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Police officers from Chudleigh and Ashburton have carried out a road safety operation to cut down on dangerous driving. During the four hour operation, 140 motorists were stopped at locations in Bovey Tracey, Heathfield and Chudleigh, for committing road traffic offences. Motorists were stopped for exceeding speed limits, having faulty lights, defective tyres and driving dangerously. Twenty roadside breath tests were carried out, with one showing positive. PC Richard Juniper said "The majority of those motorists stopped were receptive to the advice given. It is hoped that the message of 'don't drink and drive has been reinforced". Due to the success of the operation, more are planned for the future.

A pensioner has spoken for the first time about how she was attacked by a 600lb rampaging pig in woodlands near her Devon home. Mother-of-five Mary Smith, was left with a broken leg, broken arm and shock after the pig, described by her husband Derek as "as big as a bear," smashed through a stock wire fence to get to her. Mrs Smith, 74, was alone, feeding her friend's pigs in her own woods, when the rampant animals, thought to be hungry, set on her. Mrs Smith, who lives at Cofton Hill, Cofton, said: "My friend's pigs are really very friendly , she can even get them to sit for her, and I was feeding them feed when I saw the others. "I can't be totally sure now but I think there were two pigs, a big boar and some young pigs. "The adult pigs raised the stock fence with their snouts and charged me. They were after the food. "I was stuck in the mud and couldn't move and they trampled over me. "My right knee was crushed and my left wrist broken. "Luckily I had my phone. I called my husband and then Mandy, whose pigs I was feeding. "I somehow got out of there and they said they found me hanging on to the fence, although I can't really remember that." Mrs Smith was taken to the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital where she spent 12 days before being allowed home. Mrs Smith said: "The hospital was absolutely wonderful. They couldn't do enough for me." She said she thought the pigs that roamed the woods had been there for some time. "It has been a nightmare and I don't think I will be going back to feed my friend's animals again. "At least I am home for Christmas. I can't do much but my four daughters, my son and my husband are looking after me very well." In April 2011 police were called near to where the latest incident after a roaming pig attacked two people. The sow with piglets has been on the loose at nearby Cockwood It bit the leg and arm of people in the area of the Cofton Country Holiday Park. It was suggested that pigs resembling wild boar, were behind the attacks. One man was bitten on the arm and a woman was bitten on the leg by a pig, drawing blood. At the time emergency services said there had been reports of pigs getting into gardens in the past. Police suggested pigs escaping was a civil matter. A spokesman said: "While we appreciate concerns, there is nothing that can be done by police to solve what is a civil issue."

Devon pensioner attacked by pig 'as big as a bear' speaks of horror that left her with broken arm and leg

A 12-YEAR OLD schoolgirl has been airlifted to hospital after a collison in Old Exeter Road, Newton Abbot. The youngster is being treated at Derriford Hospital for suspected head injuries. Police say there was a collision involving a blue BMW being driven by a 69-year-old woman from the Exeter area. The road was closed shortly after the incident at 3.30pm, school leaving time. Police closed traffic in Old Exeter Road while accident investigators were on scene. The road re-opened at 4.35pm.

Exeter Saracens under-13s were given some top quality coaching when Australian international Dean Mumm and Dave Ewers ran their training session. Chiefs stars Mumm and Ewers helped the youngsters with some ball skills, tackling and one-on-one try scoring. The session, which was organised with the help of The Gro Company, clearly inspired the youngsters as they beat Bridport 22-7 on Sunday. In a game dominated by the forwards, Sarries were totally dominant. Isaac Lazenby scored one of his side's four tries.

