Mark Twiggs says Exeter Chiefs players can expect to be ‘pushed to the limit’ during what will be a gruelling pre-season programme for the squad ahead of the new 2015/16 season.

With the Aviva Premiership set for a later start this term due to this autumn’s Rugby World Cup, the make-up of seasonal plans have been somewhat changed for all 12 top flight clubs in England.

Twiggs, who heads up the Strength & Conditioning department at the Chiefs, has spent much of the off season devising a structured training programme which he believes will ensure Rob Baxter’s team is in...

People in Exeter are being warned about a telephone scam.

Exeter City Council said that it had been contacted by a number of residents who had received calls from people claiming to be representing the City Council.

The caller then asks about claiming compensation for a car accident.

Exeter City Council said the calls were nothing to do with the local authority and the callers were not working on their behalf.

People are urged not to disclose any personal information and to hang up immediately.

It is understood that people in other parts of the UK...

Staff from LHC’s Exeter and Plymouth design studios have raised over £2,500 for one of the UK’s oldest charities, Devon based Hannahs.

The team of architects and urban designers cycled 58 miles and climbed 3750 feet of hills on Sunday, raising money towards a new £11,000 all-terrain wheelchair for the charity.

Twenty members of staff, including six of the company Directors completed the route, starting from the Exeter Design Studio on Exeter Business Park and finishing at the Plymouth Design Studio at Royal William Yard, visiting the two Hannah’s sites at Seale Hayne,...

Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, today used his Summer Budget to set out the next stage in delivering the government’s plan for working people in the South West.

This Budget has delivered a tax cut for 2.6 million people in the South West, taken an additional 50,000 out of income tax all together, announced new opportunities for up to 320,000 apprentices and offers more childcare to working parents. Since 2010, there are 163,000 more people in work in the South West and 98,900 more businesses.

Putting progress towards devolution to Cornwall and significant...

Rugby's greatest prize, the Webb Ellis Cup, came to Dartmoor today as part of the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour.

The Webb Ellis Cup is visiting various locations around Devon, starting in Plymouth and finishing in Exeter on July 11, before continuing its journey around the country, finishing at Twickenham Stadium on September 18 ahead of the Opening Ceremony.

The Trophy is named after William Webb Ellis, credited as the inventor of Rugby Football, and is the prestigious prize for the sport. The Trophy Tour is part of the 100 day countdown to Rugby World Cup 2015 and has...

International materials handling company STILL UK has signed a deal for a new £5m facility at Hill Barton Business Park in Exeter.

Planning consent was granted in May for the new 5,100 sq m building that will become the UK HQ for the company. Contracts were exchanged last week.

Nick Smith, managing director of STILL UK, said: “STILL is delighted to have now legally committed to this exciting project.

“Working with Stuart Properties and JLL, we have designed our new facility, which will be our UK headquarters. This is great news for the business and particularly our...

The Chancellor has presented his Summer Budget to Parliament today. Here is a summary of what was announced:

1. Introducing a new National Living Wage of over £9 an hour by 2020

From April 2016, a new National Living Wage of £7.20 an hour for the over 25s will be introduced. This will rise to over £9 an hour by 2020.

2. The government will run a surplus in 2019-20

The deficit will be reduced by around 1% of GDP (the value of the economy as a whole) on average in each year, which is the same pace as over the last 5 years. This means a surplus (where more...

Seventy hectares of wildlife-rich land close to one of Dartmoor’s most popular recreation sites is set to become a brand new nature reserve thanks to a partnership between Devon Wildlife Trust and the Forestry Commission.

The nature reserve, which is to be called Bellever Moor and Meadow, is owned by the Forestry Commission and is close to the moorland village of Postbridge and the well-known Bellever Forest picnic site. The land, which is made up of a patchwork of traditional hay-meadows, wet grassland and moorland, is set to become the latest of nearly 50 nature reserves cared...

DCH and partner organisations deliver successful West Town Farm, Ide event as part of the Appetite 4 Change Initiative

As part of their continued commitment to providing opportunities that help residents and their local community improve their health and wellbeing, DCH teamed up with Love Local Food and Westbank Health and Wellbeing Centre to run a fun joint event at West Town Farm, Ide on Saturday 13 June.

Participants learned about organic farming and sustainable food production and took part in fun activities, for example; Travel Devon were promoting safe cycle networks...