Local News

All frontline ambulance crews in the South West will now be able to use body-worn cameras in an effort to reduce violence against them after more than 1,900 incidents were recorded in the last 12 months.

Devon and Cornwall Police would like to remind residents to be wary when receiving texts requesting a delivery charge or missed delivery which includes a link. There are various different scam texts and emails of this type in circulation.

At its Full Council meeting in August 2020, the Council agreed to fly the Pride Flag outside of Blackdown House throughout Pride Month (June) every year to help combat bi-phobia and homophobia in the local community.

1 Fire engine from Ottery St Mary, 1 from Exeter Middlemoor and the water bowser from Exeter Danes Castle were sent to Fairmile to reports of a fire. On arrival, crews confirmed this to be a tractor and trailer fire, with the vehicle well alight.  There was a fuel run off, which caused a running fuel fire to catch approx 20m of hedgerow alight also. The cause was accidental and duty of care was left with the owner, Police and highways. 

A police investigation into an outbreak of COVID-19 at a Sidmouth care home has concluded, with no further action to be taken against two suspects. Eleven deaths were reported at Holmesley Care Home in Sidford between February 25 and April 16, which were all believed to be related to the outbreak. An investigation, led by Devon & Cornwall Police, was launched in partnership with a multi-agency safeguarding response to ensure the well-being of the residents in the home and specialist officers have been liaising with family members.

Plans for an industrial-scale lagoon near Upton Pyne have been given the go-ahead, despite the anger of locals and fourteen villages and hamlets joining forces to protest against the scheme. East Devon District Council’s planning committee on Wednesday morning voted to approve plans which would see the construction of a sealed digestate storage facility with a capacity to hold approximately 7.000 cubic metres of liquid digestate (organic fertiliser).

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Protesters gathered outside County Hall on Wednesday morning to call for Devon County Council to do more to tackle climate change. The group of 13 held up banners and sounded an air raid emergency warning siren to demonstrate against what they claim is a lack of action in the past two years since a climate emergency was declared by the council.

Plans for a new transport hub, two relief roads, and town centre improvements for Exmouth will be put forward in a bid to get nearly £100m of Government cash. Devon County Council’s cabinet, when they met at County Hall in person on Wednesday morning, unanimously agreed with the recommendation to give approval for the council to work with the relevant district councils to submit bids to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.

The first stage of support for an alternative plan for how development across the Greater Exeter Area at a strategic level has been agreed. The Greater Exeter Strategic Plan was due to the be formal planning framework for development across Exeter, East Devon, Mid Devon and Teignbridge, but following East Devon and then Mid Devon pulling out last summer, the GESP collapsed.

Last night at around 6.45pm Exmouth Fire Service received a call regarding rubbish alight on the seafront. On Arrival there were around 25 bags alight and the crew extinguished the flames and EDDC have been notified.

Beer Coastguard captured the moment another cliff fall in Sidmouth. It happened to the East of the last one between Sidmouth and Salcombe Regis last week.

Police are appealing for information after a serious collision on the A377 at Newton St Cyres yesterday afternoon, Sunday 6 June. The collision occurred at around 1.20pm and involved a black Toyota Aygo and a silver VW Caddy. The two occupants of the Toyota, a male and a female, sustained serious injuries and were taken to Derriford Hospital.

Police in Exeter are appealing for information after a cyclist was injured on Saturday 5 June, in the Longdown Road area. Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or may have been in the area at the time and may have dashcam footage are asked to contact 101, quoting log number 559 of 05/06/21.

At a meeting of Exmouth Town Council on May 4th, 2021, Councillors received a recommendation from its Climate and Ecological Emergency Working Party to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill.

Whether planting for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, to help tackle climate change, or to improve local areas around the country, the Woodland Trust’s popular free tree pack scheme is now open for applications. Schools and community groups across the South West are now able to apply for the first 1 million trees, and into 2022 there are over 3 million trees in total available via free tree packs.

Working together we can make East Devon the Region with the lowest Domestic Waste but the Highest Recycling Levels As EDDC produce monthly stats on the waste in East Devon

In May 2021, Exmouth Town Council was awarded the Quality Award level of the Local Council Award Scheme (LCAS), which recognises good practice in governance, community engagement and council improvement. Delivered by the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), LCAS has been designed to provide a framework to support all local councils to improve and develop to meet their full potential.

Proposals for the next section of the E4 strategic cycle route along Union Road in Exeter have gone out for public consultation. Devon County Council is asking for feedback on its plans to extend the walking and cycling route, which will help tackle congestion and reduce carbon emissions. The scheme proposes to provide a new two-way cycle route along the north side of Union Road, and for the majority of this route, cyclists will be separated from pedestrians, but where it’s not possible a shared path will be introduced.

