Fire crews discover gas cylinder in blazing garden shed

THE potential danger of an exploding gas cylinder was faced by fire and rescue crews who attended a blaze in a garden shed in Watchet this evening.
The seemingly minor incident is Brendon Road turned into a more major alert when a Calor gas cylinder was discovered inside the shed.
Fire crews attended the incident from Williton, Minehead, and Taunton just before 5 pm.
After putting out the blaze, they remained on scene for some time, using two ground monitors.

Man injured as A39 crash causes traffic delays

A MAN was taken to hospital this evening after being trapped in a three-vehicle crash on the A39 at Cannington.
He was cut free from the wreckage of his vehicle by fire and rescue crews who removed the roof of the vehicle using road rescue equipment.
The collision happened in Main Road, near the Tincknell Mitsubishi dealership and Bridgwater Mowers, and the casualty’s car ended up in a roadside hedge.
Paramedics then used a spinal board to out the injured man in an ambulance and take him to Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton.
One lane of the road was blocked and queues of traffic travelling toward Bridgwater built up during more than two hours while the rescue was carried out and the highway cleared after the accident, which happened shortly before 5 pm.
A fire appliance from Bridgwater and a rescue tender from Taunton attended the incident.

'Poo in the post' test is beating bowel cancer

A BOWEL cancer screening programme operating in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, has shown after just six months that it can save lives.
The two-year rolling programme automatically invites everybody aged between 60 and 69 years to send in a tiny stool sample to be tested.
The take up rate in Somerset so far has been between 60 per cent and 70 per cent, one of the highest figures of any programme nationally.
As a result of the test kit, more than 200 people have been called in for further discussion and a colonoscopy procedure.
Colonoscopy is an endoscopic examination of the large bowel which can diagnose bowel cancer at an early stage before symptoms arise.
Pre-cancerous polyps can be removed during the procedure without need for surgery.
In the six months the programme has been running, 21 patients have been referred on to the surgical team at Musgrove for treatment and 90 patients have had polyps removed.
Taunton Deane Councillor Tony McMahon, aged 62, of Milverton, was among those who received a testing pack and as a result of the sample he was called in for a colonoscopy where a polyp was found and removed.
Councillor McMahon said: “I am extremely lucky. The doctor told me that if untreated, this polyp would have become cancerous in five years time, and I may never have seen any symptoms.
“I was given a mild anaesthetic before the test, and then watched the whole thing on a television screen.
“Now, I only have to go back every 12 months for a check up.
“I was talking to a friend recently who said that he was not going to send in the test - but if a simple ‘poo in the post’ test can save your life, then why delay?”
Musgrove bowel cancer screening programme co-ordinator Julia Heneker said: “Tony’s story is a great example of how the screening programme works.
“The earlier we find a problem, the better the chance of treating it successfully.
“Sometimes, people are a bit embarrassed to talk about faeces and any problems they might have - but this is simple, private, and can save your life.”

• Our photograph shows Councillor Tony McMahon (left) with Julia Heneker and consultant gastro enterologist Dr Stirling Pugh. Photo submitted.

A&E sister is hospital's first 2009 'employee of month'

ACCIDENT and emergency department Sister Jan Giles has won the January ‘Employee of the Month’ award at Musgrove Park Hospital, in Taunton.
Jan was nominated by her colleagues in the department, who described her as an extremely capable and competent sister.
Musgrove consultant Gillian Bryce said: “Jan constantly steps in to cover colleagues’ shifts at short notice, at times she almost lives in the department.
“She is always a pleasure to work with and she can be relied on to give an extremely high standard of care and efficiency at all times.
“She never shows stress and keeps others calm even when the department is at its busiest.”
Jan, who has worked at Musgrove for 34 years, was presented with her award at a special ceremony in December.
Representatives from local businesses which sponsor the hospital’s employee of the month scheme were invited to attend and were thanked by hospital trust chairman Ros Wyke.
Mrs Wyke said: “The scheme was launched in 2005 to celebrate and reward individual staff who make a special contribution to the work of the hospital.
“It has been really successful, with many staff nominated each month by their colleagues, and the winners enjoying the prizes generously donated by the local business community.
“We are continually grateful for the generosity of those companies whose sponsorship make this initiative possible and I would like to extend my thanks to them all.”
The prizes are given monthly by Spirit Health Club, at the Holiday Inn, Taunton, the O'Bridge restaurant, Esporta, Musgrove Flowers, Haircare at Musgrove, and Q-Park.
From this month, winners will also receive a free CD of their choice given by new sponsor NHS Discounts.