Exeter Chiefs stars coach Exeter Saracens U13s

Leaders Newtown welcome Chard Town on Saturday looking to rubber stamp their tag as Premier Division title favourites. The city side stormed to an impressive 5-0 victory at the University on Saturday, with Dale O'Donoghue (2), Ben Howard (2) and Fergil O'Rourke scoring. Second-in-the-table St Martins had a much tougher ask against Thorverton, but got home 3-1. Goals from Dax Vincent, Lee Parker and Darren Bingham won it for Saints. Feniton looked impressive as they built a three-goal lead at Chard Town, but had to hold on for a 3-2 win. Two-goal Paul Dowling and Mark Simic had the Fenny goals. Seaton Town are up to fourth following their 4-2 victory at Clyst Valley. Josh French, Marc Perham, Dick Richards and Seth Wakley scored for Seaton. Beer Albion got their first home win as they beat Heavitree United 5-0. Richard Walker, James Melville, John Cooper, Chris Long and Mike Wheeler were the scorers. Willand Rovers and Hatherleigh Town shared a 1-1 draw, Aiden Moyle scoring for Willand. Division One leaders Elmore reached the halfway mark of their season with a 6-1 win against Tipton St John. Kevin Mills (3), Jordan Copp, Jordan O'Leary and Callum Old sent Tipton packing. Sidbury United were held 1-1 at Bow AAC, whose Micheal Broome scored, which was a bonus for third-place Witheridge, who were 2-1 winners at Alphington. Matt Smith and Tom Williams netted for Withy. The University drew 1-1 at Cullompton, with Jon Ormsby scoring a rare goal. Dexter Booth netted twice for Heavitree as they won 4-1 against Exmouth Amateurs. Jack Howarth also scored twice for East Budleigh in their 4-0 derby win at Newton Poppleford. Josh Willer, with a 30-yarder, and an own goal completed the scoring. Honiton Town beat Colyton 4-0 and will remain as Division Two leaders over Christmas. Tim Genders (2), Jack Knight and Lewis Couch scored. Exwick Villa edged third-placed Newton St Cyres 3-2, with man-of-the-match Mark Saunders netting twice. Dawlish United beat South Zeal 4-2 with Lance Clarke hitting a hat-trick. Topsham and Pinhoe drew 1-1, with Joe Webber scoring. Division Three leaders Upottery swept to an 8-1 win at Exmouth Amateurs, with Sam Winslade (2), Mark Tucker, Steve Pepperell, Joey Jones, Jake Welch, Dan Scadden and Steve Morris scoring. The University won a tough game with Tedburn St Mary 5-3, with James Cullinane (2), Harvey Owen and James Knott among the scorers. Woodbury lost 7-0 against Chulmleigh, while Chagford were 3-0 winners at Ottery St Mary. Josh Stanbury, Davon Friend and Robbie Miller netted for the Moormen. Newtown won 4-1 at Axminster Town, with Luke Jones, Steve Kerswell, Johnny Smith and Mike Blinkhorne scoring. Exmouth Town's cut the gap the at top of Division Four to six points with a 2-0 win at Newtown. The Lords XI lost 3-1 at home against Thorverton, while Awliscombe United beat Okehampton 3-1, with Ben Gay, Liam Spiller and Dave Trenchard on the mark. Sandford are still without a victory but held the University to a 0-0 draw. Lapford took over as Division Five leaders following their 5-3 victory against Beer Albion. Harry Leach (2), Dom Stapleton (2) and Mark Tucker, with a penalty, scored for Lapford. Morchard Bishop needed a last-minute equaliser to draw 2-2 at Bow AAC. Alex Simpson and Jamie Jackman scored for Bow, with Phil Greenslade and Ryan Carpenter on target for Morchard. Dawlish United won 1-0 at Feniton with Toto Whittle scoring the only goal. Luke Shere hit five goals as Amory Park Rangers lashed Sampford Peverell 6-0. Countess Wear routed Seaton Town 7-1, with Hamza Sboui netting four goals and Richard Gilbert the other three. Otterton opened a six-point gap in Division Six after their 5-1 win against second-placed Honiton Town. Kevin Pitt (2), Ben Yeomans (2) and Ryan Mitchell scored. Priory went third with a 1-0 win against Exwick Village, while East Budleigh won 3-0 against Ottery St Mary. Joe Rosser (2) and Jack Hocking were on target. There was a remarkable match at Newton St Cyres, where Halwill won 6-5. Henry's Cronies maintained their 100 per cent record in Division Seven as they saw off Newtown 6-1. Debutant Kieran Smith bagged a brace. Alphington won their match against Kentisbeare 3-2 to open a 10-point cushion on their rivals. Ben Brown and Carlos Pavia scored for Kentisbeare. Matt Baker netted both goals for the Met Office as they went down 6-2 at Offwell Rangers. Alphington moved three points ahead as Division Eight leaders following their 5-1 victory at Woodbury. Hemyock slipped back after being held 1-1 by Bickleigh, while Bradninch fell to a 2-1 defeat against Sandford.

SIDMOUTH may have surrendered the Premier Division title to arch rivals Exmouth, but they still had plenty to celebrate at their end-of-season awards. The Devon T20 Cup was regained after a year in the custody of Bovey Tracey, while the second XI pipped Exeter by a couple of points for the Premier Two title. And the first XI did not have such a bad season as they were runners-up in the Premier Division and runners-up to Exmouth in the Devon Cup final. Full list of winners: First XI batsman, James Harbud Cup: Liam Lewis. First XI bowler, Margaret Clark Cup: Scott Barlow. Second XI batsman, Cyril Spencer Cup: Matt Hewer. Second XI bowler, George Maeer Cup: Charlie Dibble. Third XI batsman, Lloyd Baker Cup: Harvey Sargent. Third XI bowler, John Palmer Cup: Graham Munday. First XI highest league score: Liam Lewis (140 v Torquay). Playing clubman, Cicely Anderson Cup: Saj Patidar. Most-promising colt, Harold Naylor Cup: Harvey Sargent. Most-improved player, Greg Barwick Cup: Charlie Miles. Services to cricket, Sadie Wood Cup: Colin Whitehall. Players' player, Lloyd Baker Trophy: Liam Lewis South Devon will be back in the nets on February 2, 2013, with sessions starting for juniors at 3pm and seniors from 4.30pm until 6pm. The Newton Abbot club recently completed the signing of former Devon captain Neil Hancock from Bovey Tracey for the 2014 season. New skipper Ali Wright hopes that will be a catalyst to bring others to the club. Anyone interested should contact Wright on 07886 019643.

