Local News

Police spoke to drivers during an operation earlier this month to keep people and animals safe at Dartmoor National Park Authority.

New solar panels have been installed at East Devon Business Centre, supporting East Devon District Council’s work to decarbonise its estate while adding to the centre’s appeal as a base for local businesses.

Proposals for a new primary school and nursery have been dubbed as “uninspiring” and “lacking imagination” ahead of a possible decision to approve the scheme.

A former Royal Marine is demanding answers from the Ministry of Defence after a high-profile settlement involving Marines and soldiers who say they were exposed to dangerous asbestos during military exercises more than 25 years ago.

Latest data shows signs that vaccine uptake by the time children start primary school in the South West is stabilising, and continues to outperform the England average.

South West Water is offering customers free water-saving devices designed to help households reduce water consumption and save money on bills when on a water meter.

A potentially serious recycling vehicle fire was avoided in Exeter on Wednesday after a waste collection crew spotted smoke coming from the back of their lorry while on their round.

A lane closure on Bridge Road’s bascule bridge in Exeter will remain in place while engineers prepare essential repairs to the structure beneath the bridge deck.

Police are appealing for information and are aware of a video which had been circulating on an Exmouth community group social media page, showing an assault taking place in Exeter on Tuesday.

The East Devon District Council Countryside Team plays a vital role in maintaining 19 miles of the South West Coast Path, managing the majority of the 26-mile East Devon section between Exmouth and Lyme Regis. The team’s work helps keep this internationally renowned stretch of coastline safe, accessible and welcoming for residents and visitors alike.

Police are appealing for the public's help to locate 58-year-old Jonathan Pratt.

Exeter gardeners are being invited to apply for a chance to feature in a new TV wildlife programme.

Old bodyboards collected at Devon County Councils recycling centres are helping the Environment Agency protect some of the county’s most important coastal habitats.

The new Dinan Way extension in Exmouth will open on 9 September as work begins on the final phase of the scheme.

A new community roadshow designed to raise awareness of fostering and encourage more local people to support children in care is launching next month.

Exeter’s award-winning museum – home to the iconic Gerald the Giraffe – has been handed a lifeline.

Network Rail and Great Western Railway (GWR) have confirmed that full-length access to Platform 2 at Paignton station has been restored, enabling the return of nine-carriage trains four days earlier than previously expected.

People across Exeter and the wider area are being invited to help shape the delivery of neighbourhood health across Devon.

Devon’s farmers are being ‘pushed to the limit’ by a combination of drought and disease.

Heritage Open Days returns to Exeter next month with a chance to step inside some of the city’s most fascinating buildings…and it’s all for free!

A Devon council has pledged to use its powers to stamp out anti-social behaviour.

Parents and carers across Devon are being encouraged to start conversations now with young people who are preparing to leave home for college, university or other independent living opportunities.

A number of major changes are taking place to the bus network from later this month, these include the withdrawal of some services.

Devon and Cornwall Police will be deploying their live facial recognition van to Exmouth on Friday 28th August. This is only the second time the unit has been used for this purpose anywhere in the force area.

Whether you’re at the beach, or taking a walk along the coast path, this bank holiday the NHS in Devon, is reminding residents and visitors of ways to stay safe and enjoy a healthy summer.

Mill Street footbridge is due to be replaced, the works are planned to commence on Tuesday 8th September 2026 and be completed by Friday 2nd October 2026. A number of diversions will be in place during this time.

With the Sidmouth Regatta Air Show taking place over Sidmouth on Friday 28 August, the Town Council request that spectators and in particular, boat, jet ski and kayak/paddleboard owners take note of the Air Display Water Safety Zone which has been issued.

Wales & West Utilities is shortly starting the final section of the first phase of a project to upgrade the gas pipes in the Alphington area of Exeter.

Exeter’s Ukrainian community has joined civic representatives and supporters to mark the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence.

Zoos and animal attractions in Devon are open for “business as usual” throughout the bluetongue outbreak that is sweeping the county as the disease does affect humans.