• Our photograph shows Jan Giles, receiving her award from Ros Wyke watched by (left to right) Q-Park manager Dave Simms, Mark Harrison, of Spirit Health Club, and Emma Bacon and Angela Austin, both from the O’Bridge restaurant. Photo submitted.

Iceland moves to turn Woolworths into frozen food store

THE now-closed Woolworths store in Minehead is to be reopened as a branch of the Iceland frozen food chain.
The property, in The Avenue, is among 51 former Woolworths stores which are being bought nationwide by Iceland, and one of only two in Somerset, the other being in Frome.
Iceland said it planned to create 2,500 new jobs across the country – as against the 27,000 jobs which were lost when the last of 807 Woolworths stores was shut on Tuesday.
The Minehead Woolworths was in the final batch of stores which remained open until the very end.
Woolworths had traded in Minehead since 1937 and had nearly 30 staff at the premises, some of whom had worked there for more than 20 years.
The staff are understood to have been offered an opportunity to move across to Iceland as their new employer.
An Iceland spokesman said: “We are confident we can help to support the local community in these towns who have lost a major High Street retailer in Woolworths.”
Woolworths went into administration with debts of £385 million in November and administrators Deloite were unable to find a buyer to take over the chain.
Iceland, which already has 682 stores, previously offered to buy all of the Woolworths chain last summer but the bid was rejected as ‘unacceptable’.
The frozen food retail business was founded in 1970 and was taken over by a consortium led by Icelandic investment group Baugur in 2005.

The firm already has stores in Taunton, Bridgwater, and Barnstaple.

Four stars out of five for hospital food outlets

CATERING outlets in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, have been awarded four stars by environmental health inspectors.
Musgrove achieved an ‘excellent’ mark for its food handling and management, and a ‘good’ mark for the condition of the premises.
Overall, the four star award meant the inspectors considered the level of hygiene practice to be ‘very good’.
The borough council team of inspectors looked in particular at three areas involved with the hospital's catering services:

• Food handling practice
  
• Condition of the premises
  
• Management systems

Musgrove catering manager Phil Shelley said: “This is excellent news.
“Our staff have worked incredibly hard to improve standards in everything we do.
“The four star award is a great Christmas present for us and an incentive to get that fifth star next year.
“We will now be working hard with the council and the estates team here at Musgrove to do all we can to further improve the facilities we have.”

• Our photograph shows Musgrove catering staff (left to right) Marion Collins, Jon Smith, Rose Cooke, Sandra Hall, Daniel Shelley, Jenny Grant, and Colin Frost. Photo submitted.

Christmas and New Year closures for local councils

WEST Somerset Council staff will this year be working right up until Christmas Eve afternoon.
The council’s new offices in Williton will not be closed for the Christmas and New Year period until1 pm on Wednesday, December 24.
The offices will reopen at 8.30 am on Monday, January 5.
In Minehead, the Customer Centre, in Summerland Road, will also close at the same time on December 24 but will reopen half-an-hour later, at 9 am on January 5.
The new Visitor Information and Interpretation Centre on Minehead seafront will be closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and also from January 1 to 4 inclusive, reopening at 10 am on January 5.
During the closure times, information on refuse collections, stray dogs, and an emergency helpline will be available by calling 01643 703704 and on the council’s website at http://www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk/.
Planning applications and building regulations applications submitted to the council by hand, post, or email during the closure dates will be dealt with as if received on January 5.
Council spokeswoman Stacey Beaumont said: “There will be no building regulations site inspections during the Christmas break.
“The council will accept a photographic record of works that will be covered over.
“However, if no such photographs can be shown to the building control surveyor, then the council reserves the right to ask for the works to be exposed for inspection.
“People needing statutory building control notification are advised to submit this in writing by post, by hand, or by email to buildingcontrol@westsomerset.gov.uk.
“This will provide people with evidence that they have fulfilled their obligations under the Building Act 1984.2

• In Taunton Deane, the borough council’s Deane House offices, in Taunton, will close entirely to the public at 12.30 pm on December 24, with the banking hall kiosk closing slightly earlier.
  Card payments and service requests can still be made via the council’s website at http://www.tauntondeane.gov.uk/.
  Deane House will open again as usual on Friday, January 2.
  The council’s customer contact centre will also be open between 9 am and 5 pm from Monday, December 29, to Wednesday, December 31, but will only be able to offer a limited service.
  Resumption of the normal telephone service - from 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday - will be from January 2.
  
