Local News

Entries now open for the RSPCA’s Walk on the Wild Side challenge

Wildlife lovers are being invited to sign up for the RSPCA’s autumn active fundraising event ‘ Walk on the Wild Side ’.

The event invites participants across England and Wales to complete a walking challenge throughout October.

The fundraising challenge comes at a critical time for the charity as it reveals that last October (2024) was its busiest month for hedgehogs in the last five years*, and also marks the beginning of ‘seal pup season’ - when the RSPCA’s wildlife hospitals also typically see a spike in grey seals admitted as orphans, or struggling to feed and are...

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Hidden crop pest threat to poorer nations revealed

The abundance of crop pests in developing countries may be greatly underestimated, posing a significant threat to some of the world’s most important food producing nations, according to research led by the University of Exeter.

Data on the known distributions of almost 2,000 crop-destroying organisms in 195 countries were analysed in the first global assessment of the factors determining the distribution of crop pests.

Dr Dan Bebber and Professor Sarah Gurr, of Biosciences at the University of Exeter, found that if all countries had levels of scientific and technical...

David Cameron visits Dawlish repairworks

Prime Minister, David Cameron, has today visited the destroyed track near Dawlish as part of his tour of the storm damage in the South West. Mr Cameron met with the repair force from Network Rail and thanked railway staff for their work to retain service via replacement bus and alternative travel schemes. At meeting with Rail operators First Great Western Mr Cameron tweeted “Hearing how @FGW are keeping the SW #openforbusiness. We will look at possible alternatives to the Dawlish rail route.” The Prime Minister later met with local volunteers accompanied by Anne Marie Morris MP for Newton...

Severe gales and risk of floods remain

Gale force winds are forecast for the rest of this week as the relentless storms continue to batter the South West.

The Met Office’s chief forecaster said: “With ongoing flooding in some places, any further rain will only add to the problems. Very gusty winds may be an added hazard in places.”

The Met Office forecast for the next five days is as follows:

Today:

A wet and windy start with some heavy downpours. The rain will clear eastwards during the morning, leaving the rest of the day bright and breezy, with a few showers, some of which will be heavy,...

Rising assaults against ambulance drivers

The rising number of assaults against frontline staff has seen the Ambulance service re-commit to a zero tolerance approach to abuse. The South West Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) reports that there were 104 reports of physical abuse against frontline staff in the last 12 months. 73 of the reported assaults were referred to the police with 22 incidents leading to the abusive patients to be arrested. There are a number of more serious cases awaiting a court date as a result of these reports. Anne Payne, Health, Safety and Security Manager with SWASFT, said: “All reports of...

A la Ronde are appealing for books

Volunteers at A la Ronde, the National Trust property near Exmouth, are busy sorting books of all shapes, sizes, titles and themes ready for the forthcoming season.

The second-hand book sale area in the house is in its fifth year and is hugely popular. We raised over £9,000 last year. So we are asking our supporters to sort out their book shelves and donate any surplus books. The funds raised go towards conservation of the unique and quirky collection in the house.

We are able to collect books if needed. Jigsaws are really popular too, so any complete jigsaws in good...

South West Water are freezing prices and investing in services

South West Water plans to invest almost £160million in improving its services in 2014-15, and freeze standard tariffs and standing charges for all its household and business customers until April 2015.

A total of £430,000 per day will be spent on improving the region's vital water and sewerage infrastructure in 2014-15.

The year's investment is part of a £700million programme between 2010 and 2015 which supports 4,000 jobs in the wider regional economy.

Exeter is one particular area that will benefit from South West Water’s new improvements. £4.4million is being...

PCC Hogg endorses National Rural Crime Network

A new National Rural Crime Network, endorsed by eighteen (18) of the UK’s Police and Crime Commissioners, including Devon and Cornwall’s Tony Hogg, has been set-up to help tackle rural crime more effectively in England and Wales. A further 8 Commissioners are considering joining the group which could bring the total to around two thirds of PCCs across the two countries. Once established the Network will provide an online resource for police, community safety practitioners and others to interact, to share information, training development, access to case studies and link up with other...

Women of Exeter invited to take part in global event

Women of Exeter are invited to take part in a free Global event, entitled ' Running | Out of Time ' .

Running | Out of Time is a part-audio, part-video, individual running experience; globally shared. It invites women to engage in a story-based audio experience exploring running, parkour, and free running.

The event, which is taking place on Saturday 8th March ( International Women's Day), sees its participants in Exeter linked to a runner somewhere else around the globe as far as China, India or South America, who will be sharing the same experience at exactly the same...

East Devon Plan Inquiry Underway

Government Inspector Anthony Thickett starts his 19-day hearing sessions of the public examination of the Draft Local Plan 2006-26 submitted by East Devon District Council on Tuesday, 11 February.

Full details of the programme, showing the dates and subject matter of each session, are available on the programme officer’s website at http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/progofficer

Proceedings will last for just under one month and in that time the Inspector will hear evidence from the council, community organisations, protest groups and landowners and developers in the district....

Met Office says there is no 'definitive answer' to cause of freak weather

The Met Office says there is 'no definitive answer' to what has caused the exceptional weather so far this year.

However, in a paper it says there is "evidence that shows that extreme daily rainfall rates are becoming more intense, and that the rate of increase is consistent with what is expected from the fundamental physics of a warming world".

The Met Office paper states: "This series of winter storms has been exceptional in its duration, and has led to the wettest December to January period in the UK since records began. Heavy rains combined with strong winds and high...

Local News

Entries now open for the RSPCA’s Walk on the Wild Side challenge

Hidden crop pest threat to poorer nations revealed

David Cameron visits Dawlish repairworks

Severe gales and risk of floods remain

Rising assaults against ambulance drivers

A la Ronde are appealing for books

South West Water are freezing prices and investing in services

PCC Hogg endorses National Rural Crime Network

Women of Exeter invited to take part in global event

East Devon Plan Inquiry Underway

Met Office says there is no 'definitive answer' to cause of freak weather

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