The number of plastic bags taken home by shoppers at Tesco stores in England has dropped by almost 80 per cent since a 5p levy was introduced according to a report

Supermarket bosses have declined to say how many 5p bags had been bought but said it was down 78% on the month before the charge, the Daily Telegraph reports.

The government brought in the charge in October to help reduce the amount of plastic waste.

The number of bags given out by seven major supermarkets in England rose by 200 million in 2014 to exceed 7.6 billion - the equivalent of 140 per person and...

Entries are now open for the Michelmores Property Awards, which showcase and celebrate the very best of the South West's property and construction industry. Michelmores is calling upon property developers, building contractors, architects and other industry professionals to nominate buildings, projects and businesses from across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset for the annual awards, which are now in their 14th year.

For the 2016 awards, the nine categories will include: Project of the Year with a Value Under £2million, Project of the Year with a Value £2-7million, Project of...

Your essential guide to what's on in and around Exeter this weekend (4-6 December).

THEATRE

A Christmas Carol Daily, Exeter Northcott Theatre Creative Cow present a magical new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ much-loved Christmas classic. Ebenezer Scrooge is a notoriously bitter old man who is determined not to let Christmas interfere with his miserly routine. But one Christmas Eve, Scrooge receives some unexpected supernatural visitors who are determined to show him the true spirit of Christmas and the error of his ways. Tickets £12-£28. Show runs until 3 January. https://...

Are you looking for something fun to do with the family the week after Christmas? Look no further! Hopster Showtime’s Winter Special screening is coming to a Picturehouse near you, from Monday 28th December to Saturday 2nd January 2015.

The UK’s favourite kids learning and entertainment app is spreading the festive cheer with 22 special nationwide screenings of hit TV series Pingu, Bob the Builder and Thomas & FriendsTM. Sponsored by fun and healthy snack provider, Fruit Bowl, who aim to help mums naturally fuel their kids’ daily fun and Nature’s Own, a specialist in vitamins...

Rob Baxter admits there is real excitement in and around the Exeter Chiefs camp as they gear up for tomorrow’s crunch Aviva Premiership encounter with Wasps.

Devon’s finest will head to the Ricoh Arena looking not to maintain their lofty placing within the division’s top two, but at the same time inflict another telling blow on one of their potential rivals for a play-off place this term.

Like the Chiefs, Wasps are themselves in a rich vein of form and with an equally proud home record – they’ve only lost twice at their Coventry base since moving their a year ago – it has...

A Devon County Show steward is preparing to embark on a 200-mile charity cycle ride from the showground in Exeter to London on Monday (December 7), to raise money to develop a new rural hub.

Fifty-one-year old Deborah Custance Baker, who is a Director of the Devon County Agricultural Association and the County Show’s chief steward of the Crafts and Gardens Pavilion and the Spring Sausage competition, hopes her gruelling ride will raise thousands of pounds.

“The Wadsworth Pavilion on the showground is a terrific building and full of character but sadly it can’t be used to...

Nominations are now being accepted for the prestigious Exeter Foundation Devon Sports Awards, which will take place at the home of the Exeter Chiefs, Sandy Park, on 13th May 2016.

The awards, which are held in association with Active Devon and in partnership with Exeter College, celebrate the best in sport throughout Devon, with all funds going to the Exeter Foundation.

Organisers of the event are keen to celebrate a wide cross-section of sport from community to elite level and there has been a reorganisation of the categories from previous years to reflect this.

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Retail traders and businesses will benefit from council’s exclusive short term reserved winter car parking offer in run up to Christmas Following a meeting between East Devon District Councillors Matt Booth, Cathy Gardener and John Dyson (ward members for Sidmouth) and Andrew Ennis, the service lead for Environmental Health and Car Parks at East Devon District Council, it has been agreed that car parking spaces in East Devon District Council’s Mill Street and Holmedale car parks will shortly be available to rent on an exclusive basis, from Monday 7 December to Sunday 27 December, to raise...

A man has been charged with murder after a body of a 71-year-old woman was found in a vehicle near Fenny Bridges, East Devon on Wednesday 2 December.

Charles Robert Broom, 66, from Honiton has been charged with murder and is remanded in custody to appear before Exeter Magistrates Court today, Friday 4 December.

Formal identification of the victim will take place later today.

See also: http://www.theexeterdaily.co.uk/news/business-daily-local-news/man-arres...