroom house in Outer Circle, Taunton, by Taunton Deane Borough Council but was shocked
MOST people would not go to accident and emergency if the had back pain, nor would they for a cough or cold - but some people are according to staff at Taunton's Musgrove Park Hospital. Dr Gilliam Bryce, consultant in emergency medicine at Musgrove Park
DUNSTER'S landmark Castle Hotel in High Street has new owners. The hotel will remain shut for at least two months as West Somerset's Gerald David and Family embarks on a programme of refurbishment. Gerald David said: "Everyone knows there is huge business
Bicknoller Village Hall has received a grant of £649.35 from West Somerset Council's Rural Initiative Fund towards the total project cost of £865.80 of installing a hearing loop. The loop will help local residents or visitors to the hall listen to, and
CHILDREN in West Somerset are getting fluorescent jackets so they can be seen in the dark. The first of 700 jackets being distributed to first schools across the district by local police community support officers have been delivered to eager youngsters
BERT Holloway, of Taunton, first clapped eyes on his future wife as she left a fish and chip shop. Bert, 69, and Jean, 73, celebrated their golden wedding on March 16 and say a lot more give than take is the secret to a long lasting marriage. But Bert
PEOPLE in Taunton and Wellington are being offered up to £500 off their council tax bills if they install solar power systems on their homes. The pilot scheme, run by Taunton Deane Council in partnership with British Gas, could be rolled out nationwide
PEOPLE travelling in the lift at Taunton's Albermarle Centre will be doing so in more comfort and safety from now on. The Taunton centre has just had a handrail and a mirror installed in the lift. It was paid for through the Taunton Aid and Sickness
SOME of Taunton's top mums have picked up prizes for their efforts over the past year. The winners of Asda's Super Mum Competition will all go forward to a national contest organised by the superstore. Of the 80 entrants, the following were successful
A WOMEN'S fitness club went on the run to raise over £9,000 for Breast Cancer Care. Members of Taunton-based Curves took part in a sponsored run, started by former Coronation Street actress Amanda Barrie, last September. And they have now passed the
MINEHEAD goes cosmopolitan tomorrow, Thursday, with the launch of its first continental market. Fine food from a 40-strong contingent of European producers will join West Somerset Farmers Market to bring a feast of fresh produce to local gourmets. Continental
St Nicholas Church: Twenty parishioners attended the annual meeting to elect churchwardes on March 25. John Finchett and Keith Vodden were unanimously re-elected as churchwardens and grateful thanks were expressed to them for all their endeavours. The
Western Counties (W): Hayle 42, Minehead Barbarians 7. HAYLE produced an impressive performance at home after being embarrased by Minehead Barbarians at Ellicombe earlier in the season. However, the fact that three of Minehead's front line players were
South-West 2 (W): Penryn 17, Taunton 58. TAUNTON completed the double over the Cornishmen and stepped up their fight against relegation. They are now level on points with Hornets in the dreaded drop spot and have reduced the Weston club's differential
Toolstation League Division 1: Minehead 2, Clevedon Utd 1. MINEHEAD boosted their bid to avoid relegation with their first victory in 24 matches. Their last win came way back on October 9 when they defeated relegation rivals Weston St Johns 3-1. It
PERFECTO Allstars completed the first leg of a possible quadruple on Sunday when they defeated Taunton League rivals Legends 5-1 in the Somerset Challenge Cup final at Wellington FC. In front of a good crowd, the result was rarely in doubt with Blackbrook
A WELLINGTON fish shop has scooped a top national award as Retailer of the Year. Don Jones Fresh Fish was revealed as Seafood Independent Retailer of the Year at the Seafood Awards at London's Grosvenor Square Marriott Hotel last Thursday. The fishmonger
STAPLEGROVE sneaked into the semi-finals of the KO Cup after defeating Division One leaders Porlock 1-0 in a closely-fought tie. The only goal of the game came from Joe Holmes in the first half, although Porlock squandered a great chance to level after
BISHOPS Lydeard completed the double in the U-11 section of the Tony Pryce Taunton and District Youth League after defeating Blackbrook Wolves 7-0 in the KO Cup final at the Civil Service Club on Saturday. Josh Wadham led the scoring spree with four
BELL ringers from all over the Bath & Wells Diocese are holding their annual meeting at Shepton Beauchamp, followed by a service at St Michael's Church, on Easter Monday. For further details, call chairman Jeremy Harris on 01460-64218.
THE fundraising for the Somerset Unit for Radiotherapy Equipment (SURE) broke through the £60,000 mark this week. Generous donations of £540.88 in the memory of R Jeans and of £50 from P Glanville have been received bringing the amount raised by the
A COMMUNITY radio station in Wiveliscombe joined an event held by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations by becoming the umbrella body's 5,000th member. In order to mark the celebrations, a special event was held on Tuesday in Wiveliscombe,
CHARITIES that struggle to get funding could significantly benefit from the Rotary Club's 50/50 cycle ride in June. While half of all monies raised from the event goes towards the Rotary Club's charities, half can go towards a charity or club of the
MILVERTON has taken its first step to going green with an event hosted by Milverton Climate Challenge. The climate challenge opened with a showing of Al Gore's Oscar winning film An Inconvenient Truth which saw over 100 people attend. The film was introduced
TAUNTON'S MP has refuted accusations he is not doing enough to keep a major Government business local. Conservative Mark Formosa, who is opposing LibDem MP Jeremy Browne at the next General Election, claims his Party would maintain the UK Hydrographic
LOCAL MP Jeremy Browne spent a day as a lollypop man in Taunton to highlight the importance of road safety. Mr Browne joined the lollipop ladies Mandy Sutton and Angela Edwards outside North Town primary school at the start of the school day and afterwards
PIONEERING Wiveliscombe residents are banding together to bring more environmentally friendly biodiesel to the town. Biodiesel is essentially just used vegetable oil and it is cheaper than diesel and far more environmentally benign. A number of vehicles
PLANS to create a single unitary authority for Somerset - getting rid of the current district and county council structure - has taken a step forward this week. The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has short-listed the bid by Somerset
