county news

Campaign to tackle drop in A-level language studies in south west

Campaign to tackle drop in A-level language studies in south west

University of ExeterThe University of Exeter will lead the South West region's language studies networkA campaign has been launched to tackle a decline in the number of young people learning modern languages at A-level in south west state schools.A network of schools in Devon and Cornwall has joined forces with the University of Exeter to make modern language studies "more accessible".The university said it would lead the Languages For All programme across the south west following a successful…

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Teddy bear adoption drive at Somerset St Margaret’s charity shops

Teddy bear adoption drive at Somerset St Margaret’s charity shops

A long-standing volunteer at a charity shop has made it her personal mission to ensure every teddy bear finds a home for Christmas.Mary Peto, 71, has been telling customers at the St Margaret's Hospice shop in Langport, Somerset, "no bear will spend Christmas alone".Her initiative has spread to all 31 shops in the charity's chain, which are now on a collective mission to rehome their bears of all shapes, sizes and colours."With their little faces looking out from…

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Nativity exhibition brings together sets from around the world

Nativity exhibition brings together sets from around the world

Caroline RobinsonSouth WestNorthlew Nativity ExhibitionThe exhibition is open for the weekend at St Thomas's Church in NorthlewA nativity exhibition made up of about 80 nativity sets collected from around the world is being put on display this weekend.Organisers said the display at St Thomas's Church, Northlew, Devon, was believed to potentially be the largest Nativity Exhibition in the South West. Luisa Hulbert began collecting nativity sets from Africa, South America and across Europe after her husband, Victor Hulbert,…

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Plymouth artist Ellie Johnson wins award for murals work

Plymouth artist Ellie Johnson wins award for murals work

A mural artist has won an award for her work beating more than 2,000 people.Ellie Johnson, known as Mrs Murals, was awarded the Women in Arts, Media and Culture Award at The West Country Women's Awards at a ceremony held in the Crowne Plaza, Plymouth.Among her work, Mrs Murals has transformed subways in Plympton and a primary school in Sherford, Plymouth.Judge Trish Caller praised her community-focused artwork and said her application stood out for its impact and strong…

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Charity funds retired Devon police dog’s urgent leg surgery

Charity funds retired Devon police dog’s urgent leg surgery

The Thin Blue Paw FoundationMax's career was cut short and he retired in 2022The owner of a retired police dog said she was "incredibly grateful" to a charity for funding her pet's surgery ahead of Christmas. Former handler Natalie Sutton, 33, from Cornwall, adopted Belgian Malinois Max, 8, who served as a general purpose dog with the Ministry of Defence Police at HMNB Devonport in Plymouth for three years.Max retired in 2022 after injuring his cruciate ligament and…

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Lanterns reveal scale of Echo Wood living trees artwork

Lanterns reveal scale of Echo Wood living trees artwork

Sarah TurnnidgeWest of England Avon Needs Trees/Elastic Pie FilmsThe lanterns were placed exactly where each of the 365 trees will be planted The scale of a new living trees artwork has been revealed by an installation of hundreds of lanterns. Echo Wood, between Bristol and Bath, is the latest project by artist Luke Jerram who created a giant Earth artwork which toured the country. When finished, Echo Wood will feature 365 different species of trees planted in a…

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Why do sea creatures end up on beaches after storms?

Why do sea creatures end up on beaches after storms?

Ros TappendenSouth of EnglandAllan CummingsOne seal pup was found underweight and exhausted near SeatownSeal pups and jellyfish-like creatures are among the wildlife washed up on Dorset's beaches during storms this week.Thousands of by-the-wind-sailors - organisms carried by ocean currents and the wind - were reported in Poole Bay and Kimmeridge.Seal pups have also been washed ashore in recent days, with part of Weymouth beach temporarily cordoned off on Wednesday to ensure one of them could return to the…

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Somerset Council to spend £2.2m on ash dieback and tree care

Somerset Council to spend £2.2m on ash dieback and tree care

A council has agreed a contract that will see them spend nearly £2.2m on tree care over the next four years.The deal agreed by Somerset Council includes funding for ongoing efforts to combat ash dieback, which is a fungal disease that has wiped out thousands of ash trees in the UK since it arrived in 2012.The Mendip and Quantock hills in Somerset are some of the areas that have been particularly effected by the spread of the disease.Councils…

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Two more arrests in Poole murder and burglary inquiry

Two more arrests in Poole murder and burglary inquiry

Two more men have been arrested on suspicion of murder and burglary following the death of a woman in her 80s.Dorset Police found her body at an address in Higher Blandford Road, Poole, shortly after 16:50 GMT on 1 December and noticed signs of a possible break-in.A 22-year-old man from Wimborne and a 21-year-old man from Alderholt have been arrested and bailed while inquiries continue.A 32-year-old man from Verwood, a 30-year-old man from Wimborne and a 16-year-old boy…

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Bridgwater school’s ban on make-up is ridiculous, say parents

Bridgwater school’s ban on make-up is ridiculous, say parents

Joe SkirkowskiWest of EnglandBBCPupils at Haygrove School in Somerset are being punished for wearing mascara and false eyelashesParents have described a make-up ban at their children's school as "ridiculous".They said that pupils at Haygrove School in Bridgwater, Somerset, have been inspected and separated from their peers for wearing fake eyelashes and false nails.Staff have been criticised for bringing in the rules suddenly but said they were merely enforcing an existing ban, for the benefit of the pupils' mental…

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