EACH week in the Free Press we look back at what made the news 150, 100, 50 and 25 years ago. Here is a sample of the items featuring in the This Was The News column this week.

150 years ago – April 24th 1869

Any sheep found with the scab on the common belonging to the parish of Bicknoller would be impounded and their owners proceeded against according to the law. So stated a notice published by Messrs Thomas Lethbridge, Charles Parsons, Henry Thorne, Richard Duckham and Henry Bickham.

100 years ago – April 26th 1919

At the first meeting of the newly elected Exford Parish Council attention was drawn to the dangerous state of the bridge at the foot of Church Hill, and to the constant flooding of the Downscombe road, this preventing children from attending school.

50 years ago – April 26th 1969

A Watchet Line ship, bound for Watchet, sank in a gale off the coast of Spain. The Dutch crew of nine were saved. The 700 ton ship ‘Willy’ went down with her cargo of 613 tons of red oxide.

25 years ago – April 29th 1994

Bishops Lydeard treasure hunter Alan Ball unearthed a 500-year-old coin dating back to the reign of Henry VIII. He discovered the Golden Noble coin while detecting near his home in Darby Way.