The Boundary Commission for England (BCE) has published its initial proposals for new constituency boundaries. We invite the public to view and provide feedback on the proposed boundaries as part of an eight-week consultation process.   The number of constituencies in the South West will increase from 55 to 58

Devon’s MPs from across the political spectrum have called for the Government to go ahead and lift all remaining Covid restrictions on June 21. Step 4 of the roadmap out of lockdown, which is set to take place not before June 21, would remove all remaining legal limits on social contact, ease restrictions on large events and reopen premises such as nightclubs which have remained closed.

There are now more than 130,000 people in Devon who are carers – with that figure having risen because of the coronavirus pandemic. But only 21,000 of them – roughly only one in every six – are accessing vital information and support that is available to them.

Devon County Council has removed the name of a disgraced former council leader from a plaque on a bridge he helped campaign for.

Current research is showing that scammers are somehow mimicking the telephone numbers of bank fraud departments, so that when the victims checks the caller ID and compares the number against the one printed on the back of their credit cards, the numbers are the same.

Travellers in around 20 caravans allegedly broke their way through a gate last Wednesday night to park up onto the field, which is now back in use following the easing of lockdown restrictions. Topham Rugby Club, has claimed that extensive criminal damage has been caused since their arrival including to the pitch, a gate, signage, and medical equipment - and also reported that human waste is on the pitch. The travellers were served with an eviction notice to leave the site by 9am this morning. However, they had failed to move on by the deadline.

Exmouth RNLI volunteers were awarded a certificate of appreciation by the Budleigh Salterton Lions Club this week with a citation that reads ‘With thanks for your help and support of the local community during the COVID-19 pandemic.”   In presenting the award, President of the Budleigh Salterton Lions, Richard Allen, said "On behalf of Budleigh Salterton Lions Club I was delighted to be able to present a Certificate of Appreciation to all the volunteers and staff of the Exmouth RNLI, especially as it is National Volunteers Week.

A pair of by-elections are set to be held in East Devon in July after the resignation of two councillors. Vacancies on the council have arisen in the Feniton and the Honiton St Michaels ward, with polls pencilled in to take place on Thursday, July 8. One of the Honiton St Michaels seats became available after Cllr Luke Jeffery stepped down to focus on his University course, while the Feniton seat is vacant following Cllr Susie Bond having moved to Berkshire to be closer to family and the end of virtual meetings, plus the allowing of by-elections again, meaning it is no longer practical for h

For the first time in its history, a Devon Wildlife Park has welcomed two Eurasian brown bear cubs and is giving visitors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get unique access to the siblings in their new habitat. Mish and Lucy, who are unable to return to the wild, arrived at their forever home at Wildwood Escot today (Friday), near Ottery St Mary, after a temporary stay at the Trust’s sister park in Kent. The pair, who were rescued from certain death in the Albanian mountains in 2019, will be able to enjoy lots of enrichment at their new home, from trees to climb and earth dens to dig, to

No deaths relating to coronavirus in Devon have been recorded in the most recent weekly figures – for the first time since mid-September The figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) which relate to the week of May 15 to May 21 but registered up to May 29, show that none of the 196 deaths registered in Devon had Covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate. There were two deaths of the 102 in Cornwall which had Covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate – both of which were in hospital.

Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat are excited to announce that in partnership with East Devon District Council, they will be providing a Lifeguard Service on Sidmouth beach from 19th July. Sidmouth Town Council has worked closely with Sidmouth Lifeboat and East Devon District Council to get things moving originally on the idea after the Lifeboat approached the Council for support and are really pleased to see the idea taking off this summer.

Police are growing increasingly concerned for the welfare of 42-year-old Lynnette Bush, who has been reported missing from the Teignmouth area. Lynnette was last seen in Teignmouth at around noon on Tuesday 1 June. She is described as a white woman, 5ft 8in in height, shoulder length brown hair and of large build. It is not known what she was last wearing. Police would like to hear from anyone who has seen them to get in touch by calling 999

Two Fire Engines from Exmouth and one from Clyst St George, as well as an Aerial Ladder Platform from Danes Castle, were all sent to a report of smoke issuing from a fish and chip shop, with flats above on Imperial Rd, Exmouth in the early hours of this morning at 4.10am. On arrival crews confirmed that smoke was issuing from the ground floor and all people had been evacuated from the flats above.