As millions of people head to the South West for their summer holidays, South West Water is urging visitors to do their bit in protecting the region’s precious water resources by using water wisely during their stay.

The lane closure on Exeter’s Bridge Road bascule bridge will remain in place after further investigations uncovered previously hidden cracks and significant corrosion beneath the bridge deck.

Witnesses are being sought to a two-vehicle collision on the A30 near Tedburn St Mary in which a young girl was seriously injured.

Teenagers who took part in a pioneering project led by educational experts to tackle the South West’s “NEET” crisis are celebrating GCSE success.

Exeter is to get almost £2million in government money to tackle rough sleeping.

Exeter is set to take its first steps towards a new annual tradition with the city’s inaugural Exeter Walking Festival, taking place from 14 to 20 September.

The recent wildfires seen across the region serve as a stark reminder of the growing impact prolonged hot, dry weather is having on our environment. To help support the emergency services tackling major wildfires across the South West, maintain supplies for customers, and protect the environment, South West Water is asking customers to be more water efficient by making small water-saving changes at home.

Work to stop erosion from taking away huge areas of a popular Devon holiday beach may not be completed until 2030 despite a call from local campaigners for urgent action.

After years of hard work, students at St Luke’s Church of England School were celebrating today, Thursday 20th August, as they collected their GCSE results.

A refurbished community hub has officially reopened at Trumps Court in Sidmouth, with residents invited to celebrate the improvements at a special afternoon tea and ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Research led by experts at the Royal Devon and the University of Exeter could help identify hidden type 1 diabetes in young people referred for specialist genetic testing.

Residents in Woodbury have overwhelmingly backed a neighbourhood plan that will help shape future development in the parish for years to come.

People living in Exeter are being urged to return a form to ensure they are able to vote in the next elections.

Bus fares from Sowton Park and Ride into the City centre will almost be halved when a new dedicated Park and Ride service launches in Exeter next month.

Devon County Council has welcomed the Government’s decision to drop plans that would have removed affordable housing requirements from housing developments of between 10 and 49 homes.

Three people have been arrested in connection with the death of a man in Chudleigh last year.

The first 400 people who attend a new community festival in Exeter will receive a free ice-cream, it has been revealed.

Friends and family of Hospiscare patients can now stay overnight in a self-contained accommodation near to their loved ones – in ‘The Lodge’ next to the hospice’s eight-bed ward.

The NHS national booking service is now open for pre-booking flu and COVID-19 vaccinations as we head towards winter.

Detectives who are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding a man’s unexplained death in Exeter in January have released a picture of a man who they believe could have information as a witness.

Community support, hard work and patience will be the key to recovery for one of Exeter’s precious Valley Parks after it was struck by a devastating wildfire, Devon Wildlife Trust has said.

Emergency lane restrictions on Bridge Road in Exeter are expected to be lifted by Friday afternoon once repairs to the bascule bridge have been completed.

An award-winning Devon museum could be forced to close its doors unless expensive repairs are carried out.

Exeter’s councillors have received a total of nearly £442,000 between them for their work in the past year.

Wales & West Utilities is investing over £1 million over the next year to upgrade gas pipes in Ottery St. Mary and Tipton, helping ensure a safe and reliable supply for communities in the area, for decades to come.

A partnership led by the University of Exeter, Exmouth Town Council and Devon Communities Together has launched a 12-month research project into the impact of reusable period products. This project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), to improve menstrual health and tackle period poverty in Exmouth through community-led research.

Plans for a 54-bed mental health hospital in Exeter have been approved once again by the city council, almost eight years after permission was first given for the controversial project.

Eight local community groups have been awarded a share of £15,650 in the Home for Ukraine Scheme grants.

Government plans to make an additional £65 million available to help farmers cope with drought, extreme heat and wildfire risk have been given a cautious welcome, but questions remain over where the money is coming from and whether other areas of farming support will be affected.

