Local News

Beaches and bathing water quality will be discussed at the Devon Maritime Forum meeting next week.

With tougher bathing water quality targets coming into force this year, and following the introduction of the EU’s revised Bathing Water Directive, the meeting at Saunton Sands Hotel in Braunton on Tuesday 7 July, will focus on key marine and coastal water quality issues.

The meeting will explore the improvements made to water quality, the challenges which remain, and the various solutions required to help tackle the issue.

Professor Ed Maltby, Chairman of the Devon...

British Transport Police (BTP) is appealing for information after a vandal painted parts of the railway infrastructure in Exeter, causing £500 worth of damage.

A railway signal, ladder, junction box and 20 sleepers were all painted bright pink close to Polsloe Bridge station on Sunday, 14 June. Officers have now released a photograph of the scene and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward information.

Sergeant Mark Harris said: “Rail staff at Exeter station first spotted the bright pink paintwork down the line early on Sunday, 14 June. We therefore...

The RMT’s ballot for both strike action and action short of a strike of all First Great Western members over the threat to jobs and safety from the introduction of the new Hitachi Inter-City trains has recorded overwhelming votes in favour: Members of the union will walk out for 48 hours from 18:30 BST on 8 July.

The union said a guard should be kept on every train, but FGW said having drivers controlling doors was safer and jobs would not be lost.

At the end of May the union confirmed that it had entered into dispute with First Great Western over the introduction of Super...

Sidmouth’s Manor Pavilion Theatre has topped the bill with its own audiences after being awarded a Certificate of Excellence Award from TripAdvisor.

Staff at the venue, owned and managed by East Devon District Council, are thrilled with the surprise accolade and believe they are one of the few theatres in the South West to have received such an award.

The 277 seat theatre continues to go from strength to strength and has attracted more than 32,000 visitors in the last year with over 265 performances. Investment and improvements made to the venue by the council over the...