Police are appealing for information to trace the next-of-kin of a Lesley Stevens, aged 63, from Membury, East Devon, who was found deceased in April. Lesley left her home at 7am on Monday 19 April and her body was located in the water off Lyme Regis at 10.30am. A Dorset County Coroner has determined the cause of her death to be drowning. Lesley had lived in the village of Membury, near Axminster, for 18 years. Prior to this, she lived in Seaton having moved to East Devon from Kent.

Sergeant Keith Parkinson, of the Serious Collision Investigations Team, said: “We are continuing to investigate the circumstances behind the collision and I’d like to thank witnesses who have come forward to help with our enquiries. “But, we are looking to trace two men who were at the scene and are believed to have seen what happened, but left before officers arrived. One of them was believed to have been wearing a cream coloured top.

Thousands of police officers working on the G7 Summit in Cornwall must be properly kitted up to deal with potentially violent protests – even if world leaders might be expecting to see traditional British Bobbies keeping them safe.  That is the message from Devon and Cornwall Police Federation Chair Andy Berry (pictured) who has highlighted the importance of officers having the correct PPE to stop them being injured – including where necessary helmets and shields. We’re not there to be spat at, kicked, punched, and have bottles and bricks thrown at us. We’re at the G7 Summit to facilitate pe

Plans for new student flats right in the heart of Exeter city centre which will also see vacant shops brought back to life have been lodged. SJR have submitted plans to Exeter City Council which would see the upper floors of 36, 37 & 38 High Street converted into student accommodation, with the reconfiguration of the ground floor retail units. No.36 & 37 were previously occupied by Paperchase, while no.38, is currently occupied by Mountain Warehouse, with retail space spread over three storeys.

Calls have been made to urgently introduce a 20mph speed limit and a zebra crossing outside the new home of the Deaf Academy in Exmouth. The Deaf Academy has been providing education and support for deaf young people in Devon since 1826, and in September 2020, they relocated from Exeter to Exmouth to a new campus at the old Rolle College Site at Douglas Avenue.

Plans to permanently pedestrianise parts of Sidmouth town centre have been put forward to make the area more attractive and reduce congestion. Last summer, as part of Covid-19 safety measures, Old Fore Street, New Street, Market Place & Church Street became traffic free between 11am and 5pm every day. But now, traffic order proposals to convert the area around the town square into a permanent pedestrian zone are out for consultation. In a statement of reasons behind the scheme, Devon County Council in the document says that the proposal is to improve road safety by reducing the volume of tr

At 10:20am on Sunday 30 May 2021 the Exmouth RNLI Inshore Lifeboat D-805 George Bearman II was tasked by H.M. Coastguard to a report of a male person who had sustained a serious injury whilst on board his boat on the River Exe.

Donkeys could play a role in an innovative conservation scheme to reintroduce one of the UK’s rarest farmland wildflowers. More than 20,000 seeds of the small-flowered catchfly have been sown in plots on farmland at the Devon headquarters of international animal welfare charity, The Donkey Sanctuary. It is hoped that the plant will establish and thrive at the sanctuary. The small-flowered catchfly seed was sown alongside other wildflowers and grains, which provide food for threatened farmland birds such as the skylark, yellowhammer and linnet, which have been recorded on site.

Devon & Somerset were called in the early hours of this morning to a Chip pan fire in Exmouth. Crews from Exmouth attended a flat in The Marles, Exmouth at 2:06am.

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New life saving water safety equipment installed at Exeter Quay Six new potentially lifesaving throw line boards and reach poles have been installed at locations around Exeter Quay with the aim to reduce drownings around the area. Between 2015 and 2019, confirmed fatality statistics show that ten lives have been lost on Exeter's waterways.

Work on the new Marsh Barton rail station, which began last month, is progressing at pace, councillors have heard. Preparatory works to the site, near to the Energy from Waste plant on the eastern edge of Marsh Barton, Exeter, are well under way, with vegetation having been cleared, existing utilities protected, and a site compound and access road have been created.

Following nominations from DCC Cllr Richard Scott and second by DCC Cllr Christine Channon Cllr Jeff Trail BEM has announced his appointment of Chair of Devon County Council

Exeter councillors next week will be asked to endorse a new timetable for the preparation of a new Local Plan for the city. The existing Local Development Scheme (LDS) for the city is out of date following the collapse of the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan (GESP) process last summer, which would have seen Exeter, East Devon, Mid Devon and Teignbridge councils all work together on a shared top-level plan for the region

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Owners are being urged to make sure that their caravans, trailers and campervans are roadworthy, especially if they may not have been used for more than a year, to help avoid incidents on Devon and Cornwall’s road network this summer. As part of the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership, Devon & Cornwall Police is committed to making the region’s roads free of all fatal and serious collisions by 2040 – and caravan and trailer safety plays a major role in this vision.

