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Call boxes in Torbay could be replaced with multi-media hubs

Planning applications have been put forward to replace street payphones with three-metre-tall multi-media hubs. BT is bidding for four of the hubs in Torquay to provide free ultra-fast wifi, phone calls and phone charging. The proposed hub locations are near Poundland at Fleet Street, at Tor Hill House and in two places outside shops in Union Street.The hubs have been rejected in some other parts of the country but BT said they would provide a "sleek and modern…

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Weather forces Poole Pirates speedway final postponement

Weather forces Poole Pirates speedway final postponement

A speedway team just one race from potentially securing three major titles have been forced to put their final back due to forecast wet weather.Poole Pirates were set to host the Redcar Bears in the BSN Series final second leg at Wimborne Road, Poole, at 19:30 BST.The speedway team said due to the "predicted adverse weather conditions" it had been put back to Friday, adding: "We apologise to any fans who may have made advanced travelling arrangements but…

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Warning for wind and heavy rain in Devon and Cornwall

Warning for wind and heavy rain in Devon and Cornwall

Caroline RobinsonSouth WestMet OfficeA yellow weather warning for wind and rain has been issued for ThursdayHeavy rain and wind gusts up to 60mph (96.56 km/h) are forecast for the South West on Thursday with yellow weather warnings in place for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.The Met Office said the warning for wind would be in place from 04:00 BST to 18:00.The warning for rain is in place from 00:00 until 21:00 in Devon and Cornwall as…

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Premiership Women’s Rugby: Who are England’s World Cup winners playing for?

Premiership Women’s Rugby: Who are England’s World Cup winners playing for?

The Premiership Women's Rugby season kicks off on Friday following England's World Cup triumph at Twickenham in September.The World Cup final against Canada was played in front of 81,885 fans - a record for a women's rugby match and the second-highest attendance for a men's or women's World Cup final.It was also the most-watched women's rugby match ever on UK television, with a record-breaking peak audience of 5.8 million viewers.This season's Premiership campaign will look to build on…

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State of emergency declared in Peru’s capital Lima amid protests | News

The state of emergency lifts constitutional rights, including the right to protest, amid popular unrest over the rise in extortion and killings.Peru’s Interim President Jose Jeri has declared a state of emergency in the capital, Lima, to stem a wave of protests that contributed to the recent downfall of his predecessor.In a televised message on Tuesday, Jeri said the emergency in the city would last 30 days.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list“Wars are won with actions,…

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Crash closes A35 between Bridport and Dorchester

Crash closes A35 between Bridport and Dorchester

A crash has closed a stretch of a main Dorset route in both directions. The A35 is shut between the A37 Monkeys Jump Roundabout, near Dorchester, and the A3066 for Bridport following the crash overnight near Askerswell.National Highways said police were on the scene carrying out complex investigation work and that the road was expected to be closed for several hours.Traffic is being diverted onto the A37 and A356 with drivers urged to allow extra time, re-route or…

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Somerset’s housing target ‘astronomically’ high

Somerset’s housing target ‘astronomically’ high

Daniel MumbyLocal Democracy Reporter andCarys NallyBBC News, West of England Getty ImagesCouncil leaders say the target set by the government is none sensibleCouncil leaders have voiced concern that government-imposed housing targets are "astronomically" high and "not sensible". The Labour government increased local housing targets as part of its pledge to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this parliament – with Somerset's target rising by 41%.Somerset Council is in the early stages of creating its new Local…

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Police in Dorset to be helped by new mental health crisis line

Police in Dorset to be helped by new mental health crisis line

Rachel RussellSouth of EnglandListen: Chris Wood, chair of the Dorset Police Federation, said the new service will help officers "decompress from seeing traumatic incidents"A police chief has shared how "incredibly challenging" working in the force can be after recent figures showed 211 officers in Dorset were signed off last year.Chris Wood, chair of the Dorset Police Federation, said he has had to take time off for stress and also revealed his wife, a serving police officer, is currently…

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‘Fearsome’ WW2 King Tiger tank’s £1m restoration

‘Fearsome’ WW2 King Tiger tank’s £1m restoration

BBCThe King Tiger tank is the oldest in the world and needs to be fully rebuilt insideAn ambitious £1m plan to restore one of World War Two's most formidable tanks has been launched by a Dorset museum.The King Tiger tank has been in the collection at The Tank Museum, in Bovington, since the 1950s.But it was incomplete when it arrived, and was later stripped of its remaining parts during the 1980s to facilitate another restoration. The team at…

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Sarah Parish ‘would not be actor’ without Yeovil theatre

Sarah Parish ‘would not be actor’ without Yeovil theatre

Charlie TaylorSomerset andClara BullockSomersetGetty ImagesSarah Parish started her acting career in YeovilActor Sarah Parish, known for appearing in Cutting It and Doctor Who, said her career would not have been possible without Yeovil's Octagon Theatre.Earlier this month, Yeovil Town Councillors voted to borrow £3.3 million to redevelop the theatre and open it again, after being closed for more than two years.Parish grew up in the town and made her stage debut aged two in a panto and was…

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Pair going from Devon to Africa in ‘Sheila the three-wheeler’

Pair going from Devon to Africa in ‘Sheila the three-wheeler’

BBCThe journey will raise money for School in a Bag charityTwo men are hoping to break a Guinness World Record by being the first to travel from Devon to Cape Town in a three-wheeled car.Oliver Jenks, 34, from Newton Abbot, and Seth Scott, 31, from Canada, said they would be setting off on the 10,000 mile (16,093km) journey to South Africa in their Reliant Robin over the next few days to raise money for Yeovil-based charity, School in…

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Spider mating season may mean increase in sightings

Spider mating season may mean increase in sightings

Autumn is spider season, with arachnids becoming adults and males starting looking for a mate. So spiders seen in homes could look bigger and people may spot more of them as males are more confident when trying to find a partner.Buglife Cornwall conservation officer Scott Martin said: "Usually the males have big palps [appendages near the mouth] to grab hold of a female and that's what looks quite scary. But, when you see a house spider, they're just…

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