Local News

Police investigating a reported sexual assault in Exmouth are appealing for witnesses. Devon & Cornwall Police say a teenage girl was assaulted on Gypsy Lane between 4pm and 5.30pm on Thursday 7 May. Anyone with information is urged to come forward.

Noise Action Week (11–15 May) EDDC is shining a spotlight on the impact unwanted noise can have on health, wellbeing, and local communities, while encouraging residents to take practical steps to help reduce noise pollution.

Rural Affairs officers from Devon and Cornwall Police held a series of property making events over the past two weeks, offering free trailer marking for farmers and rural communities.

The fund replaces the Household Support Fund, which ended in March 2026, but is not a direct replacement. Instead of automatic payments, it provides targeted help for low-income households facing sudden financial shocks or essential unaffordable costs.

To uphold the Police Crime & Commissioners commitment to be your voice in policing, her office has launched a dedicated website section to keep you updated on what the government’s policing reform proposals specifically mean for Devon & Cornwall.

The road between Tipton St John and The Bowd in East Devon has re-opened with temporary traffic lights in place following an extensive repair scheme

Fundraisers in Exmouth have given the town’s hospital a big lift with a £6,000 donation for a new patient hoist.

Temporary traffic signals which have been in place for the construction of the Dinan Way extension, will be cleared from the A376 on Friday 29 May to help ease traffic flow in and out of Exmouth during the summer.

Newton Abbot Town Council is redoubling its efforts to fill a unique civil role that would suit someone with a big personality and even bigger voice.

The test of success for the soon-to-be-nationalised rail operator that transports Devonians to London Paddington will be in its ability to run “efficient and punctual” services, a Devon MP has said.

Work will begin this month on a major project to build new council homes on a car park in Newton Abbot.

Cash aimed at helping businesses to grow has plunged to zero in a major Devon area after changes to government funding.

Clarity about an Exeter Pride event happening at the city’s library has been issued after organisers have been targeted with “extremely challenging” comments.

Exeter’s jubilant Greens have hailed an ‘amazing’ night at the city council elections and thanked their legion of volunteers.

An international partnership designed to improve equality in access to genomic medicine for a rare disease has now provided potentially life-saving genetic testing for over 1,100 families across the world.

Pupils at Dunsford Community Academy, have enjoyed a fantastic Bikeability week, with Year 5 children developing essential cycling skills and road safety awareness in a fun and engaging programme.

Businesses across the region are being urged to join the fight against business crime as part of a major new initiative led by UK Partners Against Crime (UKPAC) and funded by Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez. 

Labour has lost overall control of Exeter City Council, although it remains the largest party.

Labour has pledged to continue providing leadership in Exeter despite losing overall control of the council last night.

Almost 200 homes could be approved in East Devon next week as planners debate a trio of sites.

A charity walker tackled a 72-mile walk in just 24 hours in a fundraising effort for lifesaving charity, the RNLI.

DCUK, The Original Wooden Duck Company, is celebrating after being honoured with a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise 2026 in the category of International Trade.

Three former Royal Marines from the Westcountry are taking on one of the world’s toughest treks with the dual aim of raising £100,000 for RMA-The Royal Marines Charity and raising awareness of its suicide prevention campaign. And, in a bid to make the most impact possible, members of the public are encouraged to complete their own challenges.

Major repairs have begun on a Devon footpath and cycle path battered by Storms Bert, Bram and Chandra.

The latest figures show positive signs for East Devon’s economy, with competitive wages and low unemployment rates.

Get back on your bike with confidence this summer. Libraries Unlimited is partnering with Ride On to offer free Dr Bike safety check sessions at four libraries this May and June.

Successful Exeter artist Nick Langdon has donated an evocative drawing of their inshore lifeboat to volunteers at Lyme Regis RNLI to commemorate 200 years of lifesaving service in the town.

A scheme that introduced ‘hotspot’ patrols in 15 locations across Devon and Cornwall to specifically tackle street violence and anti-social behaviour (ASB) has contributed to a significant decline in crime.

Exeter Pride is back and bigger than ever this year.

A former prison officer from Devon appeared at Exeter Crown Court yesterday (5 May) and was sentenced to 14 months in prison after pleading guilty to misconduct in public office and being concerned in the supply of class C drugs.

