Devon News

South West receives 107 ambulances to help ease winter pressures

South West receives 107 ambulances to help ease winter pressures

More than 100 new ambulances will be rolled out across the South West to help emergency services through the busy winter period.The South Western Ambulance Service Foundation Trust (SWASFT) will receive the vehicles as part of a £75m project funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).The government scheme aims to boost frontline services, with a fleet of more than 500 double-crewed ambulances being provided nationally. NHS trusts across the country have been under pressure with…

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Warnings over new year sea swims

Warnings over new year sea swims

Jonathan MorrisSouth WestPA MediaKnow your limits and check the conditions, the RNLI saysPeople planning New Year sea swims are being urged to think carefully before entering cold, rough water after two swimmers went missing on Christmas Day.Two men - a man in his 40s and antiques dealer Matthew Upham, 64 - were reported missing from a swim at Budleigh Salterton in Devon.The RNLI said winter sea temperatures of 6-10C (42.8-50F), far below the 15C (59F) point where cold…

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A year of change – Devon politics in 2025

A year of change – Devon politics in 2025

Miles DavisDevon political reporterNorth Devon CouncilA lot of the political debate in Devon has been around how the county will be carved up in local government reorganisationIt has been a year of political upheavals in Devon - some more successful than others.The county elections in May saw Reform and the Green Party take seats while Labour and the Conservatives lost out.The Liberal Democrats came through the middle to retake control of Devon County Council and the Conservatives hung…

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Man, 36, arrested over attempted murder

Police have arrested a man on suspicion of attempted murder after a stabbing left another man seriously injured.Officers said they were called to Cowick Street in Exeter at about 16:30 GMT following reports of a violent assault. A man in his 30s was found with suspected knife wounds and taken to hospital, said the Devon and Cornwall force. His injuries have been described as life-changing.A 36-year-old man from Exeter was arrested at the scene and remains in custody.Cordons…

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Police lock down Exeter streets after serious assault

Police lock down Exeter streets after serious assault

Police have sealed off parts of Exeter after a person was found with a serious injury in Cowick Street.Officers were sent to the area at around 16:30 GMT following reports of an assault, said Devon and Cornwall Police. Cordons are in place around Cowick Street, Prospect Place and Cowick Park and Police say units will stay in the area throughout the evening and overnight.A spokesperson said: "If anyone sees anyone acting suspiciously, we are advising members of the…

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Closing down signs in Plymouth’s House of Fraser store

Closing down signs in Plymouth’s House of Fraser store

BBCA sign in the shop window says the store will close in the spring.Closing down signs have appeared in the windows of a longstanding House of Fraser department store.A sign attached to the glass at the Plymouth store, said it would be closing in March 2026.The store, which was previously known as Dingles, had faced closure in 2018 before a rescue deal secured its future.Frasers, the owner of House of Fraser, has been approached by the BBC for…

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Devon gorse fires on same moor started deliberately

Two gorse fires in the same area of moorland were thought to have been started deliberately, a fire service has said.Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the fires broke out on Monday at about 15:20 GMT in the West Anstey Common area, in Devon.South Molton Fire Station said on social media there were two separate blazes which involved gorse on the moor affecting a total area of about 600m (1,968ft).The service said the fires were extinguished…

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Study explores wellbeing impact of board games

Study explores wellbeing impact of board games

Caroline RobinsonSouth WestUniversity of PlymouthThe aim is to create the first toolkit of how tabletop role-playing games could be used to enhance people's wellbeingResearchers are exploring the ways board games and tabletop role-playing games could be used in health and social care interventions.The University of Plymouth said researchers found games such as Dungeons and Dragons and Dixit could lead to improvements in confidence, assertiveness, and real-life social engagement, especially in neurodivergent players.It received funding alongside Manchester Metropolitan University…

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Devon residents asked to donate used Christmas trees for otters

Devon residents asked to donate used Christmas trees for otters

An animal charity has asked people to donate their real Christmas trees to create natural playgrounds for rescued otter cubs.The UK Wild Otter Trust, based in north Devon, said the trees provided enrichment for the animals and gave them the chance to play, explore and hide.The trust said otters were "famously elusive creatures, and in their natural environment, they rely on vegetation for shelter and safety" and "Christmas trees can recreate these conditions perfectly".The trust said it could…

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Firefighters tackle two gorse fires on Devon moorland

Firefighters tackle two gorse fires on Devon moorland

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue ServiceFire crews tackled the fires on Monday afternoonFirefighters have tackled two gorse fires in the same area of moorland.Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the fires broke out on Monday at about 15:20 GMT in the West Anstey Common area, in Devon.South Molton Fire Station said on social media there were two separate fires which involved gorse on the moor and totalled about 600m (1,968ft).The service said the fires were…

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The 12 most important shipwrecks of the South West

The 12 most important shipwrecks of the South West

Rebecca RicksBBC South West InvestigationsPA MediaThe MSC Napoli grounded about a mile off Sidmouth, Devon, in 2007For mariners the waters of the South West have long been a challenging, and historically deadly, coastline. In the days before GPS it was the home of tragedies, disasters and misfortunes with thousands of wrecks now laying undiscovered, plundered or broken at the bottom of the sea. With the knowledge of experts, we examine some of the most notable shipwrecks to come…

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