Teignmouth coach Simon Morrell believes the three-week Christmas break has come at a perfect time for his team. The Teigns are fourth with a game in hand on Kingsbridge and play next on January 4. "We have played virtually every Saturday since the start of September and some of the players are a bit broken," said coach Simon Morrell. "Three weeks off now should clear up most of the knocks and niggles before we come back." Teignmouth beat bottom side Paignton 34-6 in a match that was abandoned with seven minutes to go due to an injury to a Paignton player, although the result will stand. Mike Saxton converted his own try and one of Jamie Grey's two, Chris Tidman, Jake Allison and Ben Parrett also scored. A minute's silence was observed in memory of former Teigns captain Richard Osborne, who died last week after a long battle against cancer. Okehampton will be looking to pick themselves up after the 39-24 drubbing by Torquay when then make the short trip to Bideford in the Intermediate Cup. Okes were 24-19 down at half-time against Torquay and the opposition had two players sin-binned one after the other in the second half, but by the time Okes pulled a try back they were 31-19 down. Okes' tries were scored by Luke Honeychurch, Simon Cox (2) and Gary Sizmur. Carl Poynton converted a couple.

FORMER staff of Exmouth's seafront bowling alley complex say they are still owed thousands of pounds in wages by the former business directors. As previously reported by the Echo Isaac Robb, who ran the high-profile facility with his wife Grainne, admitted he left the business without paying "a lot" of staff and suppliers. The couple ran the facility for around seven months but in July Mr Robb said he felt he had "no option" but to leave following communication with Mark Quinn of Harlequinns Bowling and Leisure Ltd, the developer behind the multimillion-pound complex. The Robbs, directors of Palmera Enterprises Ltd, had been running Coast Café Bar Bowl since it opened on Boxing Day. Since the Robbs' departure, Mr Quinn took over the running of the complex renaming it Ocean Blue. He has been praised for his efforts by former staff. According to Companies House this December, Palmera Enterprises Ltd is still active. No accounts have been filed for the company. In August the Echo spoke to four former employees of the Robbs who said they were collectively owed around £6,500 – £7,000 in wages and holiday pay and lieu time. Former head chef, father-of-two Dan Leader is still owed around £1,600. He said after seeking advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau he wrote a letter to the Robbs asking for his money but said since they moved house has not been able to contact them. "I just feel really annoyed by it all," said the 27-year-old. "I was close to not being able to pay the rent for my family so had to take a loan out which I'm still paying back. "We're only just scraping by. It's had a huge impact on us financially and it's been really upsetting for my partner. "But I'm tying not to let it get to me, they've upset us enough. "I know I'll never get my money, I just hope one day they realise how badly they've treated people." Former café manager Samijo Cragg, 25, said she is still owed between £1,500 and £2,000 in wages and holiday pay. "We've all stomached it that we're not going to get our money back," she said. "It's been awful. I find it hard to trust people now. And it looks like they're going to get away with it which makes me so angry and upset. "I feel massively betrayed." Samijo said she's had to spend her savings to make ends meet the last few months. "We're not having a big Christmas this year, I've been living in my overdraft," she continued. "It's had a knock-on effect as well as my family and partner have had to help." The Echo's attempts to contact the Robbs were unsuccessful.

Exmouth seafront bowling alley staff claim they are still owed thousands in wages

The South West offers the brightest long-term career prospects for apprentices according to a new survey, but a local training provider says it is struggling to fill more than 100 Westcountry roles. City & Guilds has said the South West is the best region for ex-apprentices to reach a board-level position, with one of five of individuals who take this route into work ending up in the board room. More than half of firms have said the average time for an apprentice to reach a management position in their business was five years or less. But the Plymouth-based Skills Group has said it is 'struggling' to fill more than 100 apprenticeship vacancies across Devon and Cornwall, despite high unemployment. It currently has 111 vacancies across Devon and Cornwall in everything from construction and business to hair and childcare and says employers are 'crying out' for willing youngsters aged 16-18 to apply. Jeff Hughes, senior site supervisor at Plymouth-based Contour Brickwork Services Ltd, said the company was having difficulty in finding enough workers to support building projects throughout Devon and Cornwall. He said: "We are really stretched. And with the forthcoming Sherford Valley development, there are three contractors for the site and each has to build 80 houses in a year. That is adding to what is already pressure of finding good quality construction workers." Fittingly, according to City & Guilds the construction industry offers the most likely route up the career ladder, with almost half of firms within the sector numbering an ex-apprentice on its board. It said manufacturing, engineering, agriculture and energy companies also employ above-average numbers of senior staff who began their careers as apprentices. Youngsters must now stay in some form of education or training until they turn 18, but it's thought that some may be unaware that workplace-based training in the form of an apprenticeship could offer an alternative to school. Skills Group Plymouth managing director Mark Boulting said: "This is the best opportunity youngsters have had to get apprenticeships that we've seen since the recession. "The problem is that a lot of young people are staying on at school because they don't realise that there are the opportunities for jobs within training or apprenticeships. "We have positions across the board, construction being just one of them. There are so many vacancies but we're finding that young people are just not applying for them." City & Guilds chief executive Chris Jones said: "Apprenticeships provide employers with the workforce of the future. "Apprentices add value from day one not just through their skills, but through their enthusiasm and drive."

