Local News

Exeter Airport has notched up its fourth successive year of growth in 2016 with passenger numbers up to 847,372.

Latest CAA figures show that 25,583 more passengers used Exeter last year, up 3% on the year before. The figures include the airport’s best August in eight years, when more than 100,000 people passed through the terminal.

But the strongest growth was in November and December, up 11% and 13% respectively on the back of new winter sun flights to Alicante and Malaga in Spain, which started at the end of October.

The flights were made possible by an...

Deaf footballers in Exeter hoping to become coaches have been given a £1,000 boost to help pay for sign language interpreters.

Exeter City Football in the Community have a deaf football team known as Exeter City Knights who train weekly and play in monthly Ability Counts tournaments.

Some of the players are keen to become coaches but need support to take the FA courses.

Housebuilder Persimmon Homes South West has stepped in with a £1,000 donation to help pay for two sign language interpreters to translate alongside FA Tutors during the course.

Will Allan,...

Shaldon Bridge is set to be raised once a year to ensure that the recently refurbished structure remains operational and to allow essential maintenance.

Last Friday (February 17) Devon County Council contractors, under the direction of the authority’s Bridges Team, successfully completed a trial raising of the bridge’s lifting span. An Act of Parliament requires that the bridge, which links Shaldon with Teignmouth across the River Teign, remains operational. The current 324-metre long bridge was completed in 1931, but it has been many years since the lifting span was used for...

Some very strong winds are expected today (Thursday) in association with storm Doris with gusts of 60-70 mph likely, and 70-80 mph on coasts and hills.

Whilst the strongest winds look to be only short-lived, damage to structures, interruptions to power supplies and widespread disruption to travel networks are likely, with a danger of injury from flying debris. Trees are also likely to be damaged or blown over.

Heavy rain is also likely through Thursday as well as some snow over high ground as the system clears eastwards. These may prove additional hazards.

There is...