Devon

Five community colleges in Devon have been taking part in a special competition aimed at developing their business and entrepreneurial skills.

It’s part of the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership’s Rural Growth Network pilot – one of five nationally, tasked with stimulating economic growth in rural areas – Devon County Council commissioned Devon and Cornwall Business Council (DCBC) to work with pupils at five colleges.

The idea is to help develop young people’s entrepreneurial skills, setting them true to life challenges and to encourage them to work...

Eight people have today been arrested after a series of successful warrants were carried out in Plymouth and Cornwall as part of a major investigation into human trafficking and modern slavery. Search warrants were executed this morning, Tuesday 16 September, under the Immigration and Asylum Act at five properties in Plymouth and one address in Bodmin. Police arrested eight people, five women, aged between 26 and 34, and three men, aged between 35 and 37, on suspicion of trafficking people into the UK for the purpose of labour exploitation and on suspicion of money laundering. They remain...

Ainsi Fideles stamped himself as an up-and-coming chaser for the future when beating the older and more experienced Lamb Or Cod to land the £11,000 North Devon Hospice Novices’ Chase at Newton Abbot on Monday 8th September.

The four-year-old Ainsi Fideles had shown real promise for trainer David Pipe, winning his last three races and earning a handicap mark of 145, just above that of his rival. He confirmed that good impression when taking the lead at the eighth fence and drawing right away from Lamb Or Cod for an easy 25 lengths win, with the other two runners even more strung out...

The fifth National Eye Health Week will take place on 22 – 28 September 2014.

The week aims to raise awareness of the importance of good eye health and the need for regular sight tests for all. 20 million people in the UK could be at risk of avoidable sight loss because they fail to have regular sight tests. Almost two million people in the UK are living with sight loss yet over half of sight loss can be avoided.

The number of people in the UK with sight loss is set to increase dramatically. It is predicted that by 2050 the number of people with sight loss in the UK will...

Exhibition runs Saturday 20 September – Sunday 9 November

Devon Guild of Craftsmen, Bovey Tracey, Devon, TQ13 9AF

The exhibition takes its direction from Common Ground, a Dorset charity who explored the relationship between nature and culture through areas such as music, sculpture, poetry and film. The Devon Guild is breaking new ground by using the media of craft to celebrate the charity’s idea of ‘local distinctiveness’ or ‘the unique characteristics such as customs, myths or plants’ - of a neighbourhood or small community.

Home Ground showcases the work of twelve...

Crowds large and small came out across Devon today (Thursday 11 September) as the Friends Life Tour of Britain raced through the county.

Stage Five of this year’s Tour, hosted by Devon County Council, was the eighth consecutive year that Britain’s biggest cycling race had visited the county. The Stage started in Exmouth on East Devon’s Jurassic Coast with a welcome from the fans as warm as the weather.

A huge crowd greeted the riders when they arrived in Exeter but along the route villagers (such as those pictured above in Bow) also lined the route.

Visitors,...

Planning applications have been submitted at key locations on the Seaton Jurassic Coast.

Hotspots will be located at key entry points to Seaton and the Jurassic Coast including Fisherman’s Gap on the seafront, Axmouth Harbour, Seaton Hole and on the Axe Estuary Wetlands.

The current applications are for the erection of two large sculptured waves and interpretive pillars at Fisherman’s Gap, and for new timber decking creating a ship’s bow with seating and interpretative pillars to be erected at Axmouth Harbour.

If approved, the work will take place within the next 12...

A covert police operation has snared a sophisticated gang which flooded Devon with Class A drugs.

Operation Rosco was a long term investigation into the supply of cocaine and amphetamine into Devon and Cornwall.

Fifteen defendants in total have been sentenced under Operation Rosco. The majority were sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court on Monday 8 September. Detective Sergeant Stuart Gilroy, Deputy Senior Investigating Officer from the Serious and Organised Crime Investigation Team, said: “This was a long and complex investigation which included Devon and Cornwall, Liverpool...