A council is rolling out a new online tool that aims to help young people choose a career path. Devon County Council said “vocational profiling” supported those aged 12 and above in obtaining careers advice. It gives students an online profile to help identify job interests, work experience and achievements. The authority said the initiative...
BBC Gylly Beach was one of the sites of the protest Hundreds of swimmers, surfers and paddleboarders have taken to the sea in Cornwall and Devon as part of an annual protest against an “ongoing sewage scandal”. The nationwide Paddle Out Protest, hosted by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), took place across 42 bathing sites across the UK on Saturday, including Gylly Beach in Falmouth, as well...
Cristina Varga BBC News, Devon George Capone Dr George Capone said she wanted to support other women after boxing helped her A clinical psychologist who set up a women-only boxing group puts the success of the project down to laughter. Dr George Capone set up Warrior Women in north Devon after finding boxing made her...
Chloe Parkman BBC News, South West National Highways Chelfham Viaduct will open as part of the Railway 200 campaign A viaduct will open to the public to celebrate 200 years of modern railways. National Highways said the Chelfham Viaduct, near Barnstaple, in Devon, would open to the public for a historical walk on Saturday and...
Lifeguards are returning to 32 additional beaches across south-west England on Saturday. The RNLI said lifeguards would return to four beaches in Devon and 28 in Cornwall, giving beachgoers the opportunity to visit 58 lifeguarded beaches across the region. It said warm weather was expected to continue, so advised those planning to swim in the...
Ofsted has found that Devon County Council children’s services are still “leaving children at risk of harm” due to “serious weaknesses” in the way some children – particularly those experiencing neglect and domestic abuse or at risk of extra-familial harm – are cared for. In an inspection report published this week Ofsted rated the county...
People in the South West are being encouraged to get a spring Covid-19 vaccination. NHS England South West said more than half of people who were invited for the booster in the region had not taken up the offer. People who are eligible for the Covid-19 vaccination include those who are aged 75 and over...
A man who started a job at Waitrose at the age of 80 is still working there aged 94 – and said he has no plans to retire. John Shipton has been described as a “local legend” and a “national treasure” by colleagues at the Exeter branch of the supermarket. He said he had been...
A man has been jailed for 13 years for raping and sexually assaulting a woman. Christian Dodd, 46, was arrested in August 2022 after police received a report of rape. A jury at Truro Crown Court found Dodd, previously of Cliff Road, Falmouth, Cornwall, guilty of one count of rape of a woman and one...
John Danks BBC News, Devon BBC Lydia was originally built in 1925 A luxury railway carriage used on the train that carried Winston Churchill during World War Two has undergone restoration work in Devon. The Pullman coach, named Lydia and originally built in 1925, has been in the workshop at the South Devon Railway in...
The Environment Agency has begun its weekly sampling of water at 155 monitored beaches and river bathing sites in Devon and Cornwall. Sampling will continue until the end of September, with updates available on the Swimfo website, it said. Samples are tested for harmful bacteria such as E. Coli and intestinal enterococci. The agency said...
A biker riding a Harley Davidson motorbike has died after a collision with a parked car in Devon. The crash happened at Beaford, near Great Torrington, at 17:50 BST on Thursday. Devon and Cornwall Police said the rider, a man in his 60s from Barnstaple, suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene. The force...
Kevin Hay BBC News, South West BBC Stephen Keighley swapped sharp suits for “tatty clothes” after walking away from the hustle and bustle of city life Flashy cars, a prestige job and plenty of money – high-flying estate Stephen Keighley had it all. Underneath, he knew “something was badly wrong”. “One morning I was driving...
Bradley Gerrard Local Democracy Reporting Service BBC East Devon District Council rejected the plans for near Axminster Plans to build a lithium battery storage facility in East Devon have been rejected. Clearstone Energy had asked for permission to build and operate the battery energy storage system (BESS) south of Hazelhurst Raymonds Hill in Axminster. However,...
Elliot Ball BBC News, South West BBC The Devon County Show will be held between 15 and 17 May More than 95,000 people are expected to attend the Devon County Show during the three-day event, organisers say. The 129th show runs from Thursday until Saturday and will be held at Westpoint arena, near Exeter. According...