Local News

Second term for ‘excellent’ Exeter Lord Mayor

By Guy Henderson, local democracy reporter.

Exeter’s longest-serving councillor will serve a second term as the city’s Lord Mayor.

Cllr Kevin Mitchell (Lib Dem, Duryard and St James) was first elected to the city council in 2003, and is officially its ‘senior citizen’.

He said he was extremely proud to be nominated for a second year.

He was nominated by Cllr Laura Wright (Lab, St Thomas), who said: “He has been an excellent ambassador for the city, and has done his job with huge enthusiasm and enjoyment.”

She said his work with local community...

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Theatre announces new season and new look

The Bike Shed Theatre has launched a new website, a newsletter, a trailer and a whole new look.

With more behind-the-scenes information, interviews with artists and specialist cocktail recipes, the subterranean venue offers an an enticing glimpse inside for anyone who’s curious.

A new season of work kicks off with a festival of the finest Devon-based theatre companies. From Devon with Love is a celebration of fresh new work from homegrown voices, taking place this January. Hot on its heels, The Laugh Out Loud festival brings acclaimed comedians to Exeter, including The...

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New Dawlish cycle link approved

Proposals for a safe cycle link between Dawlish Warren and Dawlish town centre has been approved.

Councillors at Devon County Council’s Cabinet Meeting on Wednesday, December 9, backed a scheme which will extend the Exe Estuary walking and cycling route from Dawlish Warren towards Dawlish Town Centre.

The scheme, which has an estimated cost of £621,485, is one of several which, when combined, will eventually link Dawlish Warren to Dawlish Town Centre.

Once completed it will create a shared use footway/cycle route on the south western side of Exeter Road.

...

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Dartmoor Junior Rangers collect awards

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Tue, 12/15/2015 - 12:13pm

On Saturday 5 December naturalist and TV presenter Nick Baker attended an award ceremony for the first group of teenagers to complete the Dartmoor National Park Junior Ranger programme. Nick’s inspirational talk on his life’s journey with wildlife set the scene for the Awards in which all 12 Junior Rangers' achievements were celebrated.

Over the last 12 months of this pilot programme the Junior Rangers aged 13 -16 have been working towards achieving not one but three different Awards - The Dartmoor National Park Authority Junior Ranger Award, the John Muir Explorer 8 day award and...

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Mystery of missing exoplanet water solved

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Tue, 12/15/2015 - 11:47am

Astronomers from the University of Exeter have helped shed light on the atmospheres of a group of planets which orbit stars outside our solar system, known as exoplanets.

Exeter academics led an international team of experts in analysing observations from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the NASA Spitzer Space Telescope.

Their combined power gave a detailed study of the atmospheres of 10 hot-Jupiter exoplanets – the largest number ever collectively studied – in a bid to understand their atmospheres.

Previously, scientists had been puzzled that they had not...

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National recognition for dog friendly hotel

Authored by MiHi Digital
Posted: Tue, 12/15/2015 - 11:33am

A Devon hotel is celebrating having received national recognition for the quality of its ‘dog friendly’ accommodation.

Elizabeth and Steve Morey own the award-winning Blagdon Manor restaurant and hotel near Ashwater and have been welcoming dog owners from across the country for 15 years.

The hotel has been awarded a ‘certificate of excellence’ for its positive reviews on the world’s largest travel site, Trip Advisor and also named in the Independent and London Evening Standard as one of the ‘Top ten dog friendly hotels in the UK’.

To further enhance their...

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South Devon Highway opens

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 12/15/2015 - 11:19am

Devon County Council and Torbay Council, along with Galliford Try, have announced that the South Devon Highway is now open to traffic.

The new 5.5km dual carriageway opened to traffic in the early hours of Tuesday morning (15/12/15) in a phased process. Early on Monday evening a temporary closure of Hamelin Way, Torquay took place which enabled the removal of the roundabout at Kerswell Gardens and a final section of white lining painted on the intersections.

Following this phase, project staff, the traffic management team and members of Devon and Cornwall Police travelled...

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Father Christmas to reopen pool and cafe at Cofton Country Holidays

Authored by Gill Vosper
Posted: Tue, 12/15/2015 - 10:25am

Devon’s favourite multi-award-winning holiday park, Cofton Country Holidays near Starcross and Dawlish, is readying itself for the much anticipated reopening of its heated indoor Ashburn Springs Pool on Saturday 19th December.

Following over a month of renovations undertaken in readiness for the busy Christmas school holidays, the family friendly pool, steam room, sauna, soft play area and Amelia’s Café will be reopened by no less than Santa himself, who will be giving away free children’s presents from 11am-4pm on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th.

As an added bonus anyone...

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Improvement needed at D&C Police

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 12/15/2015 - 8:50am

Devon and Cornwall Police generally provides a good service in identifying vulnerable people and responds well to them, according to a report.

However, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary says there are several areas where improvement is needed to ensure that the service is consistent and vulnerable people are kept safe.

Given the scale of the challenge in this area and risk that is posed to some of the most vulnerable people, overall HMIC judges that the force requires improvement.

The force effectively identifies vulnerable victims. Its sexual offences and...

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Fire crews tackle blaze at Cranbrook

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Tue, 12/15/2015 - 8:28am

Fire crews were called to a thatch blaze in East Devon in the early hours of this morning (Tuesday 15 December).

Three fire engines from Exeter and Ottery St Mary, along with the water carrier from Exeter, were sent to Cranbrook shortly after 1am.

On arrival crews confirmed that a thatched roof derelict farm house was well alight and got to work extinguishing the fire using two hose reel jets and one main jet.

The thatched roof and first floor were well alight. The building was showing signs of collapse so crews withdrew from the sectors to keep themselves at a safe...

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Santa to reopen pool and cafe at Cofton Country Holidays

Authored by Gill Vosper
Posted: Tue, 12/15/2015 - 8:00am

Devon’s favourite multi-award-winning holiday park, Cofton Country Holidays near Starcross and Dawlish, is readying itself for the much anticipated reopening of its heated indoor Ashburn Springs Pool on Saturday 19th December.

Following over a month of renovations undertaken in readiness for the busy Christmas school holidays, the family friendly pool, steam room, sauna, soft play area and Amelia’s Café will be reopened by no less than Santa himself, who will be giving away free children’s presents from 11am-4pm on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th.

As an added bonus anyone...

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