The Ministry of Defence paid more than £83,000 in compensation after a helicopter terrified a horse in Axminster, Devon, which then knocked over a person causing them head injuries. In what was the MoD's biggest payout last year the orgnanisation paid £83,125 following the incident involving a Chinook helicopter. It was revealed that MoD has paid out thousands of pounds in the last year to horse riders who have been injured when their animals were scared by low-flying military aircraft. In total last year the MoD paid £680,000 compensation to people who suffered personal injury or damage to their property because of low-flying training by the RAF. There were three separate payouts where riders were thrown from their animals which had been scared by the noise of the aircraft. These settlements for £64,666, £45,000 and £36,995 were as a consequence of horses being spooked by a Chinook, a Tornado jet and a Hawk jet. In the past the MoD has paid out when cows, chickens and horses have died in incidents where they have been terrified by the noise of the low flying aircraft. One of the biggest settlements was for £125,000 in 2011, to the owner of a house in Somerset who successfully claimed that the property had been damaged by a low-flying Falcon aircraft. In the past the MoD has also paid £2,200 to the owner of a parrot when the animal dropped dead from fright after being scared when a Hercules transport plane roared over his home.

Mod pays £83,000 in compensation after helicopter scared horse which knocked over East Devon resident

Belmont Chapel, Western Way: December 22, 7pm, Carol service with readings, carols and songs; Christmas Day, 10am, all-age service. Exeter Cathedral: Christmas Eve, noon, crib service; 6pm, service of lessons and carols; Christmas Day, 10am, Sung Eucharist; 4pm, Choral evensong with carols from the minstrels' gallery. Exeter Network Church, Maynard School: December 22, 4:30pm, Gathering and Communion; 7pm, Gathering and Communion; Christmas Morning Celebration, 10.30am Riverside Church, Okehampton Street: December 22, 10am, Christmas service. Isca Church, Willowbrook Primary School: December 22, 5pm, Carol service. St Leonard's Church, Topsham Road: December 22, 6.30pm, Carol service; Christmas Eve, 4pm, family carols; 11.15pm, Holy Communion; Christmas Day, 9.15am and 11am, Christmas celebration. St Andrew's Church, Station Road, Exwick: December 22, 4pm, Carols, readings and candles; Christmas Eve, 3pm, carols around the Crib; 11.15pm, midnight service; Christmas Day, 10am, Holy Communion, 10.30am family service. St Michael and All Angels Alphington: December 22, 11am, all age nativity; Christmas Eve, 6.30pm Road to Bethlehem; 11.30pm, Midnight Communion; Christmas Day, 10am, Family Christmas Communion. St Michael and All Angels, Heavitree: December 22, 4pm, Carol service for all the family, followed by refreshments; Christmas Eve, 6pm, crib service; 11.30pm, Midnight mass; Christmas day, 8am, said Mass; 10,30am, Christmas morning mass with carols around the Crib. St Michael and All Angels, Pinhoe: December 22, 6.30pm, Carol service; Christmas Eve, 4pm, crib service; 11.30pm midnight communion; Christmas Day,10.30am, communion service. St Paul's, Burnthouse Lane: Christmas Eve, 3pm to 4pm, Carols on the Green, carols and mince pies. St Thomas Baptist Church, Dorset Avenue: December 22, 6pm, carol service; Christmas day; 10.30am to noon, morning service. St Thomas Methodist Church, Cowick Street: Sunday, December 22, 6.30pm, Carols by candlelight; Christmas Eve, 5pm to 6pm, crib Service; 11.15pm, Communion; Christmas Day, 10am, worship for all. Westgate Christian Fellowship, Bartholomew Street West: December 22, 4pm to 5pm, Carol service. Broadclyst Parish Church: Christmas Eve, 4pm to 5pm, Crib Service; Christmas Day, 10am to 11am Communion.

