Metal replaces wood in £100k Devon playground overhaul

A play area has replaced its wooden equipment with "robust" metal as part of a complete refurbishment.South Hams District Council said the village play park at St Ann's Chapel, in Devon, had benefitted from more than £100,000 funding as one of its key priorities to "enhance the wellbeing of their communities".It said impact-absorbing rubber and non-slip surfaces had been put down to ensure facilities were available in all conditions and that the park would "remain a safe and…

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Blue Islands ceases trading and cancels all flights

BBCThe Channel Islands-based company employed about 100 staffAirline Blue Islands has suspended trading, with all future flights cancelled, the company has confirmed.In a statement, the airline said passengers should not travel to airports unless they have made alternative travel arrangements.The Channel Islands-based airline, which employed about 100 staff, operated flights to various locations in the British Isles, and also to Bruges and Paris.Jersey's Minister for Treasury and Resources, Elaine Millar, said the government was working with an alternative…

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A30 in Devon closed overnight after serious crash

PAPolice said the road would be closed for "several hours"A serious crash has closed part of the A30 in Devon.National Highways said a vehicle had flipped on to its roof, and police said the road would be closed for "several hours".Emergency services were called to the dual carriageway between the A377 near Exeter and the A382 near Whiddon Down at about 17:50 GMT, police said.Devon and Cornwall Police said there was "significant" congestion on the road, and officers…

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Devon charities win King’s Award for Voluntary Service

Four organisations in Devon are among the winners of the King's Award for Voluntary Service.The British Association for Immediate Care Devon (BASICS Devon), Bob the Bus, Erme Valley Riding for the Disabled and Rainbow Living were all recognised this year.The award aims to highlight voluntary groups and was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee.Lord-Lieutenant of Devon David Fursdon said: "I am delighted that volunteers in four Devon organisations have received this prestigious award."Mr Fursdon…

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Exeter City fire: Supporters raising money to pay for damage

Exeter City Supporters' Trust are aiming to raise £100,000 to help repair damage caused by a fire at St James Park.The fire on Wednesday night caused damage to the control room and first-aid room at the League One club's stadium and smoke damage to the newly-built Adam Stansfield Stand. The control room, which is vital for matchday safety, was severely damaged and must be repaired in time for next Saturday's visit of Burton Albion.The supporter-owned club are 18th…

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Passengers frustrated at flooded rail line issues in north Devon

Alex Green,South West and Scott Bingham,in ExeterBBCFlooding along the railway line in north Devon has suspended trainsRail passengers and campaigners are calling for change amid a series of issues on a stretch of railway line in Devon.Delays and cancellations of services, flooding, and overcrowding on the Tarka Line, between Barnstaple and Exeter, have frustrated rail users and campaigners.Tim Steer, chair of Railfuture in Devon and Cornwall, said the various issues on the line in recent weeks were due…

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Dorothy Wall: Ireland forward returns for Exeter after lengthy injury

Exeter boss Steve Salvin says he is relishing the return of Ireland forward Dorothy Wall.The 25-year-old is among the replacements for Exeter in their Premiership Women's Rugby meeting with Harlequins.Wall has not played since rupturing her Achilles tendon during the Six Nations and missed this year's World Cup. "It would be a fair comment to say Dorothy was certainly amongst our top three players last season," head coach Salvin told BBC Radio Devon."She's a phenomenal player, very, very…

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Exeter City stadium fire caused an estimated £100k of damage

BBCClive Harrison said about 60% of the medical room was damagedA fire at Exeter City's home ground may have caused about £100,000 of damage, the club's general manager believes. Firefighters were called to the blaze at St James Park at about 22:00 GMT on Wednesday after smoke was seen billowing from a portacabin near the Well Street end of the ground.Clive Harrison said the community had rallied round with offers of help after the fire damaged the club's…

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World Diabetes Day 2025: How Henry Slade and other athletes manage type 1 diabetes

England centre Slade discovered he had diabetes by accident when he was 18.A month before starting his professional career with the Exeter Chiefs, he and his school friends were messing around testing their sugar levels on a friend's blood testing kit.His result was "pretty high" and the next day it was "even higher" so his parents took him to the doctors, who told him 'you're about to develop diabetes'."His first thought was, "Can I still play?" The doctor's…

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