county news

‘App is helping my son face his fear of the dark’, says Devon mum

‘App is helping my son face his fear of the dark’, says Devon mum

BBCGabi's son uses an NHS approved game which is designed to tackle childhood anxietyA mum says her son is learning to cope with anxieties including a fear of the dark with the help of a new NHS app.Gabi, from Exeter, said her seven-year-old son has complex needs, including autism and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), which mean he suffers from anxieties such as sleeping in the dark.But since he started using an NHS-approved game designed to tackle childhood…

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Lessons from Ascension’s shark troubles could help boost conservation

Understanding people’s attitudes to interactions with sharks could help halt the global decline of shark numbers, according to new research carried out on Ascension Island.   In 2017, there were two non-fatal shark attacks at Ascension – a UK territory in the South Atlantic with a population of about 800 people. Large numbers of sharks – mostly silky and Galapagos sharks – have affected the island’s recreational fishers, who often lose tackle and hooked fish before they can…

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Road reopens after serious A38 crash in Devon

The A38 near Plymouth has reopened following a serious car crash.Devon and Cornwall Police said it was called to the crash near Plympton at about 15:00 BST.National Highways said the westbound carriageway was shut between the B3416 Plympton and the A374 Plymouth, with long delays of about 45 minutes. Diversion routes were in place.Police said injuries had been reported to officers but they were not thought to be life-changing or life-threatening. Source link

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University maths schools are driving social mobility and success, analysis shows

University-sponsored maths sixth forms such as the Exeter Mathematics School are having a transformative impact on the lives of young people across England, a landmark new study shows. The independent evaluation by the Observatory for Mathematical Education (OME) finds the specialist schools boost attainment and progression and significantly widen participation in mathematics and STEM. The analysis shows female students, those from under-represented ethnic groups, and those from low socio-economic backgrounds all progress at higher rates to mathematically intensive…

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Woman’s £8k theft from Plymouth charity ‘a betrayal’

Woman’s £8k theft from Plymouth charity ‘a betrayal’

Ian S/GeographGeorgina Mary Thompson, 40, was handed a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for a yearA woman stole almost £8,000 from a charity she worked for, a court has heard.Georgina Mary Thompson was handed a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, a 24-month supervision order and ordered to pay compensation of £3,600 after admitting charges of fraud by abuse of position and theft from the person of another.Plymouth Magistrates' Court heard the 40-year-old took £7,877.87 from Friends and…

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Hidden Cornwall – Hidden Cornwall: Myths and Legends – The ghost of Jan Tregeagle and Dozmary Pool

Hidden Cornwall – Hidden Cornwall: Myths and Legends – The ghost of Jan Tregeagle and Dozmary Pool

Available for over a yearDozmary Pool is a large natural lake on Bodmin Moor. It is often associated with the Arthurian legend about the lady of the lake. The Folklorist and Podcaster Keith Wallis has been to Dozmary Pool with Julie Skentelbery to talk about the famous legend of Jan Tregeagle.Programme WebsiteShow less Source link

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Battle goes on over reopening of closed Dryden Road in Exeter

A highly controversial road closure will be the subject of a public consultation, it has been decided.Dryden Road in Exeter was closed to motorists temporarily in June 2020 and then permanently in 2022, to try to reduce traffic and create a safer cycling route.Campaigners against the closure said the move had increased congestion and pollution for people living nearby but cyclist groups said safety was paramount and the road should remain closed to cars.The Exeter Highways and Traffic…

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A woman’s place was not in the home: New book challenges assumptions about women’s work in early modern history

A woman’s place was not in the home: New book challenges assumptions about women’s work in early modern history

New research has revealed that women played a fundamental role in the development of England’s national economy before 1700. Far from being the unpaid homemakers and housewives of traditional historical record, women contributed to all the most important areas of the economy, such as agriculture, commerce, and care. More than half of the work done by women in the period between the 16th and 18th centuries took place outside of the home, and around half of all housework…

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Devon museums get share in government cash to stay open

Three museums in the region have been given government funding to help them remain open.The South West Heritage Trust (SWHT), which runs the North Devon Record Office and Devon Heritage Centre, was given £503,131 from the £20m Museum Renewal Fund.The Box in Plymouth was awarded £184,215, while Exeter City Council received £114,202.SWHT chief executive Sam Astill said the funding would help the team carry out a development programme to strengthen the resilience of its museums.Victoria Pomery, chief executive…

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Man in Devon feared lifelong debt over pet insurance claim

Man in Devon feared lifelong debt over pet insurance claim

BBCNorman West said his dog Ruby was "all I've got"A man said he feared he would be "in debt for the rest of my life" after an insurance company refused to pay out following an injury to his dog. Norman West, 92, from Plympton, said six-year-old Westiepoo, Ruby, damaged the cruciate ligament in her left leg and needed a £4,200 operation.Mr West had a new pet insurance policy with Petplan but the firm said because Ruby had previously…

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Woman found on Devon road died from chest injuries, inquest hears

A woman who was found dead on a road outside a property died from chest and abdominal injuries, an inquest has heard.Aimee Pike, 22, died on the A379 Embankment Road at New Bridge, Kingsbridge, Devon, in the early hours of 23 April 2025, the inquest in Exeter heard.Rowan Sutton, 30, of West Charleton Court, Kingsbridge, denied her murder and is due to stand trial next summer at Plymouth Crown Court.Coroner Deborah Archer said Ms Pike's cause of death…

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Cranbrook to get £3m community centre for families to ‘thrive’

A new town in Devon will receive £3m to create a community space with facilities for families and young people.Devon County Council's cabinet has agreed to allocate the money from housing developer contributions for the project in Cranbrook, near Exeter.The new facility will provide health services for young people "who are at risk of poor outcomes" as part of a larger leisure centre scheme that is being worked on.The council said Cranbrook had a much younger population than…

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