LIST: Christmas church services in and around Exeter

FOR more than 40 years David Thomas has been Exeter's "eyes on the skies". Based high in the control tower at Exeter Airport, David has safely brought in and seen off hundreds of planes and thousands of passengers. And since that first day he climbed to the top of the tower David has enjoyed every minute in his "magical world". Now, after nearly 43 years, David, 65, who lives in Pinhoe with his wife Marianne, is retiring as the airport's air traffic service manager. He said: "I can honestly say it has been wonderful. I have one of the best views of Devon you could wish for from the control tower and we are really one big family who all pull together as one team." For David it all started with a visit to see his parents in Farringdon. "I had come down from Birmingham to see them and while I was here I saw a job in the Jobcentre for an air traffic controller," he said. "It sounded quite exciting so I went along for an interview with the then manager Harry Ellis and he gave me the job. "I was taken up to the old RAF control tower they had. I remember it was a bit gaunt and there were still a few bullet holes from when the airfield had been strafed during the war, but it was Flying Control and it was a magical world." In those early days the airport had three runways dating from the Second World War – now there is only one – and planes were talked in to land over radio. One of David's earlier jobs was to keep track of approaching aircraft through binoculars to confirm they had lowered their landing gear. "If they hadn't we called them up and they had to go round again," he said. "We had four controllers in those days and flying finished at about 5pm. "After that telephone calls to the airport were transferred to flying control. "Now of course things are much different and the hours have been extended to run from around 5.30am to 3.30am." The airport, run by Exeter Airport Ltd, was then home to three flying clubs and the Civilian Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit. In the early 1970s the airport saw its first "inclusive tour" holidays with a Spantax DC9 jet taking sun seekers off to Spain. David said: "They were very popular. In the early days when air travel was still quite new people would dress up to go flying. It was something special." Flying also brought celebrities. David spoke to Prince Charles as he flew by on a training lesson, he greeted Princess Anne and met Douglas Bader, the Battle of Britain ace who lost both his legs in a pre-war accident, Colin Chapman, the boss of the Formula 1 Lotus team, F1 champion driver Graham Hill and one of Britain's first boy bands, The Bachelors, who were learning to fly at the airport. There were also "celebrity" aeroplanes like supersonic Concorde which called in, before it was in operational service, in 1974. More recently came the giant A380 Euro airliner and, of course, the Red Arrows. David will be swapping such high flyers for a quieter life of golf and sailing aboard his 22-ft yacht Alice, berthed at Topsham. But even though David is retiring he will still be keeping a weather eye on the ins and out at the airport. His Pinhoe home overlooks the airfield. "I'll be keeping a lookout just to make sure everything is OK," he said.

Exeter's air traffic service manager cleared for departure...after 43 years

The Ministry of Justice's revised charter for witnesses has been welcomed by Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg. The charter is the most comprehensive guide to what a witness can expect from all organisations involved in the criminal justice system. It outlines 21 standards, 14 of which relate to the police. It now requires officers to complete an initial "needs" assessment for each witness, keep all witnesses informed about key developments during the "life" of the case, explain the criminal justice procedures, support the witness during the trial and giving evidence, and advise on appeals and complaints. Mr Hogg, whose office takes responsibility for the commissioning of victims' services from 2015, said: "Being a witness in a criminal case can be a very stressful experience. "It is important that potential witnesses know exactly what it means to make a statement, what happens when a suspect is charged, why a defendant is released on bail and what relevant bail conditions apply or when they are given an out of court disposal. "The revised charter ensures fair treatment of all witnesses and ensures that additional support is given when it is needed. "It will help to quickly identify if a witness is vulnerable or intimidated and gives a very clear framework which officers must follow to keep witnesses updated during the course of the inquiry. "Witnesses have a right to be told how an investigation is going and when it has been completed – particularly if no charge is forthcoming for one reason or another. "They also need to know what to do if they feel intimidated in any way after giving a statement and that police will take appropriate action to deal with any allegation of this nature."

