county news

Discussions open over £7m libraries budget for Devon

Discussions open over £7m libraries budget for Devon

Miles DavisDevon political reporterLibraries UnlimitedAlex Kittow, of Libraries Unlimited, said people were using libraries differently nowLibraries are now "community hubs" rather than just places to borrow books, according to the boss of the library service in Devon.Libraries Unlimited chief executive Alex Kittow has welcomed the prospect of a consultation on the future of the county's libraries and urged the public to have their say.It comes as Devon County Council looks at ways of reducing its annual payment of…

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Is Tom Daley going to win Celebrity Traitors?

Is Tom Daley going to win Celebrity Traitors?

Available for over a yearDevon's Tom Daley is one of the celebrities in the Traitors castle on BBC1. Caroline Densley asked Tom's friend and fellow diver Tonia Couch if she knew he was in the lineup and if he was going to win. Picture credit:BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody BurridgeProgramme WebsiteShow less Source link

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Spectacular sight for harvest supermoon hunters in South West

Sky-watcher Jason Way captured this amazing shot of a supermoon above Dartmoor's Haytor Rocks on Tuesday night, among many other images of the phenonomen taken in Cornwall.A supermoon appears brighter and larger than other full moons in the evening sky and occurs when the moon is at its closest point to the Earth.The term was first coined in 1979 by astrologer Richard Nolle and this occurrence was the first since November 2024.This supermoon is known by different names…

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Acclaimed Ukrainian soldier poet invited to the UK for Being Human festival

A Ukrainian poet renowned for composing her verse on the frontline of her country’s defence against Russia’s illegal war is to visit Devon and London to share her experiences and perspectives. Yaryna Chornohuz has been helping to defend her country from Russian aggression since 2019. She is currently a drone operator and previously took part in fierce battles as a member of the 140th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of the Ukrainian Marine Corps at the time of the full-scale…

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Student entrepreneurs spark electric vehicle revolution for education sector

Two Exeter students are making inroads in business by supplying colleges and universities with electric vehicle chargers. Ruairi Duignan, who studies Business and Environment, and Ammar El Beik, a Law with Business student, started a startup called Turbo Zone in their first year of studies at Exeter’s Penryn campus. They initially planned to manufacture their own EV chargers but were steered towards a different business model after consultation and mentoring from University experts. Turbo Zone emerged as a value-added reseller of…

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New partnership set to strengthen regional education for the South West.

Andy Berry, CBE of UCS College Group and Professor Lisa Roberts, President and Vice Chancellor, University of Exeter signed of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking a significant step towards strengthening regional education, research, and skills development across the South West. The collaboration aims to explore joint initiatives in several key areas, including improving education outcomes, fostering social mobility, developing innovative healthcare solutions, and enhancing employer-led training. The partnership will also seek to make collaborative bids for regional…

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Furniture trader duped vulnerable customers in Devon and Somerset

Furniture trader duped vulnerable customers in Devon and Somerset

BBCPeter Kitson was jailed for 15 months after he pleaded guilty to fraudulent tradingThe "greedy and arrogant" boss of a mobility furniture firm which scammed vulnerable customers out of £65,000 has been jailed.Exeter Crown Court heard staff at Peter Kitson's business, Mobility Furniture Company, used aggressive and pressurised sales techniques to carry out fraudulent deals on elderly people between 2015 and 2018 across Devon and Somerset.The court was told Kitson was fully aware of the tactics being used,…

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Heavitree Road in Exeter closed for an extra week

A main road closure that has caused major traffic problems in Exeter will be closed for a week longer than expected due to engineering problems.Heavitree Road - the main bus route in and out of Exeter - will now be closed heading out of the city until Monday 13 October.The road was due to reopen last Sunday but Wales and West Utilities said work to upgrade the gas network had "taken longer than expected".The road closure has caused…

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Kwenzo Blose: Exeter prop to have surgery on ruptured Achilles

Exeter prop Kwenzo Blose is to undergo surgery after it was confirmed he has ruptured his Achilles.The South African forward was taken off injured 10 minutes after coming on from the bench in the Chiefs' 38-15 Prem win over Newcastle on Saturday.Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter said he hoped to see the 28-year-old back "before the end of the season"."We're all disappointed for Kwenzo," Baxter said. "He really started to emerge for us at the tail end…

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Pine martens released on Exmoor in ‘positive sign for nature’

Pine martens released on Exmoor in ‘positive sign for nature’

PA MediaPine martens were successfully reintroduced to nearby Dartmoor last yearPine martens are roaming around Exmoor National Park for the first time in a century, conservationists have revealed.Nine females and 10 males from Scottish Highlands populations were introduced at secret locations on Exmoor by the Two Moors Pine Marten Project over three weeks last month.Each pine marten has been fitted with a radio collar so researchers can follow their fortunes over the next six to nine months.Devon Wildlife…

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Axe Valley Wildlife Park in Devon to close gates after 17 years

A zoo has announced it will permanently close after 17 years, blaming "difficult" times for businesses.Axe Valley Wildlife Park, near Axminster in Devon, said in a statement that the "sad" decision to close on Friday had been made "with a heavy heart"."As many of you may have heard in the news, we are not the only business facing these difficult times," it said, adding: "Unfortunately, it has become financially unviable for us to continue operating."The zoo, which is…

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Help researchers track the fascinating history of seaweed eating in Cornwall

Researchers need the help of communities in Cornwall to help trace the fascinating history of seaweed eating. There has been a seaweed culinary revival in recent years, but people have eaten it for thousands of years. Seaweed’s historical use as a food seems to be less well remembered in Cornwall compared to Scotland, Wales and Ireland, where there are still living memories of foraging for and cooking with laver, dulse and carrageen. Now a research team are putting…

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