Devon News

Plymouth ceremony as next phase of £30m city revamp opens

Plymouth ceremony as next phase of £30m city revamp opens

Another section of a controversial city centre regeneration project will open later.The Armada Way scheme in Plymouth has been the subject of debate since more than 100 trees were felled by the Conservative-run Plymouth City Council as part of the works in March 2023.When Labour regained control of the council in May 2023 it developed a new scheme at a cost of £30m - more than twice that of the original.The latest phase to open will be marked…

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About 200 people take part in Plymouth Hoe protest

About 200 people take part in Plymouth Hoe protest

About 200 people have taken part in rival protests in Plymouth.People congregated on Plymouth Hoe on Sunday afternoon and were separated by about 85 police officers, with several drafted in from Wales.Flag Force Plymouth and a group of counter-protesters - both totalling about 100 people - were guided towards separate areas by police.They shouted slogans, banged drums and waved placards. Andy, from Flag Force Plymouth, said the the protest was about "patriotism, and nothing to do with racism"…

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Torquay factory building faces demolition after years of decay

Torquay factory building faces demolition after years of decay

A once-thriving factory which helped power a town's engineering legacy is set to be torn down. The Elektron building on Woodland Trading Estate, formerly home to Sifam, was a major employer in Torquay, producing electrical instruments and fibre-optic tech in the 1980s. It shut in 2007 after Sifam was bought by Elektron Instruments and the building became a magnet for vandalism and anti-social behaviour, with smashed windows boarded up and the site falling into disrepair.Now, drinks wholesaler Tolchards,…

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Residents urged to share views on Barnstaple’s Rock Park

Residents urged to share views on Barnstaple’s Rock Park

People have been urged to share their thoughts on how a park could be improved.A consultation has been launched into the future of Rock Park, in Barnstaple, in Devon.The town council hopes to gather views on how people use the green space and what improvements they would like to see.The consultation closes on 9 January. Mayor of Barnstaple, councillor Janet Coates said: "Rock Park is an important green space for our community." She said: "We want to ensure…

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Premiership Women’s Rugby: Sale and Exeter win opening games

Sale Sharks, who managed just one win last season, enjoyed an excellent start to their Premiership Women's Rugby campaign as they cruised to a 46-17 triumph against Leicester Tigers.Earlier on Saturday, a dominant first-half display helped Exeter Chiefs to a 24-12 victory at Trailfinders.An expert performance before the break made the difference for Sale, too, as they entered half-time leading 34-5.Amy Cokayne, Erica Jarrell, Holly Thorpe, Rhona Lloyd and Katie Childs scored first-half tries for the hosts, while…

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Hundreds gather for rival protests in Exeter city centre

Hundreds of people from two opposing protests gathered in a city standoff, separated by a heavy police presence.About 250 people took part in the British Unity Walk, which made its way through Exeter city centre before going towards Bedford Square. As the march approached the square, it was met by a counter-protest of about 600 people, organised by local community groups under the banner Exeter for Everyone. A total of 85 police officers, including some drafted in from…

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Trailfinders Women 12-24 Exeter Chiefs: Exeter begin Premiership Women’s Rugby campaign with win

Trailfinders Women 12-24 Exeter Chiefs: Exeter begin Premiership Women’s Rugby campaign with win

Exeter Chiefs produced a dominant first-half display as they began their Premiership Women's Rugby season with a 24-12 victory at Trailfinders.Exeter started brightly with Liv McGoverne opening the scoring after 13 minutes before Hope Rogers seized a loose ball and went over six minutes later, with McGoverne successfully converting.An excellent quick attacking move saw Maisy Allen send a pass to Gabriella Nigrelli out wide who delivered her side's third try, with McGoverne adding the extras to make it…

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The Prem: Exeter Chiefs 39-12 Gloucester – hosts up to third

The Chiefs were looking to build on their dominant victory against Harlequins last weekend and were clearly intent on replicating that form from the first whistle.Having won a penalty on Gloucester's scrum, Slade forced the visitors back into their own 22 with a touch kick.Having secured the line-out, it was Dweba who ultimately benefitted, emerging with the ball at the back of the maul for the first try of the day.But that lead was not to last for…

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Woman killed on Exmoor after cow attack while walking dog

A woman died after being trampled by a herd of cows while walking her dog on Exmoor, an inquest was told.Rebecca Jane Hitchings, 59, of Woodcombe, near Minehead, in Somerset, was found with severe injuries and she was airlifted to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, but doctors were unable to save her.Senior Devon, Plymouth and Torbay coroner Philip Spinney said Ms Hitchings suffered blunt trauma that led to haemorrhagic shock. Ms Hitchings, a retired nurse who was born in…

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Plymouth scientists win £2m to use AI in deep-sea mapping

Plymouth scientists win £2m to use AI in deep-sea mapping

Vulnerable deep-sea habitats will be mapped with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) in a study made possible by a £2m investment.The Deep Vision project - run by Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the University of Plymouth - will study ecosystems such as cold-water coral reefs and sponge fields in the Atlantic. The aim is to build the largest-ever dataset of these habitats and help shape legal protections.Leader of the project, Kerry Howell, said: "As the deep-sea becomes more…

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World Artistic Gymnastics Championships: GB’s Ruby Evans, Abigail Martin and Joe Fraser win medals

Former world champion Beth Tweddle hailed the progression of British gymnastics as three medals were won on the final day of the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia.Joe Fraser became the first British gymnast to win a medal in the high bar, finishing third, while the team continued their excellence on the floor with silver for Ruby Evans and bronze for Abigail Martin. Evans also became the first Welsh gymnast to win an individual medal at the…

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Barnstaple museum exhibition celebrates North Devon innovation

An exhibition has opened in Barnstaple to showcase North Devon's growing reputation for innovation and technology.Northern Devon Innovates, which opened at the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon, said it would focus on local businesses developing products and ideas for global markets.The exhibition includes case studies of companies like AutoNaut, Ecotribo and Krempel to show that there is more to the region than "agriculture and farming".Alison Mills, director of the museum, said the exhibition was due to run…

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