Exeter

The nation will be going batty again this summer when Ping! - the free street table tennis festival - bounces back for the sixth year running, now in 19 towns and cities, including Plymouth and Exeter.

Last years Ping! festival in Exeter was a runaway success and this year there are set to be more tables, in more locations so that more people can have fun and play.

A little taster of the excitement to be had this summer will begin with the #Ping Challenge at the Exeter Business Games in association with Big Wave Media on Wednesday 13 May from 5-8pm at Exeter Castle....

Exeter mum Tracey Frankum has joined the Fez Army to raise funds for FORCE by trekking along the Great Wall of China.

She sets out this weekend on the trip of a lifetime that will involve five days of walking along part of the 13,000-mile structure.

Each day she will trek along the stony, steep and sometimes slippery path. Some sections are renovated and others not as the wall twists and winds its way along the mountains, interspersed with crumbling watchtowers.

It is described as demanding but also very rewarding, particularly on a clear day when you can look at...

East Devon District Council has funding available for village halls, community shops and other community buildings in rural areas.

The grants, which have been available from the council for a number of years, can be used to help refurbish, improve or even build village halls, community shops and community buildings in rural areas (those in towns are not eligible).

Last year successful projects included improvements to the roof at Beer Mariners Hall, replacement of the fire doors at Chardstock Village Hall and funding towards setting up Otterton Community Shop.

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THE Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust has been highly commended for the second year in a row for the success of its apprenticeship scheme, which continues to bring significant benefits for learners and the organisation.

Two of its apprentices, Mandy Harper and Rhian Carruthers, have also received awards for their achievements.

The Trust was successful in the Apprentice of the Year Awards run by Education + Training Skills (ETS), a specialist provider of work-based learning across the South West.

The Trust was highly commended in the Large Employer of the Year...

Widely revered as a rising star of the contemporary art world, Wang’s new exhibition, entitled ‘Heebie Jeebies’, will be on display at Castle Galleries in Exeter from Saturday 9th May until Sunday 24th May. Combining old-school glamour with the fun and risqué attitude for which Wang is renowned, this new body of work explores her fascination with the supernatural and her uniquely light-hearted take on ghosts, sparked from other-worldly encounters she experienced during her childhood. The collection continues to take inspiration from Wang’s reoccurring themes of Hollywood iconography,...

Update: 4pm 9 May 2015 - Police have reported that Clay Bamford has been found safe and well.

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Police are appealing to the public to help them locate Clay Bamford who has been missing from Paignton since Monday 4th May.

14-year-old Clay has been known to have visited Exeter, Plymouth and most recently Cornwall.

Clay is described as white male, slim, 6ft, short dark brown hair with hazel eyes. Last believed to be wearing a light grey hoody, dark grey jeans, trainers, a grey baseball cap, grey Bob Marley t-shirt with a red, green and yellow...

A showcase of shortlisted entries to the Paddon Award, a cross-arts competition for University of Exeter students, staff and alumni will be on display in the University Reception area on the Streatham Campus. The theme of this year’s competition was 'Transformations' and entries were invited across various art forms including visual art, film, music and creative writing. The judges for the Paddon Award were Honorary Graduate and International Curator, Thomas Trevor, folk singer and fiddle player Jackie Oates, and the Student Guild Vice President for Activities, Matt Bate. Christy Ku, a...

Two PE teachers have developed a new initiative for the sporting youth of Devon to develop their performance, whatever their sporting background.

Aimed at boys and girls aged 13 – 16, Complete Sports Preparation (CSP) aim is to improve the physical capabilities of athletes through agility, strength, power, speed and injury prevention work.

Becci Carter and Ed Jones, PE teachers with a combined 18 years of coaching experience between them, currently teach at Exeter School and were keen to make the most of the school’s ample grounds and facilities for their CSP sessions....

Ben Bradshaw has retained his Exeter seat and trebled his majority.

An MP since 1997, Mr Bradshaw secured 25,062 votes, beating Tory Dom Morris, who was second with 17,879 votes.

Mr Bradshaw thanked the voters who had "put their trust" in him while Mr Morris said his rival had benefited from having a "personal brand".

Mr Bradshaw tweeted afterwards: "Thanks to amazing @exeterlabour team & people of #Exeter for fantastic result tonight, nearly trebling @exeterlabour majority here.

Mr Morris's twitter feed was unusually quiet.