Taking a look back at what was making the headlines in the Somerset County Gazette in years gone by.

25 YEARS AGO: November 9, 1990 NEWS that stag hunting could be banned on National Trust land sent shockwaves through the hunting community this week in 1990.

Quantock Staghounds said it would disband and destroy its hounds if the council vote went against hunting.

MUSGROVE Park Hospital had the mayor Peter Lee and David Nicholson MP come to officially open its new £500,000 children’s ward.

TAUNTON minister Ray Avent overcame a puncture to complete his 50-mile sponsored cycle ride, raising £300 for the town’s Opportunity Group.

TEN YEARS AGO: November 3, 2005 JEREMY Browne MP opened a new material and household waste recycling facility in Priorswood.

Mr Browne said: “The new waste disposal facilities at Priorswood are very impressive and a huge improvement on the previous facilities.”

COUNCIL residents in Taunton’s Wellesley Street were angry after being ordered to rip up flowerbeds outside their flats.

Guy Mundy and Tina Opitz were asked to remove their floral features as they had not gained planning permission.

A CHARITY dinner at the Alcombe Tandoori in Minehead helped raise £3,195 for victims of the earthquake in Pakistan. The restaurateurs also received a positive response to their appeal to the community to donate blankets to the cause.

FIVE YEARS AGO: November 4, 2010 TEACHING at Taunton School was transformed as 600 new iPod Touch devices were handed out to students as part of a £100,000 ‘e-learning’ project.

SOMERSET County Council voted to go ahead with £43m in spending cuts over three years, which would include the loss of 1,500 jobs.

AROUND 5,500 flocked to Taunton Racecourse for the first Taunton Fireworks spectacular, which also saw a special performance from the Wurzels.

TAUNTON Deane council turned down a £1 million offer for Castle Green car park as they pressed ahead with plans to convert the area into a community space.

ONE YEAR AGO: CELEBRITIES turned out to pay their respects to actress and TV presenter Lynda Bellingham who was buried in Crewkerne after she lost her battle with colon cancer.

Loose Women co-stars Jane McDonald and Andrea McLean, actor Robert Lindsay and Christopher Biggins attended the funeral for the popular star.

TAUNTON residents had the chance to grill politicians as BBC political debate show Question Time came to the Tacchi-Morris Art Centre in Taunton with host David Dimbleby and guests including Labour’s Tristam Hunt, Caroline Lucas of the Green Party, Conservative MP Owen Paterson and novelist Anthony Horowitz.