There are Exeter City supporters out there who could help pay back the £100,000 loan from the Professional Footballers' Association. That is the message from 43-year-old Grecians fan Alistair Yates, who was one of the founding members of the Exeter City's Supporters Trust and its first chairman. The club's board and supporters trust came in for heavy criticism last week after it was revealed that City had taken out a loan from the PFA to cover its 'running costs' through the summer. It has resulted in a transfer embargo being placed on the St James's Park side, when they should be looking to sign players, and has left fans very worried about the future. However, Yates says the club board should have never gone to the PFA for the loan in the first place and added that the supporters' trust should be more willing to accept help from its members and City fans in times of hardship. "I have had contact with five people that would consider putting the money together," said Yates, who has called for a campaign to be started to raise the funds needed to pay back the loan. He said there were many benefits to asking the fans to loan the club money rather than the PFA. "First it would be an interest-free loan," he said. "As I understand from my sources, the club is paying an APR on the PFA loan, so it has already cost them money. Secondly, a loan from us wouldn't stop the club signing players. "It would give us the opportunity to operate, because at the moment we are paralysed until August (when the club has stated it intends to pay back the PFA loan). "It is quite disappointing because if the trust and the club contacted the fan base and actually asked people, in the right manner, they would probably find that the money would be forthcoming." Speaking about the idea to start a campaign to raise the money, Yates added: "I am very passionate about it and I think it is a workable way forward. "There are challenges with it, but you can see that on fans' forum Exeweb that there is actually some interest from supporters wanting to put some money together to clear the PFA loan." Anybody wishing to contact Yates about raising money to pay of the loan can do so through the Express & Echo. Email eesport@expressandecho.co.uk. Meanwhile, in response to last week's news about the loan, the supporters' trust board says it intends to review its working practices with the club. The trust say that the decision to ask for the PFA loan was taken at a meeting on May 29, when the usual representative from the trust board was out of the country. A statement from the trust read: "The trust board is disappointed with the recent turn of events. "The background is the decision to take the loan was made at one of the club's regular cash flow meetings held on May 29. Unfortunately, the trust board representative who would ordinarily attend this meeting was out of the country. "The trust representatives on the club board learnt of the loan at the club board meeting on June 2. This was immediately reported to the trust board. "The trust board have already communicated to the club problems they have had in receiving financial reports. "To address this kind of issue, the two boards had already started a process of reviewing the way they work together. "These events underline the importance of taking these to a satisfactory conclusion."

Exeter City vice-captain Pat Baldwin says the players are concentrating on getting fit for pre-season and not worrying about the financial woes at the club. The St James's Park outfit needed to take out a £100,000 loan from the Professional Footballers' Association last week to cover 'running costs' through the summer months. However, Baldwin says that is not currently a concern for the players and they just have to trust the people running the club to get things right. "At the moment it is quite easy to put it to the back of your mind as we are in the off-season," he said. "We are just concentrating on getting ourselves fit and sticking to our individual fitness plans that we have been given. "If it lingers on into the season it could be a little bit different, but our main focus is coming into pre-season and making sure that we are fit and trust those that run the club to get things right off the pitch. "I know we are going through a difficult patch financially, but you have just got to trust the people that run the club to put it right, and I for one do." The loan from the PFA came with an automatic transfer embargo, meaning that City can't bring any new players into the club until the money is paid back. The club's chief executive Guy Wolfenden said that they intend to pay the money back by early August. However, with a reduced squad already, Baldwin said it was important that the players still at the club understood the added responsibility that was now on their shoulders. "There are quite a few players that have exited, but it is down to the players still here to concentrate on what we can do and influence," he said. "That is our fitness and making sure we are in the best condition possible going into pre-season and giving our manager Paul Tisdale something to work with." Baldwin added that sometime adversity can have a way of eliciting talent, and with such a small squad the team spirit and chances for youngsters to shine might improve. "We have got a small, tight squad," said Baldwin. "We know finances off the pitch dictate that we are not going to be bringing in a lot of players, if any, so it is up to us to make sure we deliver, get together and get team spirit going that is going to get us through next season. "Sometime adversity can bring you closer together as well. It is up to everybody, not just the experienced players, the captain or the vice-captain, to get close and make sure we stick together. "Last season was a tough season in terms of league position, but what it did do was give players who were on the fringes at the start of the season experience. "This season it will be the same. We have got some good, talented young players coming into the senior squad next season, which I'm excited about seeing. "Last year we produced Matt Grimes, he came through and was outstanding. What is there to say someone like Matt Jay, Ollie Watkins or another player like that can't come in and do the same?"

