Interfering politicians once tried to restrict drinkers to spending just an hour in the pub and to close locals at just 9pm, new research shows.

People power in the Stuart era defeated their attempts to introduce these killjoy restrictions, according to a new book.

As people prepare to celebrate the New Year in hostelries, a new book on the history of the pub shows revellers defied attempts to stop them drinking by attacking and swearing at officials and locking them out of alehouses. In many areas this led to the rules not being enacted.

The first alehouses were...

Police are appealing for witnesses following a burglary at an antiques centre in Devon

Then and Now Antiques on the fore Street in Chulmleigh, Devon was burgled over night between the 16th and 17th of December.

A number of gold items were taken including pocket watches and rings. In total, around £15,000 worth of jewellery were taken.

Police have released images of some of the items taken and would like to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area, or who may have been offered any of these items for sale.

If you have any information that can...

Police were called just before 12.50pm yesterday (Wednesday 28 December 2016) after reports of a body of a man being found in the canal on The Quay, Exeter.

The body is male, thought to be in his 60s but he has not yet been formally identified.

Enquiries are underway to identify the man.

Police are not treating this death as suspicious.

A police cordon was set up yesterday whilst the body was recovered, assisted by the police dive team.

If anyone has any information about this incident police would like to hear from them. Please email 101@dc.police....

South West Water is working with the University of Exeter to test the use of drone technology and thermal imaging for leak detection. Laboratory tests of the thermal cameras have proved positive and field-scale trials are planned for 2017.

The technology works by attaching a thermal sensor to a drone which would then be flown along pipeline routes particularly in rural locations. The thermal sensor can detect differences in soil temperature which could be caused by an escape of water.

With 18,000kms of pipe, much of it in rural and remote areas, and more than a million...

Police are investigating a burglary which took place at a property on London Road, Whimple, Exeter, between Friday 2 December and Tuesday 6 December 2016.

During the burglary, a large amount of distinctive Pandora charms were stolen along with a number of First World War Anzac medals dating from 1915. These include a distinguished conduct medal and a 15 star medal in bronze with red a red, blue and white ribbon.

The medals (pictured) were awarded to James Joseph (JJ) Wimms.

DC Matt Burnell said: “I am particularly keen for local jewellers and antique dealers to be...

The South Devon Highway has made a massive impact to the area across South Devon – that’s the message from Devon County Council and Torbay Council, a year after the road opened to traffic (15th December 2015).

Since that time, traffic patterns have shifted: official traffic counts note a significant drop in traffic along local roads, particularly in Kingskerswell, as most traffic now uses the new 5.5km route.

Initial data from ongoing air quality monitoring indicate Nitrogen Dioxide pollution levels along the old route through Kingskerswell have dropped by almost 50%. On an...

A newly-formed Scout group in Cranbrook has been handed a £1,000 boost towards a storage container.

Persimmon Homes South West has made the donation to 1st Cranbrook Scout Group. The group was formed to serve the new Devon town and already has a Beaver colony, a Cub pack and a Scout troop. The group currently rents its meeting venues from the local community and council but has nowhere to store activity or camping equipment. Leaders are raising funds for a small shipping container. Group scout leader Mo Ricketts said: “We are extremely grateful to Persimmon Homes South West for...