taunton is the county town of somerset.increases in house prices over the last year. 21.8%, that makes it the biggest increase in the country. the national average is around 6%. so, an average house here, £300,000, has gone up by £55,000 over the past 12 months. why, is the big question. sarah—jane bingham—check is from savilis. what is going on here? hello, yes. pre—covid, devon and cornwall was very much the destination for the west country. and we've seen covid has taught us to re—evaluate our lives. people are looking for space, broadband, they are able to work from home more. so we are seeing a real drive out of london to the country. and taunton is very much in the middle of the country. and when we talk about those hot markets, about increases in house prices, you worry about first—time buyers, trying to get on the first rung of the housing ladder. is that a problem here? i would say not. i think it's still a very affordable place to live. if you look on the property portals, you will see up to 200,000, from £100,000

their key message is "get yourjab", with military personnel helping in taunton and at other centres.d, appeals for people to reduce mixing indoors with other households, and to think carefully about who they socialise with. the warnings were stark. i am not asking you to cancel or change your plans for christmas day, boxing day, or whenever you have your main festive celebration. but, in the run—up to and in the aftermath of christmas, i am asking, i am appealing to everyone to cut down, as far as possible, our contacts with people in other households. my key request to all of you today is, as far as you can, please minimise your indoor social interactions with other households at this time. this is a really serious| threat at the moment. how big a threat? there are several things we don't know, but all the things - that we do know are bad. and the principal one being - the speed at which this is moving — it is moving at an absolutely phenomenal pace. - the national covid memorial wall by the river thames, in london, where families have commemorated their loved ones, is a reminder of

we are in taunton in somerset. the housing market is not quiet here. around 300,000 in taunton. good transport links, lots of good schools and very close to beautiful countryside as well. when we are talking about some of the house prices that have fallen. in london for example, it does not get into the top 20 hotspots, as they say. in fact, westminster in central london recorded the biggest fall we can talk to louise glanville from knight frank estate agents. what is going on? what you have just what is going on? what you have 'ust said, we what is going on? what you have 'ust said. we have — what is going on? what you have 'ust said, we have seen i what is going on? what you have 'ust said, we have seen it i what is going on? what you have 'ust said, we have seen it on i what is going on? what you have 'ust said, we have seen it on the i what is going on? what you have just said, we have seen it on the ground. | said, we have seen it on the ground. over— said, we have seen it on the ground. over the _ said, we have seen it on the ground. over the las

message is, get yourjab come up with military - yourjab come up with military personnel helping in tauntonirus. hugh pym, bbc news. scotland's first minister, nicola sturgeon, said the number of cases of omicron is increasing faster than any variant that has gone before it. she urged people across scotland to limit their social contacts before and after christmas — though she stressed it was advice, not a legal requirement. our scotland correspondent james shaw reports. it certainly felt like christmas was coming at this market in glasgow, butjust how much will the new variant effect celebrations in scotland? ahead of nicola sturgeon's statement, shoppers were anxious about omicron and the impact it might have on their lives. the plan is to no might have on their lives. the plan is to go to — might have on their lives. the plan is to go to my _ might have on their lives. the plan is to go to my son's _ might have on their lives. the plan is to go to my son's and _ is to go to my son's and daughter—in—law�*s for christmas, spend it with the wee one since it is her first one and my worry is

their key message is get yourjab come up, with military personnel helping in taunton and other centres since the 9th of january, highest number of new infections since the 9th ofjanuary, 59,610 highest number of new infections since the 9th of january, 59,610 new cases in 2a hours to tuesday, meaning an average nearly 5a,000 new cases reported each day in the past week. the number in hospital with covid stands at 7672. in the 2a hours to tuesday, 150 deaths recorded, people who have died within 28 days of receiving a positive covid—19 test. lower than this time last week. 11a covid—related deaths on average every day in the past week. on the vaccination site, an average ofjust over a50,000 people have had their boosterjab everyday over a50,000 people have had their booster jab everyday over the over a50,000 people have had their boosterjab everyday over the seven days. the government is aiming to get1 million a day if possible. the number overall total is 2a million. scotland's first minister said the number of cases of omicron is increasing faster than any variant which has gone befor

but today instead of the royal albert hall they are playing taunton's quaker hall. the idea, whenjackie got in touch with me, that a professional orchestra would give their time for nothing just seemed too good to believe, really. and music breaks down barriers. you don't need to be able to speak a particular language, you don't need to think in a particular way. it works for everybody, i think. as you can see on the faces of people. one of the audience is encouraged to play his oud that he brought with him from syria. ok, so basically he likes that because it brings back old memories. he enjoys that because it takes out all the negative energy of him and it is just fabulous to play the oud. later this week in yeovil and minehead, the orchestra will play for adults with a learning disability, schoolchildren and people with addictions. around a third of the musicians are from the west country and they hope to expand into devon and cornwall if they can get funding. my dream is three tours a year of maybe two or three weeks in each county. and then we will do a concert