Local News

Devon County Council has pledged to phase out its use of the most polluting single-use plastic products within two years.

The move is part of a new action plan the Council has developed to help cut the amount of single-use plastic waste in Devon.

The ‘Plastics Strategy’ outlines how various single-use plastic food and beverage packaging and tableware (such as cutlery and cups) will be removed from Council work locations by 2020.

It also summarises how the Council will use its position and responsibility to raise awareness of the issues surrounding single-use...

Cartoonist Tony Husband has created a 9ft mural for residents at RMBI Home Cadogan Court in Exeter. Well known for his cartoons in newspapers and magazines including Private Eye, Punch and The Times, Tony visited the Home on Thursday 10 May with dementia activist Gina Awad who supported the event. He spent the day drawing different focal points with the help of residents, which he later created into a large mural in the Home’s reception. Gina gathered residents’ stories which inspired Tony to create personalised portraits for residents to have as keepsakes. Tony said: “It was wonderful...

The RSPCA received more than 300 calls - that’s two calls an hour - last week, during a mini heatwave which swept across England & Wales.

The animal welfare charity received 317 reports of animals in hot environments, the majority of which were dogs that had been left in hot cars, from Monday 28 May to Sunday 3 June - when temperatures hit the mid 20s. Advice is that people should contact the police on 999 if they see a dog in distress in a hot car but on average more than two calls an hour were still made to the charity.

The RSPCA is one of 14 organisations which run...

A planning application for a new water sports centre on Exmouth seafront will be considered by East Devon District Council’s Development Management Committee next month.

The application from Grenadier Exmouth Ltd to build the centre and associated facilities off Queen’s Drive, will go before the committee on Tuesday 5 June.

Grenadier proposes a new two-storey water sports centre, café, restaurant and retail units plus car parking, open space and a ramped access to the beach. The application has the support of Exmouth Town Council and there are 37 letters of objection....