Hogg welcomes revised charter for witnesses

THE city council has vowed to review signage in its car parks to make sure visitors aren't left with a bad impression of Exeter. It comes after two families contacted the Echo to report that an enjoyable day's shopping had turned into a costly and frustrating experience when their cars were locked in after the car park closed. Motorists using the John Lewis Car Park were charged £30 each to get their cars released after not realising the barriers were shut at 8pm, despite many of the shops staying open late. And they hit out at the "inadequate signage" detailing what time the barriers close. Ian Ridler, who travelled from Cornwall to shop in the city, described the car park as a "money making trap." After spending the day shopping and going for a meal the families arrived back at the car park at 8.10pm to find it locked. He said: "My issue is that the signs informing you that the car park closes at 8pm are totally inadequate. None of us saw them until we returned at 8.10pm and the one on the entrance is mixed up with the tariff and ridiculously small. None of us saw these signs. "I wrote to the council to express my concern and to ask for at least some refund but they were not interested, stating that the signs are adequate and clear and well positioned on the entrance and exit. "I would add that on exit as a pedestrian they are behind you on a wall and I personally do not walk backwards voluntarily. "Surely on a day where shops are open late and one is encouraged to dwell in the city and savour the atmosphere then the car parks should at least match these hours. "The traders in the city have gone the extra mile to raise the atmosphere to get shoppers to part with their money and have done a good job. "A big thanks to Exeter City Council for spoiling our day. Do the council not realise that it is the traders who will lose out in the long run?" Garry Wood travelled down from Worcester and also had to pay £30 to have his car released. He said: "Having heard so many good reports about Exeter's shopping centre, my wife and I travelled from Worcester, a distance of 136 miles, to meet friends to shop and savour the Christmas spirit of the town centre. "The market at the Cathedral, and shops on the High Street were all open late, encouraging visitors to stay longer and enjoy the atmosphere. We had a lovely day until we returned to our vehicles to find we had been locked in. It was only when we looked for a helpline number, we noticed the total inadequacy of the signage stating the closing time." Councillor Rosie Denham, Exeter's lead councillor for economy and culture, has promised a review of car park signage in a bid to prevent a repeat of such incidents. She said: "I absolutely understand the feelings of disappointment and frustration – especially when people have come so far for a day out in Exeter. We want to encourage people to come to the city, enjoy the experience and stay into the evening. "We're working hard to make sure visitors have a great experience when they come to Exeter and we take it to heart when they don't, so we will now go away and have a good look at the policy and signage in the John Lewis car park, as indeed we are doing across all our car parks as part of a major review."

Car park woes spoil trip to Exeter city centre

Tiverton are looking forward to testing themselves against Sidmouth in the Devon Intermediate Cup following their 48-3 win at Veor last time out. "We see it as a stepping stone in our development," said chairman of rugby Charlie Burt. "Some might see it as the chance of an upset as Sidmouth aren't doing very well this season and we are. I am not so sure about that as Sidmouth are two divisions above us and although we are having a great run we have lost a bit of pace recently. "Johan van Wyke has been injured and Barney Bell has gone to London to work, which has cost us a bit of pace. "However, we are enjoying probably our best unbeaten run since league rugby started – it's 13 games this season – and we will go there looking to build on what we have been doing." What Tiverton did at Veor last Saturday was score eight tries and bring back maximum points to stay second. Richard Tucker, debutant Ned Menheneott, Jack Sampson, Dan Reed, Alex Pike, Olly Chanin and Liam Lewis scored the tries while Callum Stone landed four conversions. Despite topping the table, Exeter University coach Keith Fleming is not about to stick his neck out and predict a third successive promotion. The Students are 21 points clear of third with two clubs going up automatically. "It is nice to be top of the tree at Christmas, but a lot can still happen in the new year," said Fleming, whose side defeated Withycombe 39-5 last time out. "There is a lot more rugby played in this division than we have been used to in Devon One and Two – and more teams make it tough for us. "Withycombe were useful and what pleased me wasn't just that we won, but the strength of our defensive sets in the second half when we kept them out time after time from four or five metres out." Nigel Symons, Withycombe's director of rugby, said his side gave it their all and can be proud of their efforts. "They are a good side and our consolation is knowing we won't have to play them next year as they are destined for better things," said Symons. "In the second half we battered them, but ran out of steam in the last 20 minutes and that's when they took the game away from us. "I can't see us going up this season as we just aren't consistent enough against the sides around us in the table." Vince Young (2) led the try-scoring for the University and was followed over by Andy McLeod, Dan Matthews, Sam Turner and Mike Brook. George Kimmins kicked the goals, while Chris Gibbons was the try-scorer for Withies, who have no game this Saturday. Crediton's promotion push was also hit as they came unstuck at Falmouth, where a late penalty condemned them to an 8-5 defeat. Mike Pearce put Crediton ahead with a first-half try, but Falmouth levelled in the second and took the lead with five minutes to go. Neither Crediton nor Hontion have a game this weekend, with the focus for the Lacemen now on getting away from the bottom of the table. Honiton are not in the bottom three yet, but only have a one-point gap after losing 30-7 at OPM last time out. Ben Thompson converted a second-half try by full-back Ollie Rice. but they were already 25-0 down at that point. Exeter Saracens are looking forward to the second half of the season with some confidence after winning 17-5 at Newquay. After the early-season hiatus that saw coach Ross Bovingdon depart – he is now playing for Topsham – Sarries took a week or two to get things straight. The win at Newquay was Sarries' third in four games and hoists them up to sixth. Rob Hilton, who is combining playing with coaching, said things are going well. "Six wins in 13 games is respectable and that is without playing at our best all the time," he said. "It has been a learning curve for us up to now and in the second half I hope we can put lessons learned into practice." Tries from Raphael Zappia and Ben Cruft saw Sarries start well. Andy Clarke added another in the second half that Nathan Clarke converted.

