Local News

Plans to give rail passengers along the South Western network more trains, more space and faster journeys were today (4 July) announced by Rail Minister Claire Perry. The Department for Transport has published documents setting out how bidders for the new South Western franchise will be required to provide plans for:

• At least 95 additional services on weekdays from December 2018.
• A doubling of services along the London Waterloo to Reading and Waterloo to Windsor & Eton Riverside routes from two to four trains an hour.
• Earlier first trains and later
...

A competition held by the charity Devon Wildlife Trust to find a name for its beaver mascot has revealed a winner. ‘Nora’, is the name chosen for the six-foot tall mascot which is being used by the charity to promote its work for England’s only breeding population of wild beavers which live on the River Otter, East Devon.

The name, which plays on the rodents’ habit of gnawing on riverside trees and plants, was the idea of Sidmouth shop owner Karen Greenslade.

Speaking at her Humbug Gifts shop, Karen said: “I was delighted when I heard that Devon Wildlife Trust had picked...

Leading local advice charity, Citizens Advice Exeter, today launches its third economic well-being survey.

The survey, in partnership with the Express and Echo, Radio Exe, Exeter City Council and Exeter Chamber of Commerce, will highlight the current financial and employment situation in Exeter. It will help Citizens Advice Exeter to highlight trends with policy-makers and to further tailor their advice and information resources to meet the needs of local people.

The anonymous survey can be found on the Home Page of the Citizens Advice Exeter website – www....

Callington and fghan United were the winners in Exeter City’s community football tournament held on Sunday (3 July). Nearly 200 local players took part.

Callington won the Women’s competition, winning every match they played. They beat Tedburn St Mary based Inter M’Ladies 5-1 in the final. In the semi finals Callington defeated the All Blacks from South Devon 2-1 and Inter edged out Buckland, also by 2-1. In the Men’s competition Afghan United became the first team to win the title three times, having previously won the tournament in 2008 and 2009. They beat Kurdish side Azad...