Local News

Nearly half of the South West’s businesses plan to take on apprentices in the next five years according to a survey of employers across England. The study of 601 businesses, released to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week, also shows how Apprenticeships are growing in popularity, with half of all employers in the South West (50%) reporting that they are now more likely to offer an Apprenticeship than they were two years ago. A quarter of employers also reported that they would be taking on apprentices within the next 12 months indicating that more companies are seeing the advantages...

Today officially marks the one-month anniversary of the closure of the South West’s main rail link after line at Dawlish was left in tatters by extreme storm damage on the 4th February.

The closure has badly hit the South West’s economy as businesses face severe disruption to their normal activity. The region’s tourist industry thought to have been hot particularly badly seeing significantly lower bookings than expected. Since the destruction, Network Rail engineers have been working hurriedly to repair and reinforce the broken track often in very difficult circumstances. The...

The Bishop of Crediton, Nick McKinnel, has pledged to buy and eat only local food this Lent, wherever possible.

Bishop Nick and his wife Jan will buy only food grown and produced in Devon and Cornwall throughout the six weeks of Lent, which begins this week on Ash Wednesday.

He said: “I am hoping wherever possible to buy food sourced only in Devon and Cornwall. This helps to cut food miles and carbon emissions, as well as supporting local farmers. There are farm shops and farmers markets across the county which we hope to frequent, and by shopping for local produce, we are...

A possible outbreak of mumps at Clyst Vale Community College in Broadclyst has seen health authorities ask the public to check they have had two doses of the MMR vaccine. In all twenty possible cases have been reported at Clyst Vale affecting both students and teachers and has been connected to Cullompton Rugby Club who cancelled games on Saturday 1st March to reduce the risk of further infection. The Public Health Team at Devon County Council are now working with Public Health England to inform people that two doses of the MMR vaccine are needed to protect against the virus causing mumps...