The weather was still and dry for the biggest event in South Molton’s busy calendar on Friday night, (6 December), when the town hosted its Winter Wonderland celebration, as part of the Big Christmas Festival weekend.
The evening started in style with the infectious rhythms of Samba Sol, who led the Children’s Lantern Parade as it wended itsway from the Infants School, down the Lime Walk, onto The Square.
Enroute they met up with Father Christmas, who had given his reindeers a night off, arriving instead via Cedric the donkey and his smart carriage! Father Christmas was...
Police in Torquay have released CCTV stills of a group of men they would like to speak to in connection with the vandalism of a Christmas fair in the town.
Christmas lights, attached to nine market huts outside the Town Hall, are seen on CCTV being attacked by the four men in the early hours of Sunday 8 December.
The men are also seen ripping the paper off one of the huts which had been made up to look like a giant Christmas present.
Police are now trying to identify four men who left the harbourside area around 3.50am on 8 December and walked up through the town...
The Equalities minister Maria Miller has announced that same-sex marriages can take place from March 29.
The date comes far sooner than expected as it was believed that marriages would not be available until the summer.
It is thought that the date has been brought forward as the Government made the necessary arrangements before schedule.
Same sex couples wishing to marry on March 29 must submit a formal notice of this intention by March 19 Maria Miller said: “Marriage is one of our most important institutions, and from 29 March 2014 it will be open to everyone,...
A Devon charity is raising money this Christmas by selling a very special chocolate.
Paignton Zoo, a registered education, science and conservation charity, is believed to be one of the first zoos in the UK to stock Madecasse Chocolate, made from the finest Madagascan cocoa.
Paul Bellingham, of Paignton Zoo, said: “This is really special, as most chocolate is processed outside Africa. It’s a perfect product for us to sell – made from shade-grown cocao, harvested without damaging natural forest habitat, it generates jobs and money for local people in a developing economy....
If you would like to hear some acoustic rock tunes, all in aid of a good cause, then you need to pay a visit to St Stephens chuch on Saturday 14th December.
Exeter based artist GRICE and his five piece band will be performing at the church as part of the start of their tour. The tour will see GRICE performing at selected chuches and small venues around the Southwest, Bristol and London.
Listeners will get to hear GRICE's album for the first time in its entirety, meaning this is an event not to be missed.
This saturday they will be performing to help raise vital...
Solanaceae, or nightshades, is one of the most diverse plant families. It includes plants like potato, tomato, aubergines, and peppers that have become vital components of our daily diet, but also others such as tobacco, mandrake, and belladonna, that are highly toxic and have been used as sources for powerful, hallucinogenic and medicinal drugs. During this event, artists, scientists and historians will share intriguing stories about attempts to domesticate this bewildering diversity. We shape plants, and they shape us in turn. Knowing them is not just a matter of science, but of designs...
South Molton’s fifth Christmas Fatstock Show was held on Sunday 8 December, as part of the town’s Big Christmas Festival weekend. The Christmas Fatstock Show is firmly rooted in agriculture and any visitor to it experiences a real taste of the area’s farming tradition. This is the one day of the year that sees the Pannier Market returning to its roots, with pens of sheep (and carcasses) beingshown and subsequently auctioned on the day. Mr Ron Tapp and his son Andrew took the Championship once again, as they did in 2011. As sheep are such an important part of agriculture on Exmoor (with...
Four police dogs and their handlers are the latest highly trained officers to join Devon and Cornwall's canine unit.
The officers and their faithful companions have taken part in a passing out parade to mark the end of their training.
The group began their dog training in September and successfully passed an intensive two-day assessment with flying colours. The examination was carried out by PC Nick Dalrymple from Avon and Somerset Police.
Paul Glennon, Canine Development Officer and Course Instructor, said: “Following the assessment the assessor commented that this...
Government advisors have recommended the drug ketamine should be upgraded to a Class B drug.
Currently a Class C drug, the new classification could see illegal possession of ketamine carry a five year prison sentence.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is expected to pass the advice to the Government following new evidence on the long term affects of the drug.
The new evidence from the Advisory Council showed that the prolonged use of the drug causes severe damage to the bladder which may have to be removed by surgery in the most serious cases.