The new Outdoor Play Research Centre has launched at the University of Exeter with a landmark study into children’s play which found children start outdoor play later than ever.

Six households have recently moved into a new home, following the completion of an affordable development in an area of natural outstanding beauty.

South West Water is urging customers in Exeter, East and Mid-Devon to check for hidden toilet leaks after its water efficiency specialists found leaking toilets in around one in four homes they visited.

A partnership helping businesses report crime, share intelligence and tackle prolific offenders has grown to support around 2,000 businesses and organisations across Devon and Cornwall.

People in rural Devon could have fewer councillors representing larger areas under plans for the county's new councils, Cabinet members heard this week.

This summer has brought some of our hottest days on record, increasing the risk of wildfires. Most wildfires in the UK are caused by human activity – from littering to leaving a campfire unattended. One small spark can quickly spread into a blaze that threatens the countryside, habitats, homes, and infrastructure, particularly during warm, dry weather.

Concerns have been raised over the planned closure of Exmouth Post Office, with fears that customers could lose a central location for accessing essential postal and banking services.

Eleven local community groups and organisations have been awarded a share of £16,730 in the latest round of funding for community grants from Exeter City Council.

Wildlife experts have warned people not to dump unwanted fish in local ponds after hundreds of suffocating goldfish, carp and other species were rescued from a hot mud-caked pool near Exeter.

Residents are being asked to have their say on plans to invest up to £3 million in improving play parks across Teignbridge.

Local councillors and highways officers met at a workshop this week to look at possible designs for Dryden Road, Exeter, including measures to slow traffic and improve facilities for walking and cycling.

Devon County Councils Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, has written to the Government calling for urgent action to support farmers affected by the growing Bluetongue outbreak in the Southwest.

University of Exeter scientists have been awarded £939,434 by Natural England to lead a major new project investigating the movement, breeding grounds and conservation status of three of England’s most vulnerable shark species.

There were smiles at Sidmouth College today, Thursday 13th August, as students received their results for A-level and applied courses, and celebrated the end of their sixth form studies.

Devon & Cornwall Police has introduced a comprehensive summer policing plan to help keep communities safe during one of the busiest times of the year, as visitor numbers increase significantly across the region.

The pilot of a classic biplane which crashed at Devon’s Dunkeswell aerodrome was unsighted at a crucial moment while landing.

Students receiving their A-Level, AS-Level, T-Level and BTEC results today (Thursday 13 August) and GCSE results next week, are being reminded that help and advice is available at Devon’s network of Employment and Youth Hubs.

Great Western Railway (GWR) has introduced Short-Story Dispensers at key stations across its network, encouraging children to continue reading throughout the summer holidays.

New signage has gone up around Exeter encouraging people to use bins when disposing of their chewing gum.

Bees, butterflies and birds could be attracted back to a fire-hit city park as a local politicians launches a campaign to make it bloom again.

Developers have applied for permission to build 67 more homes in fields on the outskirts of Exeter.

A popular ferry service that transports customers to an iconic Exeter pub has come to a halt amid a dispute between its two bosses.

Police are appealing for witnesses following an assault involving a group of around six or more males in Exeter.

People sleeping rough in Exeter are being given extra help to deal with the latest heatwave.

Results for the 2025 National Cancer Patient Experience Survey (NCPES) have been released, with the Royal Devon ranked 11th nationally, and coming out on top for the wider South West Peninsula.

A Devon MP’s war on weeds has sparked dozens of reports of vegetation blighting a city’s streets.

Smoke can be seen across Exeter this afternoon after a large fire broke out at Mincinglake Valley Park in Beacon Heath.

Sidmouth Independent Lifeboat are asking people to please not walk along East Beach or climb over piles of fallen rock beneath the cliffs.

Five projects from the University of Exeter are finalists in the running for coveted Green Gown awards, which recognise sustainability within Higher and Further Education.

Former Devon & Cornwall Police officer James Stillman, 32, of Chard, has been jailed for two years and four months after pleading guilty to three counts of Misconduct in Public Office. He was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 19 June.