Devon News

Reading FC vow ‘strongest action’ after alleged racism at Exeter

Reading FC says it will support the "strongest possible action" if an alleged racist comment from one of its supporters is proven.The Royals' League One match at Exeter City on Saturday was paused in the 74th minute by referee James Durkin after the allegation was made by a player.The club said on Monday it has a "zero-tolerance approach to all forms of discrimination" and will work with Exeter and the football authorities to investigate what happened.The match, attended…

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Crime reporting tool helping Teignmouth businesses

Crime reporting tool helping Teignmouth businesses

Traders in a seaside town believe an online crime reporting tool will make a "big difference".The UK Partners Against Crime (UKPAC) Business Crime Reduction Partnership was launched in Teignmouth in August with 12 months of funding from Devon and Cornwall's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Alison Hernandez.So far, 10 businesses and Teignmouth Town Council have signed up to UKPAC which lets people report crimes and share information between themselves and police to tackle repeat offenders.Jo Gask, owner of…

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Ollie Watkins to miss England World Cup qualifier against Latvia with injury

Ollie Watkins to miss England World Cup qualifier against Latvia with injury

England striker Ollie Watkins will miss the World Cup qualifier in Latvia on Tuesday because of injury.The 29-year-old was replaced at half-time of the Three Lions' 3-0 win against Wales on Thursday.Watkins scored his side's second goal at Wembley but collided with the post late in the first half after missing a chance.England boss Thomas Tuchel said afterwards that the Aston Villa forward was "OK" but the striker has returned to Villa and will miss the trip to…

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Stuart Hogg on retirement mistake and Montpellier reset

Stuart Hogg on retirement mistake and Montpellier reset

Hogg admitted shouting and swearing and acting in an abusive manner towards his ex-wife when he appeared in court last year.The former full-back, who joined Exeter from Glasgow Warriors in 2019, was spared jail time when sentenced in Selkirk Sheriff Court in January and was instead ordered to complete a community payback order with one year of supervision.In March, a sheriff noted Hogg's "complete compliance" with the order and said no further review of it would take place.He…

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Jayden Wareham: ‘Fantastic’ striker impresses Exeter City boss Gary Caldwell

Jayden Wareham: ‘Fantastic’ striker impresses Exeter City boss Gary Caldwell

Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell says Jayden Wareham deserved the goal he scored against Reading following his recent performances.The 22-year-old summer signing fired in an equaliser against his former club in Saturday's 1-1 League One draw.It was Wareham's third goal for the club and his first since the end of August as City went two games without a defeat for the first time this season."I think Jayden Wareham is a fantastic young striker who's moved to a different…

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Rob Baxter frustrated as Exeter fall short at Bristol in Prem

Exeter boss Rob Baxter says he is frustrated his side were not able to win at Bristol in the Prem but will not overreact to the defeat.The Chiefs lost 18-14 despite facing a Bears side that was down to 14 men for 30 minutes.The defeat was a first of the season for Exeter, who had a potentially match-winning try disallowed late on as they slipped to sixth in the table."We were up there talking as coaches and going…

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Rafa the labrador helping boost Devon children’s reading skills

A waggy-tailed mentor is helping children take their reading to the next level as part of a library scheme.Okehampton Library has been hosting "Read to Rafa" sessions for three years, giving young people the chance to read books to an eight-year-old labrador called Rafa on Tuesdays.Staff at the library said the aim was to boost literacy skills and development and since starting up the project they had seen "huge progress".Mel Thompson, Rafa's owner, said she thought her pet…

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Devon man sustains serious head injury after being punched at pub

A man has sustained a serious head injury after being punched in the face at a Devon pub.Police said officers were called to The Coaching Inn, in Queen Street, South Molton, just after 21:00 BST on Saturday after reports a man had been punched by another man, causing him to fall to the ground and hit his head.The victim, a local man in his 30s, was taken to hospital where he remains in a serious but stable condition,…

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Fisherman catch 210kg bluefin tuna off Devon coast

Fisherman catch 210kg bluefin tuna off Devon coast

Caroline RobinsonSouth WestIan PerkesBrixham Fish Market said the fish was caught by the team on Pechos Grandes on ThursdayA fish wholesaler has purchased a 210kg (463lb) bluefin tuna for more than £2,000.The fish was caught on Thursday by the team at Pechos Grandes and was sold at an auction on Friday at Brixham fish market.Ian Perkes, a wholesaler and exporter based in Brixham who bought the fish, said it was the biggest one caught in the area."We know…

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Royal Navy ship stops boat carrying £35m illegal drugs

Royal Navy ship stops boat carrying £35m illegal drugs

Royal NavyThe boats were travelling across the Gulf of OmanA Plymouth-based ship has intercepted three small boats travelling across the Gulf of Oman carrying £35m worth of illegal narcotics, the Royal Navy has said.Commando snipers from Bickleigh barracks were used to disable the boats and the Navy said it was the first time they had been called on to use non-lethal force in the specific area. A spokesperson said the crews on the small boats tried to throw…

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Two new public woods in South West to provide sustainable timber

Forestry England has unveiled plans for two new woodlands in Devon and Somerset, adding more than 247 acres (100 hectares) of forest to the counties.Okement Wood, covering 205 acres (83 hectares), will be located between Abbeyford Wood and Berrydown Plantation near Okehampton, on the northern edge of Dartmoor. Blackwell Wood, spanning 52 acres (21 hectares), will be next to Druid's Combe Wood and Langridge Wood, north of Treborough in eastern Exmoor.The woodlands will be open to the public…

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‘Daredevil decorators’ protecting Tamar Bridge from corrosion

‘Daredevil decorators’ protecting Tamar Bridge from corrosion

Watch: How the Tamar Bridge gets painted"You're kind of just swinging there, like a conker in the wind."That is how "daredevil decorator" Tom Harold described what it is like to be suspended in the air - sometimes at 200ft (60m) above water - as he and his team at Paintel Ltd battle to protect the Tamar Bridge from the elements all year round.The team use a variety of tools and specialist paints to manage corrosion and rust on…

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