Devon & Cornwall Police are launching a new summer-long campaign this week to help reduce demand on their 101 non-emergency number. The new campaign – whichever way you choose to contact us, #ItsPersonal, aims to  educate visitors to the area about the different ways to contact the police and explain that every contact the Force receives about a policing issue is answered by a member of the team, whether it’s online or by phone.

Police are appealing for information about a fatal collision in East Budleigh, East Devon, yesterday evening, Wednesday 26 May. The incident occurred at around 10pm on Budleigh Hill and involved a blue Ford Fiesta, with three occupants, colliding with a wall. Police attended alongside the ambulance and fire service.  Sadly, one of the occupants, an 18-year-old man from North Devon, was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

Trinity Councillor Ian Thomas has been elected as the new Chair of East Devon District Council (EDDC). Cllr Thomas, who is an Independent councillor, was elected following a vote at EDDC’s annual council meeting on Tuesday, May 25. Cllr Val Ranger was also elected as the vice chair and Cllr Paul Arnott will continue as the leader of the Council.

Exmouth RNLI volunteer crew members launched their inshore lifeboat this evening following a report that two female paddleboarders in difficulty near Budleigh Salterton.

East Devon District Council has re-elected the man ‘who has steered them through choppy waters’ back to his role as leader. Cllr Paul Arnott, from the East Devon Alliance, who first took on the role in May 2020, was once again voted in to the position at Tuesday’s annual council meeting by 29 votes to 21 over Conservative candidate, Cllr Colin Brown.

East Devon District Council is sowing seeds of change in the way it manages its green spaces, in a bid to be more environmentally friendly. Beautiful flowering and wildlife-attracting plants that return year on year are going to be planted across East Devon’s parks and greenspaces. And part of these plans involve a reduction in seasonal bedding displays to include more permanent planting designs. It all comes as part of the council’s mission to take positive steps to reduce its carbon footprint, use resources more sustainably and increase biodiversity.

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As summer approaches and the end of lock down is in sight most families are looking forward to enjoying time with friends and having some well-earned family fun, but for Olivia the next few months will mark the end to a long and so far, fruitless search for an adoptive family. Olivia is a beautiful, inquisitive little 2 year old. She has a cheeky personality and amazing smiley face. Olivia loves to be with others and is a real people person. She enjoys listening to music and playing with noisy and colourful toys. She likes playing with her teddies and dollies like any other little girl and lo

The huge increase in demand for pets during the pandemic hasn’t helped one lonely dog in Devon. Connor, a three-year-old greyhound currently in the care of dog rescue charity Forever Hounds Trust, has been waiting for the right forever home for more than a year. While there have been lots of home offers for other dogs at the charity’s Centre for Homing and Welfare, which is based near Cullompton in Devon and opened in December last year, Connor has not been one of the lucky ones chosen for a home of his own.

Councillors will be asked to approve an eight-week consultation on where thousands of new homes across Teignbridge could be built. More than 100 sites across the district have been identified as places where future housing provision could be provided as part of the Teignbridge Local Plan that will run until 2040.

The Riverside Leisure Centre swimming pool will start to be filled with water next week ahead of the long-awaited reopening in July. The poolside and health suite have been transformed since they were forced to close following a major fire in 2017. The gym and sports halls were able to reopen later that year but, since then, many in the city have waited patiently for the swimming pool to reopen. Saturday, July 24, is earmarked as the day when the swimming pool will finally reopen, and the main pool is due to start being refilled next week, a process which will take up to four weeks to compl

The double-height kerb stones installed on the historic Bickleigh Bridge just last month helped to prevent a much worse event when an articulated lorry collided with the wall on last Monday, Devon’s chief bridge engineer has said. Engineers were called to the scene early on Tuesday to the A396 in Mid Devon after the lorry hit the wall on the downstream side of the listed bridge. The road was closed immediately, as engineers assessed the damage, and is set to be closed for a further fortnight, but work is well underway to repair the historic bridge.

Exmouth fire crew responded to a report of an injured kite surfer who had become stranded on a sandbank near Budleigh Salterton and was surrounded by water after 4pm on 23rd May.

A total of 108 new cases were confirmed across Devon and Cornwall last week – with the total since the start of the pandemic at 48,287 – although the numbers may be slightly higher given Tuesday’s figures saw a raft of false positives removed from the dataset giving a negative total for the day.

Beautiful flowering and wildlife-attracting plants that return year after year are going to be planted across East Devon’s parks and greenspaces. East Devon District Council (EDDC) is sowing seeds the of change in the way it manages it green spaces, in a bid to be more environmentally friendly.