Long-serving coach departs Sandy Park in wake of catastrophic 79-17 loss to Gloucester EXETER Chiefs have axed long-serving coach Rob Hunter in the wake of their catastrophic 79-17 loss to Gloucester - the worst defeat in the club’s Premiership Rugby history and a brutal low in an already faltering season. Hunter’s 13-year stint at Sandy Park ended with the club announcing his departure by “mutual consent” on Friday. However, behind the polite phrasing lies a clear message: standards have slipped, and heads are rolling. The loss to Gloucester wasn’t just a defeat - it was a humiliation. Eleven tries conceded, a defence in shambles, and a team that looked unrecognisable from the title-winning juggernaut of just a few seasons ago. The fallout was swift. Hunter and fellow coach Ali Hepher were both suspended while the club launched a full internal review. Hunter is now the first casualty. In a statement released by the club, it read: “On behalf of everyone at Exeter Rugby Club, I would like to express our gratitude to Rob for his dedication and the impact he has had during his time with us. We wish him every success in his future endeavours.” Director of Rugby Rob Baxter added: “Rob has been an integral part of our coaching team across multiple seasons. I want to personally thank him for his hard work, loyalty, and the positive influence he has had on the squad. “Although it is never easy to part ways with someone who has contributed so much, we look forward with confidence and enthusiasm as we continue to build on the strong foundations Rob has helped to establish.” Hunter is the second coach to depart this season, Omar Mouniemne left in similar circumstances back in October. As for the future for Hepher at Sandy Park, that remains unknown at this stage. In another blow for the Devonians, the club have confirmed that Greg Fisilau (shoulder), Joe Hawkins (ankle), Ben Hammersley (knee) and Max Norey (shoulder) will all miss the remainder of the season. The Chiefs are next in action this Sunday when they play host to Northampton Saints, who at the weekend booked their place in the final of the Investec Champions Cup with victory over Leinster at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin Comments Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us Further Links Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025 has submitted its application to run the small-scale DAB multiplex for the Exmouth and Dawlish area As part of the next phase of small-scale DAB rollout the proposed multiplex will cover a population of over 70,000 adults Chair of ExmouthDAB and Station Manager at DevonAir Radio This application gives us the opportunity to bring DevonAir Radio to even more listeners across Exmouth and Dawlish on DAB We’re confident the coverage will closely match our current 106.4FM reach “The multiplex will also carry our new station DevonAir Gold playing music from the 50s,60s and 70s and we’re delighted that Exeter-based Access All Aerials – a fantastic station championing presenters with disabilities – plans to join the service ExmouthDAB is now asking for enquiries from anyone interested in broadcasting a digital station in the area by contacting  julie@exmouthdab.com Get real time updates directly on you device THE seaside towns of Dawlish and Teignmouth will continue to be represented by the Liberal Democrats at County Hall as the party retains its control in the Devon County Council elections. Town and district councillor Rosie Dawson will now represent Dawlish at Devon County Council after winning today’s election [Friday, May 2]. The Liberal Democrat said she was blown away after learning she had been elected to represent the town at County Hall. ‘It’s an absolute honour to be trusted by the public’ Rosie said. ‘I’m ready to start work this afternoon’ she added. Reform UK’s Christopher Hilditch came second. Liberal Democrat Councillor David Cox said he was ‘very pleased’ to have won the Teignmouth seat, but admitted it was very close. Councillor Cox won with a 165 vote majority over Reform UK candidate Steve Horner. ‘There has clearly been a national swing’ David said. With that, the Liberal Democrats retained their control over the two seaside towns. The party won Chudleigh and Teign Valley for the very first time, while retaining Exminster and Haldon and winning Bovey Rural. Newton Abbot MP Martin Wrigley, who is a Liberal Democrat, said he was pleased that his party had increased the number of Teignbridge seats on Devon County Council from four to five. ‘It was very sad to see the loss of Ipplepen and the Kerswells’ MP Wrigley said. ‘But I am delighted that we retained Dawlish and Teignmouth and that we gained Chudleigh for the first time’ MP Wrigley added. Reform UK won four of the ten Teignbridge wards in the election, with the Lib Dems taking five and the Conservatives just one. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us Further Links The Lib Dems are celebrating in Devon after winning the most seats in the Devon County Council elections – but no party has overall control. Sixty seats in 58 council divisions were up for election in Devon – with two divisions, Exmouth and Broadclyst, having two elected councillors each. The Liberal Democrats (Lib Dems) won the majority of seats, 27, but they did not reach the threshold of more than 50 per cent – more than 31 – required to give the party overall control of the council. Reform UK also had a good night, winning 18 seats. It was, though, a disastrous day for the Conservative Party, which previously had overall control, but ended election day with seven councillors. The Green Party won six seats with two going to independent candidates. The Labour Party won no seats. There are an interesting few weeks ahead now as each grouping holds talks in a bid to agree a coalition. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us Devon County Show has announced the addition of an irresistible feature to its 2025 lineup—its first-ever Alpaca Café this unique café experience will offer visitors a chance to socialise alongside four charming alpacas the ring will transform into a cafe complete with patio tables and chairs accommodating up to 24 lucky guests per session The stars of the show – Lakemoor Alpacas Ron Guests will be invited to feed them nuts and carrots while basking in their gentle company—and the experience can be captured on camera with alpaca selfies galore is thrilled to bring this novel concept to life: "We love coming to the Devon County Show each year with our alpacas This is a perfect chance to see how it goes Working with animals is always a challenge but these alpacas love people—and Hagrid will do just about anything for a carrot!" and only a handful of spots available per session Devon County Show expects the café to be a sell-out success Times: 11am & 3pm (Pre-booking required) Get ready for a one-of-a-kind experience that promises to be as endearing as it is unforgettable The event is free of charge but Devon County Show will be collecting donations for their charity of the year To find out more about Devon County Show and to book discounted tickets in advance, visit www.devoncountyshow.co.uk Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us PINTS of the finest Hawkstone Cider & Lager will be available at the Devon County Show as Kaleb Cooper of Clarkson’s Farm is set to bring his very own bar to this year’s show Best known for appearing on the farming documentary show Kaleb will be visiting the Devon County Show on Friday in addition to helping Jeremy Tat Diddly Squat has written several books and embarked on a tour of live shows will be bringing his beautifully converted horse box bar well-crafted pint of the finest Hawkstone Cider & Lager As a passionate farmer and advocate for British agriculture Kaleb champions local produce—including top-quality cider and lager Visitors can find his bar in the agricultural and machinery area throughout the show’s three-day run Kaleb’s bar is just one of many places for visitors to unwind with a drink The Welly Bar in the new Family Fun Zone offers seating for up to 80 and even a dog-friendly drinking station so four-legged friends can refresh alongside their owners the Countrylife & Woodland Area debuts its own bar Advance tickets are available now at discounted prices from the show’s website. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us A NEWTON Abbot community centre will be hosting a police surgery tomorrow. Officers from the town’s local policing team will be in attendance at The Buckland Centre on Tuesday, May 6. ‘It is an opportunity to meet your local police team, share your concerns and receive useful crime prevention advice’ a spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said. ‘If you can’t make it this time round, visit the ‘your area’ section of the D&C website and type in your postcode to find out upcoming events near you’ the spokesperson added. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us FIREFIGHTERS from across Devon have been battling to contain a wildfire on Dartmoor for the past 18 hours. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue control took multiple calls reporting a large fire in the Cut Hill area of north-west Dartmoor yesterday (Sunday, May 4) at around 2.30pm. Three appliances were initially mobilised from Okehampton, Hatherleigh and North Tawton, along with a water bowser from Exeter’s Danes Castle station and a wildfire support officer. Okehampton also took the decision to deploy their All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and 4x4 unit. “While on route to the incident, the Hatherleigh crew confirmed large amounts of smoke issuing from the moor and a second ATV from Tavistock was mobilised,” said a spokesman from DSFRS. “Once the Hatherleigh appliance arrived at the rendezvous point crews proceeded towards fire using an ATV to gain better observations on the scene and confirmed a fire front measuring approximately one mile and requested a further two ATVs which were sent from Bovey Tracey and Middlemoor, along with a drone from our USAR station.” Due to the remote location fire crews has difficulty in accessing the scene and by 5.30pm the fire front was measuring nearly two miles. “Additional crews were mobilised through the early evening and liaised with Dartmoor rangers at the scene to observe the fire and ascertain current size of fire front,” continued the spokesman. “An incident command unit (ICU) was sent from Totnes with a crew from Buckfastleigh to support them along with a 4x4 from Princetown, a welfare unit from Ivybridge and two relief appliances from Chagford and Princetown. A helicopter from the National Police Air Service also attended to provide aerial support.” In the early hours of this morning (Monday, May 5) additional relief crews from Moretonhampstead and Yelverton were sent to the fire with crews carrying out a watching brief from two strategic locations. Two more relief fire appliances from Tavistock and Crediton arrived at the scene at 8am this morning and an incident command unit also in attendance to relieve the ICU from Totnes. “Crews have confirmed the fire is still burning and in the predicted direction,” added the spokesman. “The 4x4 from Princetown has been remobilised to assist with access on the moor and following a multi-agency meeting early this morning two ATVs from Tavistock and Bovey Tracey have also been remobilised to access and extinguish the fire.” By 1.30pm this afternoon all fire fronts were extinguished and a drone overflew the area to check for any hotspots and at just after 5pm, more than 24 hours since the alarm was raised the fire, the fire was out. Approximately 12,500 acres of moorland were destroyed by fire. Firefighters were assisted by Dartmoor rangers and Commoners using firefighting equipment. Crews used five Argo Cat vehicles, fogging units, leaf blowers and a drone for environmental protection. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us DETECTIVES investigating a report of assault at Teignmouth Back Beach on Friday night have identified the victim and have made an arrest. It follows an appeal issued earlier today in relation to footage circulating on social media which showed a young person being assaulted on Friday, May 2. Officers were called to reports of a young male being attacked by four people with weapons at approximately 8.45pm on Back Beach, Teignmouth, and attended the scene where 50-100 people were present during the incident. Enquiries are ongoing to try to identify others involved in the matter. The incident was part of a wider, large-scale disorder, which is thought to have involved teenagers and adults. Detective Sergeant Emma Boobyer said: ‘We have identified a teenaged boy who has sustained minor head injuries. ‘He has been checked over in hospital and discharged. ‘We are continuing to urge anyone who was involved to come forward and we will be making further enquiries in the area over the weekend. ‘We are aware of footage circulating on social media and possible names being identified. ‘We ask that people do not share this footage, and we need to remind the public that any suspect under the age of 18 is by law not allowed to be identified. ‘These rules are not solely for media organisations to adhere to. ‘They also apply to members of the public and includes information posted via social media. ‘This may be seen as interfering with a live investigation we therefore remind the public that it is vital that they do not speculate on the identity of any suspects in this case. ‘If you do have any information, please report it directly to us.’ A male has been arrested on suspicion of affray. He remains in police custody. If you witnessed the incident or have any information or dashcam footage that could help with enquiries, contact police via their website or by calling 101 quoting 50250109699. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us A section of footpath in Dawlish is closed due to debris and rockfall dangers from cliffs. A SECTION of footpath in Dawlish has had to be closed off to the public following debris falling from cliffs. Part of the path at Lee Mount has been shut off. The section closed is between the steps from Early’s Wall and the larger of the viewing shelters. Teignbridge Council has previously had to temporarily close this part of the path because of soil and vegetation debris which has fallen from the cliffs above. However, more recently fallen debris has included significant sized rocks, and overhanging sections now remain exposed which potentially could fall at some point. Access from Marine Parade, Boat Cove, Early’s Wall and Coryton Cove to the cliff top park at Lee Mount can be made via the pedestrian footbridge over the railway and the main remaining path. Barrier fencing with warning signage has been placed on the closed section. A spokesman for Teignbridge Council said: ‘We would advise anyone walking in the area to avoid this section of the path. ‘We will be checking the site on a regular basis and we will make a decision as to whether this will need to be a permanent closure in due course.’ Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response The court in Exeter was told it happened during terrible weather conditions and was caused by Wright's "momentary lapse in concentration." The victim was left with serious injuries to her arm that she will have to live with for the rest of her life was given a community order and banned from driving for a year at Exeter Magistrates Court The collision happened at 7.30am on January 2 when Storm Henk brought damaging winds and heavy rain to Devon and other parts of England and Wales There was torrential rain at the exposed location and it was still quite dark Wright said her attention was distracted by a school child running across the road and assumed the crossing was clear By the time she saw the woman in front of her it was too late to avoid a collision The victim suffered fractures and needed surgery to insert a metal plate It has left her physically and psychologically traumatised "It has prevented me living the life I used to lead," she said "The accident has destroyed my life in every way." Wright admitted causing serious injury by careless driving She had not been driving at speed before the collision said the collision happened in a matter of seconds He said Wright had an unblemished 40-year driving record and feels terrible about what happened District Judge Stuart Smith said it was a "terrible incident" and Wright had made the wrong assumption that the crossing was clear He said it was a lapse in concentration that had destroyed the victim physically and mentally and left her with severe PTSD He imposed a 12-month community order with 120 hours of unpaid work Compensation was left to the civil court to decide Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right A MAN from Dawlish has been jailed for a violent assault on his former partner appeared at Exeter Crown Court after pleading guilty of three assaults occasioning actual bodily harm non-fatal strangulation and criminal damage Williams was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison at the sentencing hearing on April 24 A restraining order was also put in place to protect the victim of the domestic assaults Williams was on The Strand in Dawlish and at around 9.30pm walked up to a man and punched him in the face with such force he was knocked unconscious and lay on the floor for almost seven minutes was taken to hospital but fortunately suffered no long-term injuries officers were called to an address in Dawlish following a report of a domestic incident involving Williams Williams’ former partner described how following the earlier assault she made her way to his property to collect belongings as she didn’t want to be with him anymore Williams prevented her from leaving and subjected her to a sustained and chilling ordeal During the incident Williams bit the victim several times and repeatedly struck her with a shoe she lost as she tried to escape The victim then made another attempt to escape and was tripped by Williams who then strangled her resulting in her thinking she was going to die A total of five attempts to escape were made each time Williams stopping the victim and subjecting her to more violence a neighbour ran outside and stopped the attack after hearing a scream on the driveway and took the victim inside his property to await the police The victim was left with extensive injuries covering her whole body Williams also damaged a car parked outside the address the victim was taken into domestic abuse investigator PC Emma Phillips said: ‘On the day in question Williams began by assaulting a stranger in public in what was a completely unprovoked and brutal attack ‘He then turned his attentions to his former partner who was forced to endure a truly terrifying and prolonged ordeal Williams would drag her back – including by the hair – and subject her to more violence ‘I would like to thank the two victims in this case for supporting the case and ensuring a violent and dangerous man has been brought to justice ‘We take all incidents of violence extremely seriously and will continue to investigate the incidents reported to us ‘If you have been the victim of an offence you can report it to us via 101 or our website If you are in immediate danger always call 999.’ You can also call Victim Support on 0808 1689111 or Devon and Cornwall Police’s Victim Care Unit on 01392 475900. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us Pilgrims are undone at the death as Leeds United are confirmed winners of the Championship PLYMOUTH Argyle head coach Miron Muslic refused to be drawn on his future as his side ended their Sky Bet Championship season with a 2-1 loss at home to champions Leeds United at Home Park. In what has been a testing campaign for the Pilgrims, they were unable to avoid the drop back into League One, an outcome which has left a bitter pill for many of the Green Army to swallow. Muslic - who only arrived in January following the departure of Wayne Rooney - has overseen a marked improvement in both performances and results since his arrival, but it was all in vain as Argyle joined Cardiff City and Luton Town in being relegated. “We are relegated now for seven, eight days. Believe me, I’m empty,” said Muslic, whose side took the lead against Leeds only for the Yorkshire giants to hit back and secure the win with an injury-time winner from Manor Solomon. “I don’t have the power right now to think about the potential future because that takes a lot of focus, a lot of concentration, a lot of energy. I don’t have this energy right now. I need to go back to my family to see them, to recharge, to breathe and then again we have enough time to think about the future.” Although the season ultimately ended in disappointment, Muslic was quick to reflect on his time so far in Devon.