A plan that will influence where thousands of homes in a Devon district can be built over the next 15 years has suffered a delay.

A Devon MP is calling on the government to scrap a new ‘church tax’ that he says could lead to a wave of closures across the county.

East Devon culture organisations and creatives have been provided a lifeline to help fund their cultural project, festival or event through a new round of the fund from Arts & Culture East Devon (ACED).

Visually impaired voters in Exeter will benefit from extra support at polling stations, with audio ballot papers available for the local elections.

The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) and Chief Medical Adviser to the government, Sir Chris Whitty, has visited Devon as part of a tour of the country’s rural towns and communities.

A Torbay taxi driver who picked up three speeding tickets – two of them at the same camera four days apart – has been given a formal written warning.

A man is due to appear at court today charged in connection to an incident in Newton Abbot town centre in the early hours of Monday 4 May.

Exeter’s largest church, which says its current city centre base is ‘bursting at the seams’, has been denied permission to move to a bigger new home.

APPEAL | Officers are appealing for witnesses and information following a fatal collision at Budleigh Salterton

Two people are in hospital after they were seriously assaulted in Newton Abbot in the early hours of Monday 4 May.

The Pharmacy First service, available in most local pharmacies, frees up GP appointments for patients who need them most and gives people quicker and more convenient access to safe and high-quality healthcare.

An impactful initiative that has been helping Devon parents and carers discuss difficult topics with children such as pornography, drugs and alcohol, relationships and mental health is now available for free online.

Residents and visitors to Teignmouth will be able to enjoy spectacular views for miles, following the arrival of a new observation wheel at The Den this week.

Fly-tipping, red-hot barbecues and van drivers throwing carrots at ponies are among the burning issues for rangers patrolling Dartmoor.

Vapes have been identified as a major factor in the likely rise in household waste collection fires by a Devon council.

A man has been jailed for 10 years for the rape and sexual abuse of a woman in Devon.

Deficits have already been predicted at Devon’s newest political entity as efforts ramp up to push Westminster for more cash.

Teignmouth Lido will open for the summer of 2026 on Saturday 23 May, in time for the half term holiday.

A vital food bank in an East Devon town is readying a fundraising push to broaden where it gets its income.

Construction work on phase 2 of the Ogwell Walking and Cycling Link project will begin week commencing 4 May 2026, marking the next stage in the delivery of a key active travel route for Newton Abbot and the surrounding area.

Campaigners calling for an Exeter road to be re-opened to traffic have released a video which they say shows an ambulance on an emergency call being delayed.

Efforts to help secure the future of an iconic building in a popular Devon town have been given new life with the addition of a host of new supporters.

A plea to delay a decision on how Devon’s libraries should be overhauled has been made after criticisms of a report ahead of a crunch decision.

Wales & West Utilities give a timely reminder to dig safely this May bank holiday and as the weather improves

Shaldon Wildlife Trust, the small zoo with a big heart, is celebrating this week after officially achieving accreditation from the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).

Residents in Exeter are being reminded to make sure they are ready to vote in next week's City Council elections.

Directors of Public Health across the South West of England have welcomed Royal Assent of the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, describing it as a once-in-a-generation moment in the fight against the leading cause of preventable death in the region.

Mill Water School, in East Devon, is celebrating the completion of a new stand-alone classroom that will provide additional teaching space and a welcoming, supportive environment for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

Ultra-fast fashion is in the spotlight, as Recycle Devon encourages households to reduce clothing waste.

Families living on park home sites in Devon are having to put up with ‘atrocious’ services, according to one local MP.

Exeter is determined to carry on backing the city’s artists and creators despite missing out on becoming the nation’s City of Culture.

RNLI lifeguards will return to daily patrols from Saturday 2 May across 27 beaches in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset as the summer season begins.

Exeter College has officially opened its new, fully simulated hospital training ward and life sciences laboratories, giving aspiring healthcare workers in the South West access to modern hospital-standard facilities while they complete their training.

Almost 300 ‘co-living’ apartments will be built on the site of an Exeter city centre multi-storey car park after developers went back to the drawing board.

People handing out election leaflets on the streets of Exeter have been subject to assaults, violence and intimidation, it has been claimed.

People in Exeter campaigning to save a city centre green space have been given eight weeks to finalise their bid.

