News in Glastonbury

Police have renewed their appeal for information about Lawrence Kemp from Glastonbury who was reported missing almost a fortnight ago.

The 32-year-old from Glastonbury was last in contact with his family late on Saturday 1 August.

The fire service has saved a horse stuck in a water-filled ditch in Totney Road, in Wedmore.

Fire control sent one fire engine, one rescue tender from Glastonbury and the specialist rescue team from Bridgwater to help the animal at around midday (August 15).

A student from West Pennard has reflected on his grades after results day and is now looking to the future.

Thomas Hewitt attended Strode College in Street and in his A-levels achieved Biology A*, Maths A and Chemistry A.

A new political party could soon be formed to represent the people of Somerset in the 2021 local elections.

The Somerset Independents pressure group was created by partners Andrew Pope and Denise Wyatt to "protect Somerset residents, their democratic rights, their area and families, their ways of life and their environment".

Somerset councillors are at loggerheads over whether their county should be ruled by one unitary authority or two.

Somerset County Council approved the One Somerset business case in July, which would see it and the four district councils abolished and replaced with a new unitary authority.

Part of Old Wells Road in Glastonbury is scheduled to be closed for four days next week.

The road is due to be closed to traffic from Monday (August 17) to Thursday (August 20) from the junction with Wick Hollow to the crossroads with Windmill Hill Road and Ridgeway Gardens.

Following a safe, successful reopening of Glastonbury Abbey in June and increasing visitor numbers throughout July and early August, the abbey is set to open its doors for outdoor events during the second half of August.

With strict adherence to the government guidelines the abbey is hoping to welcome a significant number of visitors to enjoy outdoor theatre, outdoor cinema, live music and musical theatre in a safe yet still enjoyable environment.

Wells Festival of Literature will definitely take place this October.

Fans can look forward to a new version of this highly popular event. The organising committee has met all the safeguarding challenges posed by the pandemic and will be offering a new style festival.

Between redecorating and managing family life during a pandemic, Glastonbury resident and professional actor of 28 years David Reakes has organised a film project dedicated to the community spirit and often forgotten history of the Windmill Hill area.

Based around the gathering of stories from a broad array of hill residents, Tor Theatre's entry for Wassail Theatre's Connecting Communities Project offers a unique and deeply personal take on local community.

Planning for this year's Wells Festival of Literature education is going ahead, undaunted by the coronavirus crisis, and organisers have revealed that increased audience numbers for the 2019 event has allowed planners to spend £25,000 in Somerset schools during 2020, including at Meare, West Pennard and Butleigh.

A total of 28 primary schools have received copies of a newly-published book, While We Can't Hug by Eoin McLaughlin and Polly Dunbar.