A MOTHER who was left in a coma following a car crash spoke publicly for the first time about the 'nightmare'.

Lisa Stoneley, 34, said it was a miracle no-one was killed in the incident on October 6, 2012, when she and her family were travelling home after watching Ilminster Carnival and enjoying the funfair.

Amazingly, Lisa's five-month-old daughter, Faith, escaped unharmed.

Their car was in collision with another vehicle at Bay Hill, near Dillington, which resulted in a major emergency operation with four helicopters and firefighters from Ilminster, Chard, Taunton and Yeovil.

Lisa said: “I just feel so lucky to be alive.”


BUTCHERS in the area reported a boost in sales as shoppers turned to people they can trust amid the nationwide horsemeat scandal.

Horsemeat was found in many supermarket products, prompting a Europe-wide crisis of confidence in the ready-meal market.

But the situation benefited many of our local butchers.

In Ilminster, Clinton Bonner, of Bonner's Butchers, said people were visiting him to talk about their concerns about the quality of meat and ready meals at supermarkets.

Mr Bonner said: “There has been plenty of talk about it among customers and I've had all the horse jokes I can stick now.”