“I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to work in a fantastic club, a fantastic organisation,” he said. “So when I look back over the last four months I’m proud, but also very disappointed because in the end we could not make it. “I have nothing but true love and respect for the Green Army, I feel very fortunate to represent Plymouth Argyle as the head coach. Their effort over the last four months was just mind-blowing for me.” Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us a significant day for fans to celebrate the sci-fi franchise Originating from the pun "May the Fourth be with you", it began in 1977 and has since been embraced by Disney and by Lucasfilm the production company founded by Star Wars creator George Lucas While the day is celebrated by fans of all stripes some Star Wars enthusiasts once took their fandom a step further – by identifying as Jedi Knights on the national census the movement took off as both a cultural in-joke and a tongue-in-cheek nod to the spiritual weight fans saw in the Jedi philosophy What started as a grassroots internet campaign soon turned into a surprisingly widespread response across the UK A forceful 390,100 people in England and Wales wrote in "Jedi" as their religion in the 2001 census but this more than halved to 176,600 in the 2011 survey The most recent census for 2021 showed less than 1,600 people said they were Jedi Knights across the two nations – wiping out the Jedi Order Due to the dramatic decline and the cohort not meeting the minimum threshold the Office for National Statistics did not publish figures for Jedi Knights in the latest survey The group is instead lumped into the "No Religion: no religion" subcategory alongside people who claimed "Heavy Metal" was their religion At a local level, 2011 Census data showed 478 people in Teignbridge wrote in Jedi as their religion Imitating the most optimistic national scenario – where 1,599 people identified as a Jedi – it would mean the estimated number of Jedi Knights in the area fell to just four people in 2021 While the trend of identifying as a Jedi began in the 2001 Census as a joke for many there are others who believe in the philosophy even sought charitable status in the UK in 2015 the Charity Commission ruled it did not meet the criteria under UK charity law The commission said in its report that Jediism lacked the "necessary spiritual or non-secular element" Despite the census figures turning to the Dark Side the Star Wars franchise is still expanding The second season of Andor on Disney+ – a critically acclaimed prequel to the movie Rogue One – has generated rave reviews since its release last month And Marvel’s eagerly awaited Star Wars comic book series will be released on May 7 and Han and show fans what happened after the Return of the Jedi With the franchise continuing to grow 48 years on from the first film there is a new hope the 2031 Census will see the return of the Jedi The astrologer looks to the stars for your horoscope for the week beginning Saturday, 3 May If a task you’ve taken on doesn’t go as well as you were hoping it would, don’t hesitate to request another chance at it. If you’re new to this type of work, keep in mind the saying: if at first you don’t succeed, try again. Stay positive and give it another go. You’re ready to leave a disappointing situation behind. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself, you are looking for the next opportunity to improve your life. You expected a partner to be sceptical about our plans especially when these aren’t something they are normally interested in. A team effort brings out the best in you. Activities shared with others will be fun and stimulating. New people you are meeting now will bring excitement into your world. Just remember to keep in touch with old friends, too. The flow of your days will gradually improve as you strive for an important goal. Your ability to keep everything organised and calm will foster teamwork among everyone involved. The outcomes will surpass all expectations. You’ve always had a flair for the dramatic. Why not welcome a little extra give-and-take with your friends and loved ones? When they notice how open you are to compromise and not just focused on yourself, they will start treating you with a new respect. A younger relative will look to you for support in getting through a tricky situation. You may not be able to solve all their problems but you will be more than willing to lend an ear and offer comfort. There’s a genuine desire to help those nearby. Stay alert and keep your eyes open when dealing with legal and financial matters. If you miss something early on, there could be hidden issues that will lead to complications in the future. You have been unsure about ideas being discussed in the household. You’re getting on so well with a work or romantic partner that it’s almost as if you can read each other’s thoughts. This closeness will help you predict their responses and enable you to make suggestions that meet their needs and expectations. Get involved in a group project. Not only will you enjoy the challenges this brings, you will be making new friends along the way. Most people you meet will be friendly and supportive. This makes it a good week for accomplishing tasks as a team. It’s hard to overstate the magnitude of discussions going on in the workplace. You wonder how mistakes happened and how it went on so long before they have been revealed. Now that everything is out in the open you will stand up for those who need support. A household matter will not be easy to settle. You might think you've made your final decision regarding future plans, but others don’t agree. One of your housemates will want to revisit the conversation, hoping to persuade you to reconsider. A friend or neighbour will ask you to do them a small favour. This will open the door to even more requests and before you know it they will seem to expect you to be at their beck and call. Remember, you aren’t obligated to say yes every time they ask for help. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us Memories of dancing in the heyday of the 1940s—60s seaside music scene are the focus of a new oral history project and community event that has been launched with government funding will involve young people interviewing elderly folk and care home residents in Dawlish to capture their experiences and anecdotes of the dancefloor decades ago The interviews will be developed into a 30-minute audio programme which will be made publicly available to schools museums and libraries with the aim of enhancing community cohesion and understanding between the generations It will also inform a celebratory public event set to be staged in the Devon town in January Senior Lecturer in the University of Exeter’s Department of Communications and Artistic Director of local arts organisation “Dancing is a past-time that most people have enjoyed in their youth and the youthful experiences of care home residents today are from the 1940s-60s,” Dr Lidington said “The aim is for these elderly residents to reflect on their experiences from when they would have been roughly the same age as their interviewers.” exploring heritage and popular performance with 20 years of experience in delivering professionally-run the team has focused particularly on nurturing emerging local talent with projects such as this year’s ‘Sunshine Follies’ seaside entertainment training programme With funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will offer training for three aspiring creatives enabling them to develop new skills in oral history techniques and audio technology – as well as guidance in the ethics and protocols around interviewing the trio will meet with the residents of two care homes to gather audio clips of their stories and memories They will then work with Teignmouth’s Wandering Tiger Productions to edit a final piece “The project aims to develop pride in place encourage social cohesion and intergenerational relationships improve employment opportunities for young people and provide a celebration of the town in which we live,” added Dr Lidington many young people shied-away from direct engagement with others and this project aims to address this need Such inter-generational engagement rarely occurs in Dawlish because local elderly folk don’t often have the opportunity to meet younger adults.” The finished recording will be publicly launched at a celebratory community event in The Strand Centre The event will be open and accessible to all and will feature dancing to live 1940s-60s music Arrangements will be made to bring all of the contributors to the event has received £14,370 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place View full archives THE 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (VE) takes place next week. And there are lots of events taking place across Teignbridge. All the events take place on Thursday, May 8, unless stated otherwise. • Teignmouth: From 9am, join the mayor for a shared moment of celebration while the flag is raised in the Triangle. At 11am, children from OLSP and Teignmouth Primary School will be performing songs in the Triangle including the Nation Anthem. Between 2pm and 5.30pm there will be free cream teas at Bitton House with live entertainment. And, finally, at 9.30pm the lighting of the beacon ceremony will take place at the War Memorial. • Newton Abbot: A wreathe laying ceremony will take place at 10.50am at the War Memorial, followed by a proclamation, delivered by the town crier, at 12pm at St Leonards clock tower. Evening celebrations include bell ringing at St Leonards clock tower and Highweek Church at 6.30pm followed by beacon lighting at Highweek, Wolborough and Buckland sites at 9.30pm. • Dawlish: The VE Day flag will be raised at 9am together with the reading of the VE Day Proclamation by the Dawlish town crier at the bandstand. Music and lunch at the Manor House between 12pm and 3pm. Lastly, a reading of the ‘Tribute’ by the town crier and lighting of the beacon at the bandstand at 9pm. • Chudleigh: The VE Day flag will be raised at the town’s War Memorial at 9am, which will be followed by a wreath laying at 11am. Chudleigh Parish Church will be screening the Westminster Abbey ceremony from 11.30am. The town’s celebrations will end at the church, with choir singing and a performance by the Shantymen from 6pm. • Buckfastleigh: The bowls club will be holding a street party from 2pm until 4pm at the clubhouse. Ticket price is £7.50, which includes refreshments, sandwiches, cakes and bakes. • Ogwell: The village’s commemorations get underway from 7pm. There will be food, a bar and a beacon will be lit. • Kingsteignton: The town council are holding a baking competition on Saturday, May 10, from 11am to 2pm at the Community Hall. Open to adults and children, and free to enter, competition forms must be submitted before 12pm on May. 2 • Moretonhampstead: Events kick off at 9am with a flag raising at the War Memorial, followed by a school tea party at 2pm and the Mardon beacon lighting at 9.30pm. On Friday, May 9, there will be a special VE Day quiz at the Union Inn at 7pm. On Saturday, May 10, a history walk and coffee morning will be taking place at the community club. For more information above the above-mentioned events, visit the respective town councils’ website. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us Majority of Devon and Cornwall Police officers struggling financially with nearly a quarter eyeing the exit MORE than three-quarters of police officers in Devon and Cornwall say they are worse off financially than five years ago — with nearly one in five unable to afford basic essentials — according to a damning new report released. The 2024 Police Federation Pay and Morale Report reveals a deepening crisis within the force, as soaring living costs and stagnant wages fuel growing dissatisfaction, so much so that nearly a quarter of officers are now considering leaving the job entirely. Despite a 4.75 per cent pay rise this year, real-terms police pay has plummeted by 20 per cent since 2010, leaving many questioning how much longer they can afford to serve. Worryingly, the survey — which is based on 1024 responses received from Devon and Cornwall Police officers — revealed 23 per cent of officers said they intend to resign from the police service either ‘within the next two years’ or ‘as soon as [they] can’. Rob Greening, secretary of Devon and Cornwall Police Federation, said: “The pay and morale survey for Devon and Cornwall Police makes stark reading and unfortunately, when compared to previous years, the situation does not seem to be improving. “Our members work in extremely stressful and dangerous situations, to afford the public the safety and protection they expect and deserve. Governments, over the years, do not seem to have provided the Police service with the same level of commitment and have allowed Police officer pay to reduce in real terms by over 20 per cent. “Our members are aware public finances over the past 15 years have been pushed and that they should bear some responsibility for cuts that have to be made. However, 15 years of cutbacks and low funding by governments have brought us to the position we now find ourselves in.” He added: “We cannot afford to lose the experience within the front line of policing. The protection of the public depends on officers knowing their job and being able to pick up on the small clues, which may indicate a member of the public is in danger. “Workloads for officers are unmanageable and this is when mistakes are made and tell-tale signs are missed. “Officer numbers have risen since 2010 by about 4,000 yet the UK population has increased by 5.5-million. Investigations have become far more complex as technology advances and the case files officers produce, to ensure offenders are charged to court, have become unnecessarily complicated and timely to complete. “There has been a perfect storm brewing for the last 15 years and it has now hit land. Officers are not willing to put up with the continued increasing expectations and heavy workloads, lack of perceived respect from the government, constant pay awards that are below the rate of inflation and they are voting with their feet. Our members join the police to serve the public and keep them safe, but currently feel that they are not able to do this to the best of their ability. “If the government wants a police service they can be proud of then we need to retain the experienced officers, to enable them to impart their wisdom to those with less experience. “To do this there are many changes that need to be made, however a quick win for the Government is to sit up and listen to the officers. What the police take home is criminal. Officers have copped enough. Things need to change.” In response to the report, Devon and Cornwall Police Chief Constable James Vaughan, said: “The pay and morale survey from the Police Federation of England and Wales is always important to us and I want officers to be assured that we will be taking time to scrutinise the report and to discuss the issues in detail with Federation representatives in Devon & Cornwall. “Policing remains a very challenging and difficult job, and despite increased demand and limited resources, our dedicated officers continue to fight crime and protect the public every day to make Devon and Cornwall safe. “Since my appointment in December 2024, I have met over 2000 officers and staff in stations across the force area, to understand their roles and listen to their views, challenges and ideas. I will continue to spend time with staff and officers, to understand where support is needed to protect our workforce and improve morale. “I’m also nearly at the end of a series of roadshows that have allowed me to meet with all Sergeants and Inspectors, to understand the challenges they are facing, as well as to set out Force priorities and expectations – with a particular emphasis on improving our standards, behaviour and culture. “It is clear from the survey officers across the country, not just in Devon and Cornwall, see workloads as an issue. The number of officers we have on the frontline is an important factor in this and a key priority for me has been to return officers to the frontline through a review of our senior ranks – starting with the chief officer team. “We now have record numbers of officers after a very successful Uplift programme and these are supported by professional and capable enabling departments and a strong cadre of volunteers. “Officer numbers will continue to be boosted through the government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, an investment into neighbourhood policing which will support the increase of neighbourhood officers in years to come and alleviating the pressure on our frontline. “I want every member of the organisation to feel confident that their wellbeing is taken seriously and that they are being properly supported. I am committed to ensuring officers know that we are listening and feel valued and supported. "While some factors in the survey such as pay are outside of our control, we will continue to make advice and support on topics, including financial assistance, available to everyone in Devon and Cornwall Police, including signposting to those who can help. “Devon and Cornwall Police is made up of amazing officers and staff and we are committed to continuing to make improvements for all those who work so hard to keep our counties safe.” Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us A community project exploring memories of dancing in the heyday of the 20th century seaside music scene is set to culminate with a celebratory public dance event in the town of Dawlish this month enabled young creatives to interview elderly Dawlish residents in care homes and community groups and collect their reminiscences of going out dancing in their youth Recordings of the interviews have been used to create a 30-minute audio programme which will serve as an archive and educational resource for local schools the end of the project is being marked by a free celebratory event that will be held in The Strand Centre in Dawlish on Saturday 25 January The night will feature live music from local band The Cherri Shades who will play covers of the residents’ favourite 50s & 60s tracks The project has been created and led by Dr Tony Lidington and Artistic Director of Dawlish arts organisation improve employment opportunities for young people and provide a celebration of the town in which we live it is the reality that these inter-generational engagements rarely occur because local elderly folk have few opportunities to meet younger adults “Dancing is a pass-time that many people enjoy in their youth and the beauty of this project is that the care home residents are refecting upon their experiences from when they would have been roughly the same age as their interviewers.” In recent years it has focused particularly on nurturing emerging local talent and this project has enabled Dr Lidington to employ and train three local young creatives teaching them new skills in oral history techniques and audio technology said: “It’s been so fulfilling to be providing people with dementia the opportunity to reminisce and engage with vivid memories from good times in their youth Seeing the way this lights them up has been incredibly touching “I’m really grateful for what feels like a unique opportunity to serve the community through the arts – singing and laughing together and connecting with a different generation over our similarities It has inspired me to think more expansively about what kinds of community arts engagement are possible.” The audio programme will be launched at the dance event Entry is free and attendees are encouraged to come in costume OFFICERS from South Devon took the trip to Sidmouth to learn all about proper handling of donkeys. Several officers the Devon & Cornwall Police Rural Affairs Team, including PC Lucy Wyatt and PC Clarke Orchard, who is Neighbourhood Beat Manager covering Bishopsteignton, recently spent time at the town’s Donkey Sanctuary. The trip was a part of a national push to highlight equine issues. Operation Gallop sees police forces across the UK work with partners to tackle all aspects of equine crime and welfare. The operation aims to improve collaboration between police forces and partners and increase awareness of equine road safety and the importance of passing horses safely, as well as reduce equine related crime - including theft of horses, horse boxes and tack. The 2023 NFU Mutual rural crime report found the cost of rural crime rose by 22 percent in 2022. It also highlighted that ‘soaring second-hand markets and demand’ had led to a 66 percent increase in trailer thefts in 2022, totalling £2.9m. Rural Affairs Officer at Devon & Cornwall Police, PC Lucy Wyatt, who is based in South Devon, said: ‘We visited the Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth earlier this year to give them some crime prevention advice around property marking and they kindly offered to carry out a training session for officers in return. ‘As a Rural Affairs team, we need to be aware of many different issues affecting our rural communities and, as Devon and Cornwall are largely rural areas, we know that many people enjoy horse riding or keep donkeys. ‘As a force, we have a responsibility to protect animals from neglect or cruelty and the training offered by The Donkey Sanctuary has been invaluable in educating the team about how to spot potential welfare issues. ‘Many people don’t realise that donkeys behave very differently to horses. ‘They are more stoic, prone to foot problems and obesity, and respond differently to stress and handling. ‘Training helps to ensure that officers don’t make incorrect assumptions based on horse behaviour. ‘We are always looking to improve our knowledge and are grateful for the time the sanctuary staff have spent with us today.’ Devon & Cornwall Police is encouraging the equestrian community to consider property marking where possible so that any stolen items can be traced and returned to their rightful owners. Motorists and horse riders are also reminded of the importance of sharing the roads responsibly. Road users are also reminded to be mindful that the horse and rider may not hear them approaching and are encouraged to carefully make their presence known on approach to avoid startling the horse. In 2023, the British Horse Society received reports of 3,383 road incidents involving horses, resulting in 66 horse deaths and 86 horse injuries. Head of Welfare for The Donkey Sanctuary, Hannah Bryer, added: ‘Welcoming the Devon & Cornwall Rural Policing Team to The Donkey Sanctuary this week is a valuable opportunity for officers to learn about the needs and behaviour of donkeys and mules. ‘This knowledge will help them in the field and give them a greater understanding of the support available through our welfare team. ‘Partnerships like this play a crucial role in helping us reach more donkeys and their owners. ‘By working together, we can strengthen our impact within communities and continue our mission to improve the lives of donkeys every day.’ Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us Head coach Rob Hunter and his predecessor Ali Hepher have both been stood down after just four games THE hammer blow of a 79-17 humiliation at Kingsholm on Sunday triggered a seismic shift at Sandy Park, but already the fightback has begun. In the wake of Exeter Chiefs’ heaviest-ever Premiership defeat, CEO and chairman Tony Rowe has acted decisively, turning to the man who helped build the club's golden era: Rob Baxter. The long-serving Director of Rugby is stepping back into a front-line coaching role, charged with restoring pride, purpose and performance to a side that has clearly lost its way. Rowe, who stormed into the changing room after Sunday’s collapse against Gloucester, made no attempt to sugar-coat the situation. “There has been a clear disconnect between the playing squad and the coaching staff, and it is something we simply cannot allow to continue,” said Rowe. “Exeter Rugby Club is built on togetherness, hard work and shared standards, and right now, those foundations need reinforcing. “Rob is the right person to bring everyone back onto the same page to ensure that every player and coach is working towards the same goals. His understanding of what it takes to build a winning culture, foster unity, and develop players to their full potential is unrivalled in the club’s history..” Recently-appointed head coach Rob Hunter and his predecessor Ali Hepher have both been stood down after just four games into the new era. With Baxter now returning to the coalface, the message is clear: Exeter is circling the wagons, rediscovering its soul, and preparing for a resurgence. As part of the club’s long-term strategy, a comprehensive review of the current coaching team is also underway. This process will ensure that Exeter Chiefs are equipped with the right people, skills and energy to meet the demands of the 2025/26 season and beyond. “This is about more than just responding to results,” Rowe added. “It’s about re-establishing who we are and where we’re going. We’ve faced challenges before and each time we’ve come back stronger. With Rob playing a more active coaching role again, we are confident this is the first step in writing the next successful chapter of the Exeter Chiefs story. “I would also like to extend a heartfelt thanks to supporters for their unwavering loyalty and passion throughout the season. The bond between the team and the fans has always been a cornerstone of the club’s success, and that unity will be more important than ever as the Chiefs look to build momentum heading into the future.” Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd. | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025 Network Rail’s resilience work on the cliffs between Dawlish and Holcombe in Devon aimed at protecting the vital coastal railway line The project, which contractor Bam Nuttall commenced in July 2023 involved significant investment from the Department for Transport This initiative is part of a broader South West Rail Resilience Programme designed to enhance the reliability of the railway connecting Exeter and Newton Abbot To prevent loose materials from cascading onto the track below engineers installed 19,700m2 of stainless steel netting on the red cliffs identifying high-risk areas Access to the steep terrain was achieved through abseiling methods enabling teams to drill over 6,000 soil nails into the rock consisting of both stainless and galvanised steel with the latter driven deeper into the cliff to improve durability against corrosion contractor Bam Nuttall took meticulous steps to ensure the safety of the local ecosystem This included the removal of topsoil and the establishment of transport networks for materials and machinery all while guarding the integrity of the surrounding area portions of the project site fall within the Dawlish Cliffs Site of Special Scientific Interest necessitating heightened measures to preserve the region’s biodiversity and geological features an unexpected discovery unfolded in spring 2024 when a tawny owl was found nesting within the cliff’s recesses Construction efforts in the vicinity were promptly halted to avoid disturbing the bird and a camera was installed to monitor the nest Following the successful hatching of two owlets and the vacation of the nest by the family of owls The South West Rail Resilience Programme also saw the construction of an £82M coastal wall and rockfall shelter, which has helped protect the railway against recent storms. Network Rail sponsor Alina Wolfe-Murray said: “We’re pleased to have completed another milestone in the South West Rail Resilience Programme which was set up following the storm of 2014 to help protect the railway between Dawlish and Teignmouth from the effects of extreme weather It follows on from the construction of the new sea wall at Dawlish and the rockfall shelter just north of Parson’s Tunnel “Care was taken to ensure that local wildlife was protected and our resilience features still allow for people to appreciate the unique red cliffs which are recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest we have also used biodegradable coir matting which allows for the regrowth of vegetation alongside the rockfall shelter and the Dawlish sea wall will help to protect this vital line for generations to come.” Bam senior project manager Yan Sayles said: “Bam has a long and proud history of helping to preserve and protect the railway in Dawlish so we’re delighted to bring another phase of this work to a close climate change is a clear and present threat to coastal communities across the UK so we take a lot of pride in helping to improve the resilience of our infrastructure and particularly our railways We’d like to thank the local community once again for the patience and cooperation while we carried our work.” Rail Minister Lord Hendy said: “Everyone should have peace of mind knowing they can travel no matter the weather and this important project helps provide that by giving long-term resilience for this vital stretch of railway “Ten years since the Dawlish storm severed the South West from the rest of the network significant Government investment has ensured the line is now better safeguarded against extreme conditions boosting the region’s connectivity and economy for years to come.” Like what you've read? To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here. Tagged with: Network Rail is gearing up to complete 359 projects worth £67.4M over…  The Island Line on the Isle of Wight has returned to full… Network Rail and its engineers are preparing for the installation of new… High Speed 2 (HS2) Ltd has said its work faces delays and… POLICE are investigating reports of an assault in Teignmouth earlier today, Saturday, April 12. Officers received a report of a serious assault at around 2am this morning. The assault is said to have occurred on Exeter Road. A crime scene is currently in place in parts of the seaside town, the Mid-Devon Advertiser understands. Devon and Cornwall Police are asking for any witnesses with information to contact the police quoting log 70 of April 12. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter Support our mission and join our community now you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism A new bridge in Dawlish has officially been named ‘Sweet Violets Bridge’ marking a key milestone in a major infrastructure project supporting the town’s growing population Devon County Council and Teignbridge District Council have worked together to deliver the new bridge over Shutterton Brook The road connects the A379 near Sainsbury’s to over 400 homes at Secmaton Farm and Swan Park and provides access to a further 400 homes at Gatehouse Farm The project has been backed by £6.2 million in funding including £4.9 million in government grants and £1.3 million in developer contributions The final section of road in Area 2 will be completed by housing developers along with a shared path for walkers and cyclists all construction traffic for the new developments will be routed via the link road the route will provide a direct connection between 860 new homes and the A379 Exeter Road Dawlish Town Council chose the bridge’s name to honour the town’s historic sweet violet industry growing and shipping sweet violets from Dawlish to London’s Covent Garden via the “violet train” was a booming local business providing jobs and independence to returning WWI servicemen The naming serves as a lasting tribute to the town’s floral heritage and its role in shaping Dawlish’s economy and community spirit " + $(".testo_articolo").html().replace(//g please subscribe and support local journalism Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles To continue reading this article for FREE,please kindly register and/or log in Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news Controlled burning is one method of managing gorse on Dartmoor This fire was unplanned and is under investigation (Image: Herbythyme/Wikimedia Commons) Patrick enjoys a pint of Guinness with owner Kirk Petrakis (Image: ENT auditorium © Ralph Whitehead) Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm THE ‘MISSING’ link road in Dawlish has finally been completed after more than a decade in the making. The multi-million pound road is designed to help access new land for housing on the outskirts of Dawlish and ease traffic congestion. So far, only construction vehicles can use the road. But this means 100s of lorries every day will be rerouted, reducing the use of Elm Grove Road which is home to two schools. The link bridge, named Sweet Violets Bridge by Dawlish Town Council to commemorate the town’s historic violet industry, was officially named as part of the £6.2million scheme linking new housing development to the North east of Dawlish to the main A379. One of the aims was to ease congestion on the A379 road. This final piece of the jigsaw was the official naming of Sweet Violets Bridge by Mayor of Dawlish Cllr Lin Goodman-Bradbury. She said: ‘This is a massive piece of infrastructure which joins two estates. ‘This will allow other estates here to be part of this and the bridge enables this to happen.’ Now the road has been finished, it means there will be a new bus route and will provide a storm and fowl sewer system for the new homes. Work eventually started in 2023, seven years after it was originally planned. Residents called it the ‘missing link’ road after hundreds of homes were built before any work on the relief road was started. The scheme has been built in a collaboration between Teignbridge Council, Devon County Council and contractors Montel Group. In April last year, the 26m bridge was lifted into place using a 500 ton crane. At the opening, MP Martin Wrigley said: ‘This is a massive step forward in a 10 year campaign and I am delighted to see this open.’ Teignbridge Council chairman and Dawlish town councillor Rosie Dawson said: ‘It is amazing to be here and it has been a long time coming. ‘To see it being completed it great, it has been designed beautifully.’ The opening marks the completion of work on the project to build the 26m bridge, 110m of carriageway on an embankment including footways and cycleway and a further 360m of carriageway. Proposals for the road were first put forward when housing development was considered to the north east of the town. A spokesman for Teignbridge Council described the naming as a ‘significant milestone’ in providing the homes and infrastructure needed to support the growing local community.  Devon County Council and Teignbridge District Council, supported by Homes England, worked in partnership to deliver the bridge and the link road, which connects the A379 by Sainsbury’s to more than 400 new homes at Secmaton Farm and Swan Park and providing access to approximately 400 new homes at Gatehouse Farm.  The project was funded by £4.9 million in government grants and £1.3 million in developer contributions. A final section of road is being delivered by housing developers, completing the link road and connecting the A379 to Elm Grove Road. A shared path for walkers and cyclists will also be delivered by developers. The name was chosen to commemorate the ‘violet train’ which took freshly picked violets from Dawlish station to Covent Garden. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us A programme of beautiful tunes has been chosen by director Nicholas Gardiner for Dawlish Choral Society’s spring concert today on Thursday, April 24, at St Gregory’s Church. Some are well known, like Mozart’s “Ave Verum”, Bruckner’s “Locus Iste” and Faure’s “ Cantique de Jean Racine”, and supported by Italian composers like Monteverdi and T. L. Victoria, who amaze with the challenge of their complex parts. The main work is Schubert’s Mass in G, a popular choice of amateur choirs, happy and tuneful. The choir follows the dynamics with sensitivity, from the almost whispered “Credo” to the triumphant fortissimo of “Et resurrexit tertia die”, and the spine-tingling maestro of the “Sanctus”. Our singers are delighted to welcome back the guest soloists Ann Draisey (soprano) and James Bellamy (bass), who have given us so much pleasure over the years. Adrian Janssen leads the string ensemble and instrumentalists in his familiar role. We encourage young people to share our enjoyment, so they come free, accompanied by adults. Tickets for the 7.30pm concert are priced at £9 in advance, £10 on the door, available from Dawlish Book Shop in Queen Street. Interval refreshments are in support of Rowcroft Hospice. If you would like to join us, ring Ailsa Spackman on 01626 891584. We are a friendly group and always welcome new members. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us TEIGNBRIDGE beaches have been issued with sewage alerts following yesterday’s heavy rain Dawlish Town and Teignmouth Holcombe beaches have been flagged by Surfer’s Against Sewage Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in these three locations within the past 48 hours, the charity’s interactive tracking map shows. The alerts come after yesterday’s heavy rain. The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for heavy rain on Tuesday, April 15 Devon saw between 20 and 40 millilitres of rain, with some areas experiencing as much as 70 millimetres. Sewage discharge is common after heavy rainfall, as storm overflows are used to prevent drains being overwhelmed, but such circumstances sees sewage discharge leaked into the sea. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us Dawlish councillor Alison Foden applauds Stagecoach's bus service improvements after her eight-year campaign. BUS campaigner and Dawlish councillor Alison Foden has praised bus company Stagecoach for finally running more buses. The town and district councillor has campaigned for better bus services for more than eight years after her own experiences of struggling to use the rural services for travel to work. She had argued that rural areas needed better and more frequent services, particularly at peak times. Now she says she is ‘delighted’ after Stagecoach announced increase frequency of bus journeys from Dawlish starting this month. She said: ‘I am extremely happy that the management at Stagecoach have made these improvements to our public bus service, with increased frequency throughout the day. ‘It’s very good that funding from the Bus Services Improvement Plan (BSIP) is helping improve our service. ‘I am sure this will be a huge boost to local residents and businesses.’ She says as well as three buses an hour for much of the day, it appears the Number 2 service will be quicker by using a more direct route. Earlier this month, Stagecoach announced a range of timetable changes to benefit passengers. Service 2, which runs between Exeter and Newton Abbot via Dawlish will increase its frequency from every 30 minutes to every 20 minutes, providing an additional journey every hour, and access to Starcross, Dawlish and Teignmouth. Cllr Foden started a petition to Stagecoach Devon in 2017 calling for improvements to the service and for the bus service to be restored to three buses an hour. As well as handing in the petition to the managers at Stagecoach, she took the campaign to Dawlish Town Council through a Notice of Motion in 2023. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us A DISCOUNT supermarket chain has expressed its interest in opening stores in Newton Abbot and Dawlish said it wants to expand its footprint of stores off the back of a £500million investment package with an additional 40 stores over the next year The supermarket outlined hundreds of potential sites in its latest ‘Site Requirements Brochure’. And fifteen are in Devon, including Newton Abbot and Dawlish. The proposed locations include high-streets, retail parks and other town centre sites, the Mid-Devon Advertiser understands. Richard Taylor, Chief Real Estate Officer at Lidl GB, said: ‘This level of investment is a clear sign of our ambition. ‘As we enter our fourth decade in Great Britain and hurtle towards a thousand stores, there are still so many parts of the country crying out for convenient access to a Lidl store. ‘Our latest site requirements brochure reinforces the scale of our ambition for the future. ‘New Lidl stores mean new jobs, new opportunities for British suppliers, and continued investment into local economies. ‘We are proud to be one of the fastest-growing supermarkets in the country, and with this investment, we’re taking another big step in our journey.’ The newest Lidl store to open in Teignbridge was in Bovey Tracey in December 2024. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us SOUTH WEST Water has started work on its multi-million pound scheme to improve water quality in Dawlish. Engineers have moved onto the main green space, the Lawn, to begin work on the project which was due to have started in January. It is understood existing pipework under the Lawn needs to be diverted. It has been reported the fencing around the current work has already been breached. One onlooker said: ‘A group of teenagers had already jumped the fence and were messing around.’ Another resident said: ‘I have to say, that living overlooking the lawn I am appalled at the mess that is being created. ‘I'm afraid I'm starting to agree the town has never looked so unkempt, what with antisocial behaviour, litter, and awful gardens the place looks a mess, and the more it looks a mess the more people won’t care.’ A spokesman for South West Water said: ‘We are carrying out work to divert a sewer as part of preparations for the wider scheme. ‘We are also carrying out some ground investigation work on the Lawn this week and next week.’ Railings have been put up around about half of the end of the Lawn near the Piazza. The SWW scheme is aimed as reducing the use of storm overflows in Dawlish, helping to improve water quality in local rivers and the sea. This will mean more waste water can be stored at times of heavy rainfall then treated, reducing the reliance on storm overflows in Dawlish. Engineers have been in action across large parts of the town’s green space for the last few months. Drill testing took place on the Lawn late last year. Exploratory work also took place in Sandy Lane. The scheme is aimed at tackling problems of insufficient capacity in Dawlish due to rapid growth with additional homes being built along with climate change, creating more pressure on the system. The scheme is part of a five-year investment programme. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us THERE are several police surgeries coming up throughout the month of May. First up, police will be present at Dawlish Lawn on Saturday, May 3 from 2pm until 4pm. Then on Saturday, May 10, officers will be on hand at Haldon Forest. On Wednesday, May 14, police will be at the Den Promenade in Teignmouth between 12pm and 2pm. And finally, on Saturday, May 17, officers will, depending on the weather, be present at Teignmouth Harbour. The surgeries are an opportunity to meet your local police team, share your concerns and receive useful crime prevention advice. ‘We look forward to seeing you there’ the Coastal and Rural Teignbridge Neighbourhood Team said. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us AN outhouse fire in Dawlish is believed to have been started deliberately, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service have said. The building was left ‘100% damaged’ by the fire. Two fire engines, one from Dawlish and the other from Teignmouth, attended Thursday’s incident [April 17]. Firefighters used: four breathing apparatus; one hose reel jet; one safety jet; a thermal image camera; a triple extension ladder and small tools. A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said: ‘As a result of the fire, a single storey outbuilding was 100% damaged by fire, with slight smoke and heat damage to an adjacent property. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us MARINA Bowling Club on Sandy Lane, Dawlish, are gearing up for the new season of lawn bowls which starts on Saturday April 19, 2025. The maintenance team have been very busy throughout the winter tending to the green (the club’s biggest asset), making new access points with rails onto the green, repairing the surrounds and generally maintaining the areas. On Saturday 19, the town crier and his lady consort have been invited to open the green, calling for lots of good weather and to send up the first bowl of the 2025 season. This season the men’s Mid Devon League A team are now in the Premier League so they will be looking to do well in the competition in this league. The ladies’ South Devon League A and B teams both gained promotion and will be playing in leagues two and four respectively. The players are very competitive and hope to do well in the various leagues. Another date for the diary is Sunday, May 11 as Marina will be holding their annual taster day then, from 10am to 4pm. This event is open to anyone to try their hand at bowls - age, experience and ability are no barrier. Go along and see how enjoyable and social bowls can be. They need more young players to join the club. Anyone can turn up to try bowls on Thursday social evenings. For more information about the club visit marinabowls.co.uk The club are continuing with their initiative to promote bowls as an all-inclusive sport. They have all the equipment you need, they just ask you to wear flat trainers or similar and get involved with the fun. A PRE-SCHOOL in Dawlish has closed following concerns for the safety of children. Little Swans was shut down just before Christmas after complaints were made to regulator Ofsted that the pre-school was ‘not meeting the requirements relating to safeguarding policies and procedures’. Parents have been left desperate to find alternative places for their children as nursery provision in and around Dawlish is already under extreme pressure. Ofsted inspectors have been investigating complaints and concerns about the pre-school since July last year. The Little Swans website says it is ‘temporarily closed’. The final closure follows concerns made directly to Ofsted on December 18. Ofsted said: ‘We received concerns the provider was not meeting requirements relating to safeguarding policies and procedures.’ Ofsted said it made a ‘regulatory telephone call’ that day and discovered some requirements were not being met and suspended Little Swans Ofsted registration immediately because ‘we believe children may be at risk of harm’. This meant Little Swans could not provide childcare while the suspension was in place and an offence would be committed if staff did so. On December 20, 2024, Ofsted says Little Swans notified them of their wish to ‘resign their registration’. Ofsted subsequently confirmed Little Swans was no longer a registered childcare provider.Concerned parents say the closure of the First Avenue nursery is a major blow. Some parents expressed their sadness at the closure saying their children had ‘loved it’. Complaints were initially made to Ofsted in July last year. These complaints led to investigations by Ofsted which said the pre-school was not ‘meeting requirements’. This related to procedures when parents collected children to help ensure children were not able to leave the premises unsupervised.Ofsted said action needed to be taken ‘without delay’. Further checks were carried out over the next few months to ensure ‘staff with lead responsibility for safeguarding have a good understanding of the appropriate safeguarding protocols for reporting concerns about children’s welfare and allegations made against staff’. A visit was made in October 2024 to check whether safeguarding and welfare actions raised during the regulatory telephone call had been met. The Ofsted report said: ‘We identified that there continued to be weakness with safeguarding procedures and the actions raised previously had not been met. Despite further checks from Ofsted, the pre-school was closed again just before Christmas. Little Swans has been contacted for a comment. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us A GROUP of up to 20 young people are thought to have been involved in anti-social behaviour at a Dawlish play park A picnic bench was set alight and a child’s bike damaged during the spree which is also thought to have involved Coryton Cove The £350,000 town council owned play park was targeted by the group of between 10 and 20 teenagers and comes just weeks human excrement was discovered on a child’s swing A town council spokesman said: ‘Dawlish Town Council is deeply shocked and appalled by recent incidents of anti-social behaviour and arson which have occurred in the Manor Gardens Play Park ‘This behaviour is totally unacceptable and undermines the safety and wellbeing of our community particularly young families and children who use these open spaces to play ‘The town council fully supports the actions of the police and fire services ‘We will be working in full cooperation to ensure those responsible are dealt with appropriately ‘The town’s public spaces are for the enjoyment of everyone and we will not stand by as this is jeopardised by reckless and criminal behaviour ‘We thank our community for standing together to protect the integrity of our public spaces and the values we share.’ explained there had been reports of anti-social behaviour in the park He said: ‘A group of 10 to 20 youths had been setting a fire on top of a bench and had damaged a small children’s bicycle; possibly linked to incidents in Coryton Cove.’ PC Miller found the group and gave a warning under Section 50 of the Police Reform Act 2002 to give their names and addresses PC Miller added: 'An arrest was made in relation to the arson to ascertain one youth’s identity and the Fire Service attended to ensure there was no ongoing fire risk ‘The arson will be formally progressed in partnership with Dawlish Town Council.’ A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police added: ‘One girl was arrested before being dearrested 'Enquiries into the matter are ongoing.’ who was instrumental in the creation of the park said: ‘I am absolutely heartbroken that this has happened so much hard work went into creating this fantastic park for the children of Dawlish and its youngsters that has abused it setting fire to the table it’s so sad I hope the police take action.’ Former town councillor Byron Woods said: ‘I personally worked hard with others to get this £340,000 park a leader of environmental group Dawlish Against Plastic commented that young people have become ‘so bold with their anti-social behaviour that they would do this in daylight and in full view and that there were so many of them there ‘What a big impact the frankly disturbed behaviour of a small minority has on everyone else.’ Police are appealing for witnesses to contact them on 101 or via the website at https://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/reportcrime, quoting reference 50250075653. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us For best viewing experience of this website Please enter a place name in the search bar After provisionally the warmest May Day on record in the UK higher than average temperatures will subside over the weekend Environment Agency Updated: 09:05 (UTC+1) on Tue 6 May 2025 Fine and settled under the influence of high pressure A chilly start but with plenty of clear skies bringing long spells of sunshine Cloud thickening from the west later in the afternoon but remaining dry for all with light winds Evening cloud gradually clears away leaving a dry night with clear spells Wednesday brings a mixture of sunny spells and cloudy skies A few spots of rain may be felt in the far southwest Widely dry and settled with high pressure dominating this week Dry across the vast majority of the UK with clear or sunny spells but also some patchy cloud Cloud will likely thicken across the far north and northwest during the weekend with some outbreaks of rain for a time There is also a small risk of some heavy showers in the far south or southwest high pressure will be dominant across the UK This will bring predominantly fine and dry weather for the majority of places Temperatures are likely to be slightly above normal for the time of year although there is a chance of some cold nights Fairly typical weather for the time of year is most likely through this period fine and dry weather is more likely to dominate although this will be interspersed with occasional spells of rain and showers with a risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms in places temperatures will most likely be near to or slightly above average POLICE are seeking the public’s help identifying two men following a spate of criminal damage to motor vehicles in Devon, including an incident in Dawlish. It was reported that vehicles listed for sale were being identified online, test driven and while the owner was distracted, deliberately damaged to get the vehicle at a cheaper price, police say. Damage was caused by pouring a substance into the engine to make it appear that there was a fault. One such incident took place in Dawlish on January 3. It is believed the two men pictured may be able to help officers with their enquiries. ‘Anybody with information should contact police on 101 or via our website quoting 50250003090’ a spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us A woman was struck on the head by a large stone thrown through an open window of a train traveling between Dawlish and Teignmouth. British Transport Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident. A WOMAN travelling on a train at Dawlish was hit by a stone thrown through an open window. The incident happened on Saturday on a train travelling between Dawlish and Teignmouth at about 5pm. Now officers from British Transport Police are appealing for witnesses. The passenger was struck by an object hurled towards the train, thought to be from the beach. British Transport Police were alerted to the incident and said officers are investigation the circumstances. Members of the public are being urged to contact the force with any information. A BTP spokesman said: ‘Officers received a report following an incident of assault on board a train on Saturday at around 5pm. ‘Between Dawlish and Teignmouth railway stations a woman was hit on the head after a stone was thrown through an open window. 'Officers are still investigating the circumstance surrounding the incident and anyone with information is asked to contact officers texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 using reference 95 of 6 April.’ Passengers on the train reported seeing a young person throw a ‘large stone’ from the beach at the train. The stone managed to enter the moving train through an open window where it was said to have struck the woman on the head. A passenger who was sitting in the same carriage described how the woman, and all those nearby, were ‘shocked’. They praised the train conductor and said the woman was not thought to have been badly hurt and was ‘lucky’ not to have been knocked unconscious. They explained the windows had been opened because of the hot weather. The culprit’s actions were described as ‘dangerous’ and ‘disgraceful’. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us PATIENTS at a Teignbridge hospital have been benefitting from an environmental project aimed at supporting at hedgerows. Alex Watkins, Occupational Therapy Technician at Langdon Hospital, near Dawlish has been instrumental in the development of the project which blends environmental conservation with patient wellbeing. As part of that work, Alex undertook some training with the Devon Rural Skills Trust (DRST) to help enrich the work at Langdon, learning new skills as part of his professional development which he has been sharing with patients during therapeutic sessions. The Trust is a registered charity and was launched at the Devon County Show in 1980 with a view to preserving traditional rural skills. Run by volunteers, hands-on training days and demonstrations help to achieve it’s aim of preserving the old countrywide skills. People are shown how to use and look after traditional tools and taught the necessary skills to build and maintain field boundaries, old buildings and other structures. Alex said: ‘As a result of my training with DRST, patients have started steeping (the Devon word for laying trees over) the edge of our old orchard and work done during the winter has now started to bud and grow. ‘Before long we’ll see a dramatic change and a beautiful new feature in the landscape! ‘Looking to the future, there will be plenty more hedge steeping to be done and we hope to introduce drystone walling to the site as well.’ The Trust also offers training opportunities, instructs on courses for other bodies and offers membership opportunities for people interested. Beyond the practical skills offered, many participants also benefit mentally from what is offered. Don Gaskins, one of the practitioners, said: ‘Our courses provide the opportunity to put these ideas into practice, while producing something beneficial and of practical use. ‘It’s important that people go home with a feeling of having achieved something and over the years we have had feedback from people that DRST has given them a new interest in life with beneficial results for their mental wellbeing too.’ Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us DAWLISH will be in the national cycling spotlight this summer as British Cycling announces the 2025 series. British Cycling is to host the Dawlish Grand Prix in July as part of its elite road and circuit calendar. Dawlish has been chosen as one of six rounds of the fast-paced National Circuit Series which will deliver thrilling town centre racing. The six rounds will feature iconic venues such as the Sheffield Grand Prix alongside the Dawlish date. This series of races are among crowd favourites for cycling enthusiasts. Ant Gill, British Cycling’s Head of Sport, said: ‘Thanks to the commitment of our organisers and partners, this year’s road calendar balances traditional events with exciting new rounds, offering incredible opportunities for our riders and fans alike across the country. ‘The Lloyds National Road and Circuit Series continues to be at the forefront of domestic racing across the nine disciplines, and we are continuing to work hard to show the advancements of elite road racing in Britain. 'We’re excited to see the series inspire the next generation of British cyclists while delivering thrilling racing throughout the season.’ The Dawlish date has been confirmed as July 25 when the professional cyclists will compete around the town’s streets. A spokesman for Dawlish Town Council said: ‘We are super excited to announce that the town of Dawlish will be a part of the British Cycling Race Series in 2025. ‘The streets of Dawlish will come alive with professional cyclists from all over the country to compete in the 2025 Dawlish Grand Prix, the final race in the series. ‘There will be many other supporting events as well leading up to the big race.’ The event series brings the country’s top riders to the forefront of elite domestic competition. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us PROPOSALS by South West Water to improve storm overflows and sewage pollution in Dawlish are expected to cause major disruption to the town for up to nine months.  The plans, which involve extensive work to install large tanks, have been met with dismay by businesses and residents.  Disruption, expected to be caused by work on the Lawn, the main green space in the town centre, is described as ‘huge’. However, the water company’s efforts are in response to problems with sewage pollution and to improve water quality.  SWW is understood to be planning a number of large infrastructure projects and Dawlish will be among the first.  But the work is likely to take between six and nine months and the scale of the work will have a big impact on residents, visitors and businesses.  A drop-in meeting will take place at the Manor House in Dawlish on October 20 between 2pm and 6pm when SWW is expected to outline its plans.  Town councillor Rachel Hardy told a meeting of the Chamber of Trade that while there will be ‘huge’ disruption, it is an important infrastructure project to help tackle sewage pollution and ultimately improve water quality in Dawlish.  Dawlish Town Council is pushing for the work to be delayed until September next year, after the main summer season and the events programme which is centred on the Lawn.  A spokesman for SWW said: ‘As part of our plans to reduce the use of storm overflows across our region, we will be in Dawlish over the next few months carrying out investigations to understand more about the local area to help us to design bespoke improvement plans.  ‘We will shortly be contacting residents with more information about our work.’  Historian and retired Dawlish estate agent David Force said: ‘The rumour is SWW want to create a huge holding-tank or ‘run-off’ on our sacred Lawn.  ‘If this happens, the Lawn would be a no-go area for months as well as causing huge disruption to the town centre. ’It will be interesting to hear what SWW have got planned for the town.  ‘The upside would be that SWW would have to do remedial work on the Brook.  ‘There are other areas around the town earmarked as well, which would cause traffic case. The other upside should be a long term cure for flooding.’ The work will involve installing two large underground tanks, one under the Lawn and the other at Sandy Lane.  The tanks will be up to 45m deep and there will be associated pipework along the main streets in Dawlish including High Street, Exeter Road, The Strand, Brunwick Street and Sandy Lane.  Dawlish Town Council is in talks with SWW about compensation for businesses in the affected areas.  Dawlish Chamber of Trade says: ‘The project needs to go ahead, the challenge is how to navigate the disruption to minimise the impact on businesses and residents.’ It wants to see ‘joined-up thinking’ on road closures and one-way systems. POLICE are urging witnesses to come forward following a fight in Dawlish Warren that saw two males attacked. Devon and Cornwall Police received a report of a group of males attacking two other men on Warren Road at just after 2pm on Saturday, April 12. The two victims were punched and kicked a number of times, police say. And while officers carried out an area search, they were unsuccessful in locating the suspects. Officers attended and carried out an unsuccessful area search to try and locate the suspects. ‘Anybody who witnessed the incident or who may have relevant footage is asked to contact us on 101 or via our website quoting 50250091282’ a spokespersons for Devon and Cornwall Police said. Tel: 01626 336600[email protected]Follow us