A man has been charged with murder following the death of an 87-year-old woman in Exeter.

A damning poll has revealed school buildings blighted by leaking roofs and windows, damp, mould, asbestos, ageing boilers and fire doors, and even MDF holding up walls.

A former prison officer who entered into an inappropriate relationship with a convicted sex offender has been sentenced at Exeter Crown Court to six months in prison.

Plans to upgrade a East Devon sewage treatment plant responsible for 146 spills in a year could “improve water quality” in a nearby river, it has been claimed.

Liberal Democrats have pledged to ‘unite and strengthen’ communities across Exeter if they make gains in the city council elections on May 7.

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage following a road traffic collision on the A3052 near Sidmouth.

Cranbrook Town Council is has announced the successful completion of its "Roots for the Future" initiative. With a final total of 5,670 trees now firmly rooted across the Cranbrook Country Park.

Teignmouth Town Council has listened carefully to feedback from the public regarding privacy concerns in our new gender-neutral toilet block.

Exeter Canal has reopened to water users following recent water quality tests, with Exeter City Council issuing updated guidance for visitors and canal users. 

Labour’s grip on Exeter City Council is in jeopardy as the city prepares to go to the polls, according to one of Devon’s leading political pundits.

Exmouth's mayor has opted to cancel a forthcoming charity garden party due to a host of issues that hit its plans.

Princesshay Square in Exeter city centre will be transformed into an interactive wellbeing space this May, bringing together local organisations for its annual Let’s Chalk About Mental Health event.

Hospitality businesses are “absolutely against” the notion of a tax on holidays being imposed with fears that the increased cost could deal a blow to the county’ s economy.

A drug dealer has been jailed for two years and nine months after an investigation into the drugs-related death of a 41-year-old mother in Exeter.

Several caravans arrived on Thursday afternoon (April 23), occupying land used by the Exmouth Archers as well as nearby football pitches.

Detectives are continuing to investigate after a woman was found deceased at a property in Exeter at the weekend. A 92-year-old man from Exeter has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody.

A Devon sex offender targeted vulnerable young girls online and incited them into sharing degrading sexual content and carrying out self-harm.

There’s still a chance for people in Exeter to take part in a survey about nature in the city.

Officers are appealing to speak to witnesses following a collision on the M5 at Exeter.

East Devon has been ranked top nationally for the lowest amount of residual household waste per household in the latest recycling and waste league table. This is a significant achievement and reflects the consistent commitment of residents alongside the dedication of collection crews and the wider recycling and waste team.

Newton Abbot’s MP has stepped into the battle for Britain’s last care home for Polish allies who fought alongside British forces in the Second World War.

Tradesmen are being warned of being offered stolen tools for sale following a burglary in Torquay.

Community groups across Devon can now apply for a share of £235,000 as Devon County Council reopens two popular grant schemes to support grassroots projects and activities for young people.

A pioneering project led by educational experts to tackle the South West’s “NEET” crisis will allow young people not in school to sit GCSE exams.

People in Exeter who applied for a postal vote for next month’s City Council elections can expect to receive these very soon.

Devon County Council have been awarded additional funding to help more people access their successful Train4Tomorrow adult skills training programme.

More than 250 people have turned out to protest against a proposed  housing development at Topsham.

The Home Office has warned that local businesses dodging strict immigration laws are leaving vulnerable staff open to exploitation.

In three days at the start of April, Devon & Cornwall Police officers caught 14 drivers using their mobile phones hand-held while driving, videoing them in the act from the lofty viewpoint of a special unmarked HGV tractor unit provided by National Highways under its Operation Tramline initiative.

As a precaution Exeter Canal has been temporarily closed to water users until the results of tests for the presence of blue-green algae are known.

A major Devon business park is preparing to resubmit a plan for a host of electric vehicle (EV) chargers after its proposals were knocked back at appeal.

A second bid to knock down a town house in an East Devon conservation area so it can be redeveloped has been approved.

For the first time Exeter is being entered into City Nature Challenge, one of the world’s biggest community science events, in a project led by the University of Exeter.

The future of Devon’s ‘Little Poland’ – the country’s last remaining ‘hostel’ for Polish veterans who served alongside British forces in the Second World War – is in doubt.