• In Sedgemoor, the district council offices in Bridgwater will shut down at the end of a ‘normal’ working day on Christmas Eve and will reopen on January 5.
  Sedgemoor residents have been advised in the event of a ‘general’ emergency to call 0800 9176520 and for a ‘council housing’ emergency to call 0800 585360.

Child protection seminars for clubs and organisations

ANYBODY involved in running clubs or organisations for children and young people in West Somerset will be able to benefit from safeguarding advice offered by the Child-Safe initiative.
Child-Safe is a national child protection initiative, set up originally by the Avon and Somerset Constabulary and now adapted for local delivery in the county.
It is a registered charity - http://www.child-safe.org.uk/ - which provides practical advice and promotes the safety, welfare, and protection of children and young people involved in sport and community groups.
The initiative is about improving care, reducing opportunities of abuse in its widest sense, and helping all parents, carers, organisers, or volunteers involved in supporting youngsters in such activities.
The scheme is free of charge and provides clubs with a seminar and resource pack to enable them to put in place child protection measures.
Organisers, leaders, parents, and carers can feel reassured that child protection will be taken seriously within clubs using this scheme.
Child-Safe seminars in 2009 will be held in Williton Council Chambers from 7 pm to 8.30 pm on Tuesday, June 23, and in Taunton Library on Thursday, September 24, from 7 pm to 8.30 pm.
Any club or organisation which would like to find out more, or book a place on one of the seminars, should contact the Child-Safe administrator by calling 01823 358098 or via the website address above.

Rodents to blame as fire destroys isolated farmhouse

AN isolated farmhouse was destroyed in a fire this afternoon which is thought to have been caused by mice or rats.
The rodents had gnawed through electrical wiring which was then thought to have shorted and started a blaze in the roof of the building.
The fire in Raddington, between Skilgate and Chipstable, was spotted at 2.30 pm, and initially firefighters attended from Wiveliscombe, Dulverton, and Wellington.
Heavy smoke was issuing from the roof when the fire brigade arrived and the scale of the incident was quickly established.
Two more fire engines were called from Tiverton, together with a command support unit from Ilminster and an incident support unit from Taunton, making a total of seven appliances.
The fire crews took several hours fighting the fire externally with three main jets, two hose reel jets, and six firefighters wearing breathing apparatus.
They also carried out salvage work.
The incident was scaled down to three pumps shortly after 7 pm and the blaze was finally extinguished some time later.
More than three-quarters of the farmhouse was destroyed by the fire and most of the remainder was damaged by water used to fight it.
Illustrative photo.

Virus closes three wards to admissions at Musgrove Park

AN outbreak of Norovirus has forced Musgrove Park Hospital (pictured), in Taunton, to stop admitting new patients on three of its wards.
The restrictions were put in place to manage the outbreak of viral gastroenteritis on Eliot and Fielding wards, in the Duchess Building, and Ward Five in the old part of the hospital.
Hospital spokesman Mark Wall said: “Musgrove Park has detailed and well-established procedures to manage outbreaks such as these to minimise the risk of cross infection.
“Management of the outbreak is led by our specialist infection control team and other senior staff with ongoing review of the situation.”
Musgrove has more than 700 beds on 30 wards plus 15 operating theatres, and a fully-equipped diagnostic imaging department, and employs more than 4,000 staff.
To help reduce the risk of further infection being taken into the hospital, visitors were being asked not to visit if, in the previous 48 hours, they had symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting or had been in contact with anybody who had.
Visitors were also being asked to ensure their hands were thoroughly cleaned before leaving a ward.
Mr Wall said: “If you are in any doubt about whether to visit or not, please talk to the ward sister.
“If you are visiting a ward which has an outbreak of Norovirus, please do not visit any other wards.”
Norovirus exists in the community and although not usually serious, it is highly infectious.
It is estimated that between 600,000 and one million people in the UK are affected each year.
Nursing homes, hospitals, and schools are particularly vulnerable to outbreaks.
The virus can be spread by contact with an infected person or surfaces or objects contaminated with it.
Mr Wall said information about Musgrove’s Norovirus outbreak would be updated daily on the hospital trust website at http://www.tsft.nhs.uk/.

