county news

Ruthless £28m Sell My Timeshare fraud robbed elderly of savings

Ruthless £28m Sell My Timeshare fraud robbed elderly of savings

Nikki MitchellSouth of England home affairs correspondent, andStephen StaffordSouth of EnglandBBCDes said finding out he had been scammed was "like a kick in the guts"A man duped out of £14,000 has said those responsible are "scum", as the shocking scale of a £28m timeshare fraud involving more than 3,500 victims is revealed.Fourteen people, including managing director Mark Rowe and his wife Nicola, have been convicted over the scheme which operated under the Sell My Timeshare brand.The couple, both…

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The Stop Line Way cycle path ‘needs more volunteers’

The Stop Line Way cycle path ‘needs more volunteers’

Peter WattsThe five-mile route links two towns running alongside the A358Volunteers are being urged to help preserve a "much-loved" traffic-free route between two towns after funding was withdrawn. Somerset's The Stop Line Way was opened between Ilminster and Chard in 2008 by the national charity Walk Wheel Cycle Trust - formerly Sustrans - which has since withdrawn from the partnership due to financial constraints but continues to maintain the route.Matt Day, chair of the Community Network Active Travel…

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Vandals cause £19k damage to Exeter skate park fence

Thousands of pounds worth of damage has been caused to a sound barrier at a skate park.The fencing which helped shield nearby areas from noise at the site has been vandalised at Arena Skate Park in the Whipton area of Exeter.Councillor Ruth Williams, Exeter City Council's lead for city management, said £19,000 damage had been caused.Williams added vandalism had been happening regularly and urged people to report any further damage to Devon and Cornwall Police."It saddens me to…

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Dorset farmer asks, is it worth a 90-hour week?

Dorset farmer asks, is it worth a 90-hour week?

Jack EmeryThe cows have been eating winter silage instead of grazing because of the dry summerA young dairy farmer says his industry is facing a double hit after a sudden drop in milk prices, on the back of an exceptionally dry summer.Jack Emery, from Eastleigh, Hampshire, said the cut of 6p a litre to farmers is equivalent to £9,000 a month for his family's business.He said the farm had been using winter silage to feed cows in the…

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Plymouth Argyle facing decisive period, says boss Tom Cleverley

Plymouth Argyle are heading into a decisive part of their season, according to head coach Tom Cleverley.The Pilgrims host AFC Wimbledon at Home Park on Saturday before a run of five consecutive away games.The trips begin with a Devon derby at rivals Exeter City, then Mansfield, Wycombe in the FA Cup, a League One trip to Huddersfield Town and, finally, an EFL Trophy game at Bristol Rovers."I've made quite a strong point to the players that the next…

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Documents leading to Margaret Thatcher becoming PM to go on sale

Documents leading to Margaret Thatcher becoming PM to go on sale

PA MediaMargaret Thatcher became the first female prime minister in BritainDocuments that led to Britain getting its first ever female Prime Minister are expected to fetch £100,000 at auction.The nomination paper signed by Margaret Thatcher that led to her becoming leader of the Conservative Party was found in cardboard box in a Somerset garage.It was among historic material belonging to Sir Edward du Cann, who became MP for Taunton in 1956 and went on to be chairman of…

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Torpoint Ferry to trial electricity in decarbonisation push

Torpoint Ferry to trial electricity in decarbonisation push

A chain ferry between Devon and Cornwall is to be part of a green energy trial.The Torpoint Ferry will use electricity in place of fossil fuels in a study scheduled to begin early next year, said its operator.Tamar Crossings said successful decarbonisation could reduce carbon emissions from its three ferries by up to 1,000 tonnes a year.The project was awarded £300,000 from the government as part of its aim for net zero shipping by 2050.Philip Robinson, chief officer…

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Sheep killed after being struck on Dartmoor train line

Train services in part of Devon have been disrupted after a sheep died when it was struck on the line.The livestock were reported on the track between Crediton and Okehampton on the Dartmoor Line just after 12:00 BST.Network Rail said one of the sheep had been struck and killed before engineers had been made aware the animals were on the single-track line.Great Western Railway said services Exeter Central and Okehampton via Exeter St Davids could be cancelled, delayed…

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Councils plan to split Devon into three unitary authorities

Councils plan to split Devon into three unitary authorities

Miles DavisDevon political reporterNorth Devon CouncilDevon would be split into three unitary authorities under plans backed by district councilsDevon should be split into three unitary authorities in a huge shake-up of local government, according to the district councils in the county.All of the district councils and the county council will be abolished in the biggest national reorganisation of local government for 50 years.The existing district councils say they want to see a new unitary authority across north and…

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Cornish Pirates disappointed by losing start to season – Joe Walsh

Cornish Pirates disappointed by losing start to season – Joe Walsh

Cornish Pirates coach Joe Walsh says everyone is unhappy with the start they have made to the season.Pirates have narrowly lost their opening two Champ matches at home to Hartpury and away at Ampthill last week.It has left Pirates 11th in the expanded 14-team league after the opening two rounds of fixtures. "I think we're disappointed that we're not as far along as I guess either we hope we are or we felt we were coming into the…

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Devon and Cornwall Police say disability hate crime under-reported

Devon and Cornwall Police say disability hate crime under-reported

Cameron Weldon andGeorge ThorpeSouth WestPA MediaDevon and Cornwall Police said it had seen an increase in the number of reports related to disability hate crimesDisability hate crime could still be under-reported despite an increase in the number of people coming forward, police have said.As part of National Hate Crime Awareness Week, which runs until Saturday, Devon and Cornwall Police said the number of offences involving a victim's disability in 2024-25 was 419, a 17% increase from the 358…

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Police drop investigation into Reform councillors in Devon

Police drop investigation into Reform councillors in Devon

A police investigation into allegations against Reform councillors and their election agent of overspending on election expenses has been dropped.Devon County Council members Neil Stevens, his brother Tony Stevens and their agent Rob Sheridan all faced claims of overspending in the May elections.The police launched an investigation in June after another Reform councillor, Ed Hill, reported his concerns to the authorities.Devon and Cornwall Police said no further action would be taken after the Stevens brothers and Mr Sheridan…

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