Local News

People in Devon are being urged to consider apprenticeships as a brilliant way to kick-start a successful career.

Exeter has become a highly regarded centre of excellence for apprenticeships, with Exeter College and companies like Stagecoach South West leading the way.

The college, which currently has around 100 opportunities available with local firms, has now been running apprenticeship programmes for a quarter of a century, with thousands of people benefiting in that time. In the last seven years Stagecoach has seen more than 350 people successfully complete its...

New figures show that over 8,000 grandparents sought advice from the Grandparents’ Association last year after being denied access to their grandchildren. The vast majority of enquiries received by the charity were from grandparents whose son had separated from his partner. The trend is being reflected in the increase in cases of this kind being handled by leading Exeter law firm Stephens Scown LLP. Mark Smith, partner in Stephens Scown’s family law team in Exeter and a specialist in legal issues involving children said: “In my experience the increase in legal advice being sought by...

Tony Hogg, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall has challenged the Home Secretary over her “crying wolf” comments about the state of police resources. Theresa May (pictured) has told the Police Federation to stop ‘scaremongering’ over the effects of cuts while crime is falling. Mr Hogg said, “The Home Secretary needs to understand that policing is facing a crisis. Reductions in funding are forcing compromises in all aspects of policing work that threaten the very basis of British policing.” “A police service will always be provided, regardless of the level of funding,...

Come and join the team at A la Ronde for a ‘Grand Tour’ of all the places visited by former owners of the quirky sixteen-sided house, cousins Jane and Mary Parminter.

Over the May half term, A la Ronde will be running an Explorer Family Trail around the grounds based on the traditional European tour. Visitors young and old can look for and try to solve hidden clues, do the activities and win a prize. The trail runs from Saturday 23 to Sunday 31 May, from 10.30am to 5.30pm and is £1.50 per child.

On the 26 May, from 11am to 4pm, the team is also holding a half term fun craft...