BBC Somerset

An oil spill which closed a busy route has forced two dogs (and their owner) to find an alternative route to their vets appointment.The A39 in Washford, Somerset, was closed on Tuesday after a van and lorry collided and emergency services worked to contain a fuel leak.Instead of battling the busy, narrow, twisting back roads on the outskirts of Exmoor to visit the vets in Minehead, Christopher Wade decided to hop on the heritage steam railway to complete…

A hydropower system could be built at a beauty spot to raise money for community projects.As part of plans put forward by volunteers for the site on the River Yeo in Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, new car charging points would be installed that are powered by the system.The river's power has been harnessed for centuries, with a peak of 13 mills, for uses including milling paper and corn.Huw Robson, one of the project leaders, said the new system would…

Tess de la MareWest of EnglandBBCDr Fiona Gibson has been appointed Bishop of TauntonA new bishop has been appointed in the West after the departure of the incumbent who held the post for 10 years.King Charles III approved the nomination of Dr Fiona Gibson, who was previously Archdeacon of Ludlow in Hereford, for the post of Bishop of Taunton in Somerset on Wednesday.Dr Gibson replaces Reverend Ruth Worsley, who held the role from 2015 before becoming interim Bishop…

A couple whose newborn baby developed a potentially fatal infection have said they were alerted to the signs by an Instagram post.Matt and Laura Bradbury-Stewart from Frome, Somerset, said their son had become drowsy in the days after birth and grew less interested in feeding. While Ms Bradbury-Stewart was looking at Instagram for sleep advice, she came across a post by the Lullaby Trust warning of the signs of dangerous infections in babies. She realised her son was…

Daniel MumbyLocal Democracy Reporter andCarys NallyBBC News, West of England Getty ImagesCouncil leaders say the target set by the government is none sensibleCouncil leaders have voiced concern that government-imposed housing targets are "astronomically" high and "not sensible". The Labour government increased local housing targets as part of its pledge to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this parliament – with Somerset's target rising by 41%.Somerset Council is in the early stages of creating its new Local…

Charlie TaylorSomerset andClara BullockSomersetGetty ImagesSarah Parish started her acting career in YeovilActor Sarah Parish, known for appearing in Cutting It and Doctor Who, said her career would not have been possible without Yeovil's Octagon Theatre.Earlier this month, Yeovil Town Councillors voted to borrow £3.3 million to redevelop the theatre and open it again, after being closed for more than two years.Parish grew up in the town and made her stage debut aged two in a panto and was…

The Lord-Lieutenant of SomersetJulie Matthews was given her medal for services to mental health in SomersetA mental health practictioner who was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) said the ceremony made her feel "remarkable".Julie Matthews, 66, runs Chard Watch, a organisation helping people with mental health difficulties in the town.Julie was among a number of Somerset residents who recieved the award from the Lord-Lieutenant at The Newt estate.She said it made her feel like she had left her…