Local News

The winter habits of Britain’s basking sharks have been revealed for the first time.

Scientists from the University of Exeter have discovered some spend their winters off Portugal and North Africa, some head to the Bay of Biscay and others choose a staycation around the UK and Ireland.

Little was known about basking sharks’ winter behaviour as they spend little time at the surface and are often far from land, so the researchers used cutting-edge satellite tracking to carry out the most detailed ever study of their migrations in the north-east Atlantic.

It was once...

An ‘off-the-cuff’ farmland bird survey in East Devon last week suggested how habitat improvements can help some of our most threatened birds. Devon Wildlife Trust land advisor David Rolls was visiting three farms in the Otter catchment in one day. As it was the beginning of the Big Farmland Bird Count, organized each February by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, David decided to do a short survey on each land-holding. All three sites contain areas of wetland that are being improved for wildlife through DWT’s Upstream Thinking work, funded by South West Water. The 30-minute survey...

On Saturday 4th March 2017 people will come from all over the UK to take part in a Civic Reception and parade in Exeter, to remember two significant anniversaries in the country’s naval history.

2017 is the 75th anniversary of the sinking of the WW2 ship HMS Exeter and the 35th anniversary of the Falklands War. This is where the Type 42 destroyer, the other HMS Exeter, saw active duty.

HMS Exeter was involved in one of the most significant sea battles of the 2nd World War, The Battle of the River Plate. Following that battle, HMS Exeter went onto further battles and met its...

A new walking and cycling trail in Cranbrook has been officially opened.

The “Cranbrook Discovery Trail: Long Orchard” has been developed by Devon County Council, East Devon District Council, Cranbrook Town Council and Cranbrook New Community Partners Consortium to encourage residents to explore their local area.

As a designated “Healthy Town” it also provides local adults and children in Cranbrook with an opportunity to stay active.

The opening was attended by Councillor Andrew Moulding, Deputy Leader of East Devon District Council and Chairman of Devon County...