Local News

Watermeadow Grange hosted inspiring public sessions with endurance adventurer Louis Alexander

Watermeadow Grange opened its doors to the local Topsham community for two packed public sessions showcasing the power of mindset and elite mental resilience.

The event, titled ‘An Audience with Louis Alexander, ’ featured the 26-year-old endurance adventurer and three-time world record holder sharing the extraordinary stories behind his global feats.

The talk comes right ahead of his newly announced world-first attempt this July to kayak seven of the deadliest ocean crossings on Earth. This perilous 300-mile journey marks the final chapter of his ‘Trilogy of the Seven...

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Grab your friends and family, and sign up today for the 5km or 10km military style obstacle race boasting over 35 obstacles, hot showers and an after party.

Set in the beautiful grounds of Escot Park, this is an obstacle course like no other. A cocktail of mud, sweat and team work that will push your mettle to the max. With 35 obstacles, you can look forward to 8-foot walls, ice pits, a few well-placed hills and the best water based obstacles in the country. After some extreme levels of mud, you’ll be ready for the hot shower at the finish line!

Over 50 per cent of this...

East Devon council consider relocation

East Devon District Council is considering relocating its headquarters to Skypark.

The decision, taken by cabinet on 5 February, will now be put forward as the preferred location to full council on 26 February. If approved, officers will be asked to carry out further research into the viability of the move. Marketing of Knowle would start promptly.

This is an important step forward and a further report would then be brought back to cabinet and full council before a final decision is made in the summer.

Back in November cabinet shortlisted four out of 15 possible...

People urged to help rough sleepers in storms

People have been asked to help identify anyone who is sleeping rough during the extreme wet and windy weather.

Exeter City Council is urging people to call the Devon and Cornwall Rough Sleeper Hotline on 0800 151 3441 if they are aware of anyone who may be at risk from the storms.

Cllr Rob Hannaford, Lead Councillor for Housing and Customer Access, said: "We have activated our Severe Weather Provision and our outreach team is currrently working with St Petrocks to identify vulnerable rough sleepers to assist with accommodation. It is likely that this situation will continue...

High praise from Devon Schools

A pioneering federation which educates nearly 1,600 students in West Devon has achieved a clean sweep of highly positive judgements from school inspectors.

The Dartmoor Federation was formed three years ago and has one governing body running Okehampton College and Lydford, Bridestowe, Boasley Cross and Exbourne primary schools.

The schools all share their educational expertise and the federation provides some coordinated back office support.

All five schools were inspected separately by Ofsted last month and have all passed with flying colours.

Okehampton...

Council leader tells government 'The Region deserves more help'

Devon County Council leader John Hart has demanded that the Government provides more support for the South West following the latest wave of storm force weather.

In his message Mr Hart calls for the Government to ensure that the South West is not “left to pick up a massive bill” in road repairs.

In recent years many local authorities, including Devon, have seen the amount of money available for travel maintenance fall below the cost of repairs.

Last year Devon’s roads received only £3million pounds in Bellwin funding despite a bill of more than £18 million in road...

A la Ronde calls for volunteers

Have you thought about volunteering but haven't made that first step?

Sarah Schmitz, House Steward at A la Ronde, the quirky 16-sided National Trust property near Exmouth, is seeking volunteers to join the friendly team.

“A la Ronde is a unique house with a fabulous story to tell. Becoming a volunteer here will give you opportunities to learn new skills or share your own life skills with us. We are looking for room guides, people to help in the shop and visitor reception, as well as fundraisers to sell raffle tickets which fund conservation at the property."

She...

Farmer convicted after he 'flouted' dog ban

An Okehampton farmer has been convicted in Exeter Magistrates Court of breaching the ban that was imposed on him by Exeter Crown Court in November 2012.

He was fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £500 plus a £30 victim surcharge. So a total of £1030. The prosecution was brought by Devon and Somerset Trading Standards Service.

The court heard that Leon Smith kept a collie dog in a livestock trailer on his land at Meldon, near Okehampton for at least six days. The court was told that a local resident heard the dog in the trailer on 24th March 2013, took photos, and...

PM calls for: 'a proper alternative service and solution' to destroyed Dawlish rail line

The Prime Minster, David Cameron has said he is determined to give the public “a proper alternative service and solution” to the destroyed train line in Dawlish.

The train line which was destroyed when Tuesday night’s storm breached the Dawlish Seawall is not expected to be functionally repaired until at least the 18th March despite full scale repair works.

Many of the services between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot are running limited replacement bus services until this date. However rail operators have said that the service is dependent on local road conditions....

Destroyed track costs up to £2m a day

It is going to be at least March before trains will run through Dawlish again after the sea wall underneath the line was damaged by storm force winds and heavy seas.

Network Rail says around 80m of both tracks has been severely damaged by the sea, washing away ballast and the foundations on which the track is built. There is also severe damage to the sea wall and the track and platforms at Dawlish station.

It is estimated the repairs will take around six weeks.

A spokesman said: "Network Rail engineers are on site at a number of locations in the south west of...

Bomb fears stall Exmouth storm repairs

A suspected unexploded bomb found in Exmouth has put emergency repair work on hold while bomb disposal teams approach the “mystery canister”.

Eight workers from Eastr Devon District council were on the seafront near the boating lake helping to dismantle an ice cream hut that was in danger of being washed out to sea and becoming a danger to shipping.

When the canister was spotted, Coastguard officers were called and they decided to enforce a 30-metre exclusion zone, which mean that work on the hut had to be suspended until Bomb Disposal officers from Plymouth reached the...

Local News

Watermeadow Grange hosted inspiring public sessions with endurance adventurer Louis Alexander

Sign up now for the 2014 RockSolidRace

East Devon council consider relocation

People urged to help rough sleepers in storms

High praise from Devon Schools

Council leader tells government 'The Region deserves more help'

A la Ronde calls for volunteers

Farmer convicted after he 'flouted' dog ban

PM calls for: 'a proper alternative service and solution' to destroyed Dawlish rail line

Destroyed track costs up to £2m a day

Bomb fears stall Exmouth storm repairs

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