A-level student Grace is one of top six in the country

A NETHER Stowey student is to receive a national award next week from the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA) after gaining four A grades at A level as well as one A grade at A/S level.
Grace Elizabeth Chesterton (pictured), of Bishop Road, was aged 18 when she took the examinations in Richard Huish College, Taunton.
She is one of six top-performing students to become AQA award winners, each of whom will receive a solid silver medal and a framed diploma to mark the occasion at a prestigious ceremony in London on Monday.
Grace said: “I have many hobbies and interests which I have been pursuing both in and out of college.
“I love playing the violin, both classical and folk music, and played in my college orchestra.
“Over the past four years I have also loved helping at a local children’s club and in many other community-related events.
“As a life-long enthusiastic reader, I am really pleased to have been offered a place at Oxford University, where I am reading English.”
Grace won her award in a new category introduced this year, the AQA Baccalaureate Syllabus.
AQA director general Dr Mike Cresswell said: “This event recognises outstanding performance in A-level examinations and celebrates the success of our young people.
“Our award winners have achieved outstanding success, and I congratulate them and wish them every success in the future.
“We are delighted to introduce an award for our AQA Baccalaureate (Bacc) qualification this year.
“The AQA Bacc is an inclusive qualification which recognises and celebrates the achievements of well-rounded students with A-levels and more.”
Also at Monday’s ceremony, the A-Level ‘Student of the Year’ will be chosen from among the six award winners, who will additionally receive a trophy and a framed diploma and a cheque for £500.
The awards are co-sponsored by AQA and a number of companies with an interest in the field of education.
The award winners come from 330,000 full A-level examination entries taken with AQA.

Long-serving hospital volunteers are celebrated

NINETEEN long-serving volunteers in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, have been honoured in a special awards ceremony.
More than 400 people volunteer their time on a regular basis at Musgrove Park, and 186 of them have awards for five years’ service, and 86 have 10-year awards.
Volunteer co-ordinator Jeni Clark said: “Our volunteers do a simply fantastic job.
“They help in wards, in clinics, on reception, with clerical work, in the chapel ,and with Apple AM.
“They complement the staff and help provide a high-quality service to the patients who need us.”
Hugh Gloyn, who worked as a salesman in the retail business for 40 years, now volunteers at Musgrove, greeting and guiding visitors in the Old Building once a week.
He received a five-year award and said: “Although it is ‘only’ helping on reception, you meet all sorts of people in all sorts of situations.
“Hospitals are happy places and sad places and I try to make sure that everybody is greeted with a smile.”
When the Beacon cancer care centre opens at Musgrove in May of next year, there will be additional opportunities for people to volunteer at Musgrove.
Anybody who is interested should contact Jeni Clark by calling 01823 343447 or emailing jeni.clark@tst.nhs.uk.

• Our photograph shows (left to right) back row - Ruth Cottenham, Hugh Gloyn, Michael Beacham, Sheila Ruff, Gwenan Jones, and Selina Selwood. Front - Wendy Hewson, Pat Slade, Avril Phillips, and Anna Grace (receiving the award on behalf of her husband Jim). Photo submitted.

Computer problems delay regional fire control opening

THE controversial scrapping of Westcountry county fire brigade control rooms to be replaced by a single centre in Taunton has been indefinitely delayed.
The new centre (pictured) will direct firefighters to incidents across the counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Avon, Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall.
It was due to be operational in October of next year, but the Government has now said ‘technical problems’ mean its opening will have to be delayed.
A spokesman for the Communities and Local Government Department (CLG) blamed computer and display problems for causing delays.
The CLG was unable to give a new date has been given for the regional control centre to start operating.
The delay has caused concern that individual fire brigades may see their costs increase through having to continue to fund their own control rooms for longer.
The centralised control centre will be able to handle up to 165 calls an hour and one of its walls will feature a giant screen detailing all ongoing incidents and the locations of all crews.
South West Fire Control Services Ltd chief executive Julie Burnett said: “The time-span we had left to us was not sufficient.
“We are actually quite pleased that the CLG has listened to us and given us the time we need to make sure the data we use is correct and reassure the public of their safety.”