Burt plays down chances of Tiverton cup upset

Newton Abbot will take a safety first approach into their Devon Senior Cup semi-final first-leg tie with Brixham at Rackerhayes. The All Whites are on a roll with four wins on the spin and 18 points from the last 20 on offer after beating Chippenham 15-10 on Saturday. It is the league that dominates the thoughts of Newton Abbot's director of rugby Roy Henderson, even though the cup looks a better prospect for silverware this season. "The cup is important to supporters and sponsors, but it is only three games and the league is 26 and we have to concentrate on that," said Henderson. "We have had a lot of injuries recently and, with the league starting again in early January, we don't want to risk anyone who isn't fit against Brixham. "As a club we do have a lot of respect for the cup and will be putting out a respectable side. "Jason Keenan, Ben Cole and Lawrence May were all ruled out against Chippenham for other reasons and they come into consideration. "Although we will be a bit cautious, we aim to win the first leg and take a points advantage to Brixham for the second." Newton had a makeshift feel about them in places against Chippenham, yet still proved too strong for the strugglers. "It may sound odd as the score was only 15-10, but we had seven or eight players out yet never looked like losing," said Henderson. "Considering the problems we had to overcome just to get a side out, it was our most impressive win of the season. "To go away with so many missing and come back with four points said a lot about the group of players we have here." Tom White opened his Newton try scoring account with an effort from a line-out on 21 minutes. Josh Smith converted. Alex Moore added another try after the break and Smith booted a penalty late in proceedings.

Flybe has called on the Government to reserve space at London airports for use by regional services so that the whole of the UK can be benefit from future investment in aviation hubs in the South East. The Airports Commission, headed by former Financial Services Authority chief Sir Howard Davies, yesterday chose a new, third, runway at Heathrow as one of its expansion options along with an extra, second, runway at Gatwick as the UK's investment priorities. In addition, Sir Howard's team kept the door open for a Thames Estuary airport scheme, favoured by London mayor Boris Johnson, with the commission saying it will look further at the Isle of Grain airport option in the first half of next year. The prospect of investment at the UK's South East aviation hubs comes after a difficult time for the Westcountry's airports after the recession saw airline costs increase and passenger numbers decrease. In 2011, Plymouth City Airport closed and, earlier this year, Cornwall faced the prospect of losing its links to Gatwick when Flybe sold its slots to easyJet, which said the route was not commercially viable. Talks are now under way to establish a government subsidy to maintain the route. Exeter has fared best out of the Westcountry's airports with new owners and an 11% increase in passenger numbers this year. But its main customer, Flybe, has struggled and continues to scale back both its workforce and route network in a bid to lower costs. Saad Hammad, chief executive of Flybe, called on the Government to do more to connect regional air services to hub airports. He said: "Aviation policy should serve the needs of the whole economy and all regions. Extra investment in capacity around London should be for the whole country, not just for London. The Government should mandate reserved slots in London airports to serve the regions at an affordable cost so that the regions too can benefit from hub connections to London and onwards to the rest of the world. "In our submission to the commission, we pointed out that only six UK cities (Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle) currently have access to Heathrow, compared to 20 in 1990. We are disappointed that Sir Howard seems not to have addressed the crucial issue of regional connectivity to any new national hub near the capital." He added: "Aviation policy must serve all of the UK, not just London. Regions have poor access to London airports, being crowded out by more profitable international flights. We risk having a London hub only for the South East of England and transiting international passengers, with people outside London increasingly having to use Dublin, Paris and Amsterdam as their hub to access the rest of the world." The commission has not shortlisted proposals for expansion at Stansted airport, or at Birmingham and it has not considered smaller airports such as Exeter and Newquay. The report devotes a single paragraph to smaller regional airports, which says: "...it is important that these airports can serve their local markets effectively, so central government should work with local authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships to ensure that proper consideration is given to the needs of airport users when prioritising local transport investment." Tim Jones, chairman of the Devon and Cornwall Business Council, said he would like to see upgrades to regional aviation links – but he argued that the South West would benefit from any investment in Gatwick and Heathrow. He said: "Investment in additional capacity at a hub is something we're going to bitterly regret if we don't make it within the next three to five years."

