devon

Closure of main road in Exeter extended for third time

Closure of main road in Exeter extended for third time

The reopening of the main road out of Exeter has been delayed for a third time due to works being carried out by Wales and West Utilities.The firm, which is upgrading gas pipes, had first promised Heavitree Road would reopen on 7 October.That date was then revised to 13 October, then 10 November but the road alongside the Waitrose store and the St Luke's campus of the University of Exeter will now not reopen until 21 November, utility…

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Otter found injured by Taunton road recovering at rescue centre

Otter found injured by Taunton road recovering at rescue centre

RSPCA West HatchIris the otter was found injured by a main road near Taunton in SomersetA tiny otter cub found alone by a main road "has captured the hearts" of her carers.The animal was hypothermic and lethargic when she was discovered near Taunton, Somerset in October, the RSPCA said.The cub was taken to Shepton Vets before being transferred to the RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre where staff named the otter Iris because of an eye injury.Iris is now…

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Scheme teaching Devon children road safety extended until 2028

Scheme teaching Devon children road safety extended until 2028

BBCA pilot scheme teaching children road safety has been extended until 2028A police training scheme in Devon which teaches children road safety has been extended due to a £100,000 investment.The Walkability scheme teaches children essential road safety through theory and practical sessions - including understanding road signs and how to cross the road safely.Devon County Council (DCC) said about 4,070 pupils from 48 schools had already taken part in the pilot scheme - which would continue until 2028.It…

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Motorbike engine time capsule found under Devon floorboards

Motorbike engine time capsule found under Devon floorboards

Mark ChardA time capsule has been found under the floorboards of a home in KingskerswellA man from Kingskerswell is searching for the previous owners of his house after finding a time capsule under the floorboards.Mark Chard said a "gleaming" motorbike engine and letter were placed there in 1999 by the previous owner.He said the letter described how much fun the previous owner had had on the motorbike and the work done to the house since they moved in.The…

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James Overy: Australia call up Man Utd’s 18-year-old full-back

James Overy: Australia call up Man Utd’s 18-year-old full-back

He has yet to play any senior football. only joined Manchester United last summer and last year was playing in the 10th tier of English football.But 18-year-old right-back James Overy, who played for United's Under-18s against Leeds on Saturday, could be heading to next summer's World Cup finals after being called up to the Australia squad for friendlies against Venezuela and Colombia in the United States.Former Perth Glory teenager Overy moved to Devon from Australia in 2023, playing…

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Production worry for Devon farmer amid ‘chicken lockdown’

Production worry for Devon farmer amid ‘chicken lockdown’

A Devon poultry farmer said new rules and regulations to prevent spreading a bird flu virus was essentially a "lockdown for chickens".The new national mandatory housing order by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) was brought into force in England on 6 November with the aim to bring avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 infection rates down. Sam Ursell from Windout Farm, in Exeter, Devon, said the farm operated an organic breeding flock of about 3,500 hens and cockerels…

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Devon and Cornwall drug tests positive for nearly half of drivers

Devon and Cornwall drug tests positive for nearly half of drivers

Briohny WilliamsSouth WestBBCPatrol Insp Wes Watkins said police were stepping up awareness of drug-drivingPeople as young as 16 are testing positive for drug-driving, police have said. Figures from Devon and Cornwall Police showed that, out of 1,245 drivers who were tested between 1 January and 30 June 2025, nearly half (45%) had illegal substances in their system. The youngest male was a 16-year-old in Newquay who tested positive for cannabis, and the youngest female was a 18-year-old in…

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Pair in three-wheeled car reach Africa in world record attempt

Pair in three-wheeled car reach Africa in world record attempt

Seth ScottThe Reliant Robin has endured "bumps and bruises" on the 10,000-mile journey Two men who are driving to Cape Town in a three-wheeled vehicle have reached Africa.Oliver Jenks, from Newton Abbot, Devon, and Seth Scott, from Canada, set off from London on 24 October in their Reliant Robin, called "Sheila the three-wheeler", in their attempt to break a world record.Speaking from Senegal, Mr Oliver said they had faced some bumps along the way which had taken a…

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Devon Remembrance Sunday services honour armed forces

Devon Remembrance Sunday services honour armed forces

Johnny Rutherford/BBCA service was held at the at the war memorial in Northernhay Gardens in ExeterServices are taking place across the region to mark Remembrance Sunday.The Bishop of Plymouth, the Rt Revd James Grier, led this year's service on Plymouth Hoe, which began with a two-minute silence at the Royal Naval Memorial at 11:00 GMT."War and conflict today weighs heavy and looms close, especially for those who offer our lives in our armed services," he told the service.…

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Exeter Digest #93: Exeter city centre antisocial behaviour – Exeter homeless death rate – Hospital doctors strike

Exeter Digest #93: Exeter city centre antisocial behaviour – Exeter homeless death rate – Hospital doctors strike

Exeter Digest #93: Exeter city centre antisocial behaviour - Exeter homeless death rate - Hospital doctors strike - Exeter ObserverDon't just read Exeter Observer  Upgrade to paidEO Exeter Observer Local news that matters THE EXETER DIGESTWith our pick of upcoming local community and culture highlights and a recap of the top stories from our previous edition.Sunday 9 November 2025SPECIAL REPORTLabour and Conservative councillors join forces to block Exeter city centre antisocial behaviour initiativeRejection of voluntary and community sector…

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Labour and Conservative councillors join forces to block Exeter city centre antisocial behaviour initiative

Labour and Conservative councillors join forces to block Exeter city centre antisocial behaviour initiative

Labour and Conservative councillors join forces to block Exeter city centre antisocial behaviour initiative - Exeter ObserverDemocracy doesn't work when people don't know  Upgrade to paidEO Exeter Observer Local news that matters SPECIAL REPORTSRejection of voluntary and community sector calls for more inclusive response follows thirteen-year council failure to comply with legal duties under crime and disorder legislation in relation to Exeter Community Safety Partnership.Sunday 9 November 2025Martin RedfernWant to read more? The full story is exclusive premium…

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Remembrance Sunday services being held across Devon

Remembrance Sunday services being held across Devon

Services are taking place across the region to mark Remembrance Sunday.The Bishop of Plymouth, the Rt Revd James Grier, will lead this year's service on Plymouth Hoe, which will begin with a two-minute silence at the Royal Naval Memorial at 11:00 GMT.Lord Mayor, councillor Kathy Watkin, said: "This year is especially poignant as it marks the 80th anniversary of both VE Day and VJ Day and the end of the second world war."Exeter City Council said a service…

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