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£15.5 million to continue South West health research partnership

A partnership that carries out vital health research across the South West Peninsula to directly benefit patients and NHS services has been awarded £15.5 million by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula (PenARC) is a regional research partnership hosted by the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, in collaboration with the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth. Set up in 2008, it has conducted and supported projects which…

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Major new study discovers diet and migratory behaviour shape neophobia

The largest-ever study on neophobia, or fear of novelty, has discovered the key reasons why some bird species are more fearful of new things than others. Published in the journal PLOS Biology, the global multi-species study was led by the University of Exeter’s Dr Rachael Miller while at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), and the University of Cambridge – with ARU funding the publication of the research – alongside a core leadership team from the ManyBirds Project. Neophobia plays…

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Driver sought after girl, 12, injured in Dorchester hit-and-run

Driver sought after girl, 12, injured in Dorchester hit-and-run

The driver of a people carrier car who drove away after striking a 12-year-old girl at a crossing is being sought by police.The girl suffered a leg injury after she was hit by a car on Bridport Road, Dorchester at the traffic light crossing near to the St John Roundabout on 30 September at about 18:00 BST.Dorset Police said the car, that failed to stop at the scene, was described as grey with a taxi sign on top…

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Television and movie productions help boost Somerset economy

Television and movie productions help boost Somerset economy

Bulldog Film DistributionUnmoored was set on Exmoor and used local crews to film itFilms and television productions, including The Salt Path and 28 Years Later, have helped boost Somerset's economy with millions of pounds worth of investment. Companies who chose Somerset as the base for their work have contributed around £4.2m to the economy according to the local council. Councillor Mike Rigby, who is the lead for economic development, said the success is down to Somerset's various coastal,…

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Carnival will try and make Somerset event more accessible

Carnival will try and make Somerset event more accessible

Charlie TaylorBBC Radio Somerset andChris LockyerSomersetBBCEvery autumn, processions of illuminated carts pass through ChardOrganisers of a popular carnival have agreed to discuss how to make the event more accessible with two parents of children with additional needs.Every autumn, processions of illuminated carts pass through Chard as part of the South Somerset Carnival Circuit. The events are often noisy and bright, meaning those with sensory processing disorders can find the experience overwhelming.Belinda and Livvy, from Chard, are calling for…

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Dorset Olympic palm tree petition to be presented to Weymouth town council

Dorset Olympic palm tree petition to be presented to Weymouth town council

Sophie CridlandSouth of England, South of EnglandBBCA petition to save two much-loved palm trees on an esplanade in a seaside town is to be discussed at a local council meeting.Since Weymouth Town Council announced the removal of the trees, local people and some tourists have said they want them to remain in place.Now it has been agreed that an attempt will be made to replant the palm trees elsewhere in the town.800 paper and 350 verified online signatures…

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Dorset cancer charity hosts ‘life-affirming’ fashion show

Dorset cancer charity hosts ‘life-affirming’ fashion show

Galya DimitrovaSouth of EnglandIan MetcalfThe Charity Angels UK Dorchester Fashion Show debuted in 2023, raising about £9,000"When they first walk on the catwalk, they're quite tentative. By the final scene, they're living life."Jane Hinnrichs is the lead organiser of the second Charity Angels UK Dorchester Fashion Show, featuring 14 Dorset women who have experienced breast cancer.The sold-out event is in its second year and aims to raise funds for research into secondary breast cancer, as well as show…

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Dog owners asked about Cornwall beach restrictions for pets

Dog owners asked about Cornwall beach restrictions for pets

Christine ButlerSouth WestBBCDelilah the greyhound-cross loves a run on a beach, like here at Carlyon BayDog owners in Cornwall are being invited to have their say on restrictions put in place for dogs during the summer months. Cornwall Council is about to update its Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for the next three years. It currently bans dogs from 46 beaches, usually after 10:00 BST and before 18:00 from 1 July to 31 August, although Blue Flag beaches have…

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Cornwall and Isles of Scilly facing child poverty ‘crisis’

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly facing child poverty ‘crisis’

Brian Lawless/PA WireOne in five children across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are living in povertyPublic health officials have issued an "urgent call" to tackle child poverty in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.The 2025 director of public health annual report said 27,000 babies, children and young people up to the age of 19 lived in "relative poverty".One young person said living in poverty was a "hard place to grow up", but added: "It definitely makes you…

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US revokes six visas over Charlie Kirk death amid social media crackdown | Donald Trump News

The State Department says the US has ‘no obligation to host foreigners who wish death on Americans’ after revoking visas over critical social media posts.The US Department of State says it has revoked the visas of six foreigners over remarks they made on social media about Charlie Kirk, the conservative political activist who was shot dead at a rally in September.“The United States has no obligation to host foreigners who wish death on Americans. The State Department continues…

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Nancy Astor statue in Plymouth removed to fix wobble

A statue of the first female MP to take her seat in the House of Commons has been temporarily moved for repairs.Plymouth City Council said the bronze figure of Nancy Astor was taken away on Monday from its position on the Hoe for up to 12 weeks while "essential maintenance work" was completed.The authority said a wobble had developed due to the statue's position on the seafront and exposure to the elements.Astor became the first woman to sit…

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Concerns over 2,700-acre ‘mega-solar’ scheme in Devon

Concerns over 2,700-acre ‘mega-solar’ scheme in Devon

Kirk EnglandSouth West environment and tourism correspondentBBCStephen and Sharon Boulton, who live close to the proposed solar farm, say other options should be explored first"It's going to be huge, absolutely vast," says Stephen Boulton of the solar farm that could be built on fields near his home in rural Devon."Moving here was my retirement dream, to be able to look out over a view like this," added Mr Boulton, who is now spearheading the campaign against what could…

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