Devon

GPs should consider a more overt discussion with patients when referring them for further investigation of symptoms which may indicate cancer, according to a paper published in the British Journal of General Practice.

In an NIHR-funded study, researchers from the Universities of Bristol, Cambridge, Durham and Exeter conducted interviews with patients being referred for possible lung and colorectal cancer.

They found that patients were rarely involved in the decision to be referred for investigation and that reasons for referral tended to be couched in non-specific terms...

There is no intelligence to suggest organised child sexual exploitation networks are operating in Devon, according to a detailed new report.

But child exploitation is still likely to be happening in the county on a daily basis, according to the report.

However neither the police nor the county council currently hold enough information on the issue to take effective preventative action.

And the report calls for an urgent new database to be set up to record and map instances of child exploitation so that prevention work can be targeted in ‘hot-spots’.

The new...

As much as £300 million worth of gift vouchers bought this year could go unspent according to research by the UK Gift Card and Voucher Association (UKGCVA).

Consumer Affairs Minister Jo Swinson is urging consumers to spend and enjoy any vouchers they get for Christmas before they expire.

Every year 6% of vouchers bought by consumers go unused as they lay forgotten in people’s wallets and drawers.

In 2013 some £2.5 billion worth of gift cards and vouchers were sold in UK retail stores as gifts and £2.25 billion were purchased by businesses as staff or customer...

Productivity could grow faster in the countryside than urban areas over the next decade, with a rise in rural jobs, thanks to a high-tech boost from speedier broadband and better transport links, a new analysis has shown.

Increased connectivity, spread of innovation, growth in knowledge-based industries and changes in working patterns are expected to help rural areas catch up with urban areas over the next decade, contributing to the government’s long-term economic plan.

This is expected to deliver higher wages and output of rural areas could potentially increase by around...

Rail union RMT has pledged an all-out fight over rail investment in the South West after the Transport Secretary cast doubt on the scale of investment in the Plymouth region’s railways by admitting that just £40million has been promised – despite calls for a £7 billion package. RMT has branded the move a “complete and utter betrayal of the South West despite all the posturing and promises after the resilience of rail services was exposed in last year’s floods and storms.”

A spokesman added: "The line into Plymouth continues to be beset by delays and cancellations as the failing...

It's too late for Christmas but there may be a sprinkling of snow on high ground in Devon tomorrow.

Temperatures are also expected to dip early next week.

The Met Office five-day forecast is as follows:

Today: A cold, frosty start with patchy freezing fog, mostly in the east. Soon becoming cloudy as with rain, heavy at times, spreading northeast from around dawn, this affecting most parts by midday and reaching all parts by mid-afternoon. Becoming windy. Maximum Temperature 9C.

Tonight: Unsettled conditions continuing this evening but gradually clearing...

Police are reminding the public to be vigilant about telephone scams and to follow some simple advice to prevent them from becoming a victim of this crime in the lead up to Christmas.

Detectives at Liskeard are investigating two recent reports of fraud from Saltash and Torpoint. On both occasions the callers have claimed to be from high street banks and have conned people into transferring money to them. This scam has applied to both individuals and businesses.

The scammers tell the victims their bank cards have been stolen or cloned and used fraudulently, they are then...

Christmas is a great time for catching up with family and friends. Long, lazy meals are chances to tell old stories, relax and laugh.

For some, of course, the joy of Christmas is muted by sadness or loneliness. When the front door is shut, what surfaces for some of us are only unhappy memories.

There is often a huge gap between the fantasy world of the adverts and the reality we face. The fantasy world says life is a series of treats and choices: ‘It’s your call’, ‘Do what you want’, ‘Go on, spoil yourself. You’re worth it’. But reality is about getting up in the morning...

Where is Cornwall on the map of Britain? It may be down in the bottom corner if you’re talking road maps or OS sheets, but that’s not the only way of thinking about the position of the county, according to a new book by a University of Exeter academic. Britannia Obscura: Mapping Hidden Britain explores alternative ways of thinking about the shape of Britain. Where are its main highways if you’re a pilot, or a canal enthusiast, or a dowser in search of ley-lines? Where’s the centre of Britain if you’re a caver? Or one of Britain’s megalith hunters, in search of prehistoric stone rows and...