Flybe calls for hub airports to guarantee slots for regional flights

Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter believes it is important to look at the "bigger picture" at the end of a run of five straight defeats for the Devon club. The Chiefs have come up against some of the top sides in Europe during the past month, and have played some excellent rugby, yet have failed to record a victory. The losing sequence started with an LV= Cup defeat at Bath, when Exeter rested most of their first-choice players at that time against a home side not far off full strength. They then suffered back-to-back Premiership defeats at home to league leaders Saracens and away to third-place Bath, before narrowly going down twice to defending Heineken Cup champions Toulon. The LV= Cup match aside, when they were well beaten, the Chiefs could quite easily be looking back on victories in each of their last four games, such has been the level of their performance, and Baxter is looking for them to carry that on into Saturday's important Premiership game at home to Newcastle Falcons, who were playing in the Championship last season. "It is important to look at the bigger picture," said Baxter. "As a coach you have got to say 'is it about the results, or is it about how we have been performing? "If you get into the Heineken Cup, you can easily have patches where you get four or five games on the bounce where you lose, because you end up playing two very, very tough games at some stage. "I am not overly worried by that (the run of results), but it would worry me if we don't perform well against Newcastle because we should. "We are performing at a high level against high level teams, and I would be disappointed and a little worried if we don't follow that through against Newcastle." It would be very easy for the Chiefs to let their guard slip against perceived weaker opposition after such a tough run, which is why Baxter is keen for his players to maintain their level of performance, after the two titanic clashes with Toulon. "The most important thing for me, and the biggest challenge for the players, is to bring the intensity of how we have had to play these last couple of weeks into the Premiership," he said. "That's the battle, because we want to keep getting involved in these big games because we can feel we are getting better in them, and what we have to do is make sure that, whatever happens at the end of the Premiership season, we are in the top six, and we are lined up for whatever competition is in place. "Whether that is the Heineken Cup or another top level competition, I know something will be there, and we want to be in the thick of it. "That's what the Heineken Cup gives you - it gives you a great intensity and you have got to take it forward into the next round of Premiership games." The sizeable strides Exeter have taken are best illustrated by looking at their two Heineken Cup defeats to Clermont Auvergne last season, when they went down 46-12 at home and 46-3 away. Twelve months on, their combined margin of defeat against Toulon - who beat Clermont in the Heineken Cup final last May - was only 17 points. "We have just got to keep working hard and keep confident in what we are doing, because we have got a lot right for the last four or five years," he said. "The toughest thing sometimes is to start looking for answers that aren't really there. "You need to keep your eye on the bigger picture, and keep satisfied with your rate of progress, as long as it is the correct rate of progress, and I think we are making it. "We have put in noticeably better performances against Toulon than we did against Clermont last season, even if the only way you judge it is looking at the scoreboard. "That's good and shows we are heading in the right direction and things are positive for us. "Over the last year or so, we have come out of the Heineken Cup period and done well in the Premiership, and that's what we have got to do again."

Rob Baxter tells Exeter Chiefs players to focus on the big picture

A vital city charity will be moving to new improved premises later this year. Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) will be taking over a ground floor office complex in the Civic Centre – giving it a more prominent location in the city centre. The bureau, which provides free advice to the people of Exeter, has signed a lease on the building with Exeter City Council. Dennis Mardon, chairman of Exeter CAB, said: "We are delighted to be moving into new premises. We will be able to offer a more modern environment for our clients, staff and volunteers. "In many ways we will be sorry to be leaving our current offices in Wat Tyler House as they have served us well over the last 15 years and we have many happy memories of our time there. "However, now is the time for us to move on to the next stage, and our new premises will be an important part of our ongoing development. I would like to recognise the help of our architects, Kensington Taylor, and our legal advisers, Stones Solicitors LLP, for helping to get us to this stage." He added: "We are working on our plans for the new premises and seeking a contractor to carry out the works. We currently estimate that we will be moving by the end of the summer. In the meantime it is business as usual for us in Wat Tyler House." Councillor Ollie Pearson, of Exeter City Council, said: "We are delighted that Exeter CAB will be moving into the Civic Centre. This will build on our already excellent relationship with them. "The success of the Exeter Money Advice Partnership service within the Customer Service Centre continues to demonstrate the impact we can have when we work together." The new premises on Dix's Field will offer ground floor accommodation with its own dedicated entrance, larger client interview rooms, and improved ventilation and heating. In addition, a new look reception will provide enhanced opportunities for clients to access on-line help supported by volunteers.

Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau set to move to new premises

The owners of a beach café devastated in a suspected arson attack have admitted they may never been able to re-open the business. The Rock Pool Café in Dawlish was left burned to the ground yesterday following a 'deliberate' fire in the early hours of the morning. Firefighters battled the blaze for almost two hours after finding the seaside building 'well alight' following reports of a fire near the train station. In a post on the business Facebook page, Debbie and Don Holman said the café was a "total loss", because they had been unable to get insurance due to its location. They wrote: "We have been overwhelmed by all your wonderful comments and support for us. Unfortunately we must tell you that because of the nature of the building and it's location it was uninsurable and so is a total loss. "It is with regret that we will not be in a financial position to start again. We would like to thank our very many customers and friends who have been there with us from the beginning, paintbrushes in hand, supporting us all the way. We are very blessed and thank God no one was hurt xxx" Devon and Cornwall Police has appealed for information about the incident as they continue to investigate the cause. DC Dan Wocjiechowski of Newton Abbot CID said: "It was burnt to the ground. Nothing has been ruled out at this stage. We had our scenes of crime people there to examine the scene and we will look at whatever they come back with, together with the report of the fire service to try to establish the cause. At the moment we cannot say whether it was accidental or deliberate. "I understand the business owners are obviously very upset, it is their livelihood at the end of the day." Anyone with information is asked to contact DC Wojciechowski by telephone the police number 101 and quoting crime reference JG/14/702.

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