Alphington Double yellows? URGENT measures are needed to improve safety in Water Lane, according to councillor Roy Hill. Cllr Hill has contacted the county council to see what measures can be taken and told Community News: "There have been problems since the city council put up its charges in the car park down there. People now park in Water Lane which creates a hazard as large lorries have to manoeuvre around the cars. "I think double yellow lines have got to go down as there is a real safety issue." Skittles league THE Alphington British Legion Skittles League has a vacancy for the 2014/15 season. If anyone is interested in filling that vacancy they are asked to contact the league's secretary on 01392 833672 for more information. Beacon Heath Slower speeds DUBBED the fastest 20mph zone in Exeter, it seems a banner outside the primary school is finally encouraging drivers to slow down in Summer Lane. The safety banner, asking drivers to keep their speed down and not park in front of the school gates, was put up last month by PCSOs Ed Mitchell and Rich Shelton and members of the Willowbrook Primary's school council. PCSO Mitchell said: "Hopefully the banner, combined with extra neighbourhood police presence outside the school during drop-off times, has had a positive impact as I have only had to move on one vehicle blocking the highway at this peak time." The officers have also been carrying out speed checks outside the school and have told Community News that, on average, speeds appeared to be down with a lower top recorded speed as well. PCSO Mitchell added: "This is more likely to be caused by the road being busier at that time, the pedestrian crossing lights repeatedly turning red due to higher volume of people crossing, and more drivers slowing down to park in the Arena car park to drop their kids off. "We will be gathering more data on the road over the coming weeks to get a better picture of how we have impacted the general speed of road users and clarify whether this data is anomalous or standard for this time of day." Bike campaign PCSO Mitchell has also been heading a campaign against anti-social motorbike riders in the local area. Bikes have been revved at people waiting at bus stops and there has also been aggressive overtaking. PCSO Mitchell says the campaign is continuing – and has had some success. He said: "We are still receiving reports from concerned residents. "Over the last two weeks we have handed out another five Section 59 warnings to riders. "In one instance we stopped a young male riding under a learner plate with a pillion passenger who wasn't wearing a helmet. "In another incident we stopped another young male who was riding his off-road scrambler type bike in the fields at the top of King Arthur's Road." Two Section 59 warnings had previously been issued – this means that if caught again in the next 12 months the bike will be seized. If not collected after paying for recovery and storage costs, it will be crushed. PCSO Mitchell added: "We are also hoping that additional focus on motorcycles and riders may help prevent motorcycle and moped thefts in the north-east Exeter area or better yet assist in catching the people responsible. "Motorcycles and mopeds have been a regular target for thieves in this area over the past 12 months and we would advise any owners to pay particular attention to the security of their vehicles." City centre Byron's to open EXETER'S newest restaurant opens in Princesshay this weekend. Byron's, which specialises in hamburgers, is opening in the former premises of Spanish-themed chain La Tasca. The company was founded by Tom Byng in 2007. Explaining what attracted the company to Exeter, Tom said: "We're always looking for new places to serve up our proper hamburgers. "People write to us and say they'd like us to come to their town or city and then we take it from there. "Exeter is a major city with a vibrant student population and people travel from miles around to visit. We're hoping people will want to take a quick break for a hamburger." Cowick Here's Mark! MEET PC Mark Oliver, the new neighbourhood beat manager for Cowick and St Thomas. Mark has 10 years of experience as a police officer which has included experience of response, local investigation and CID. He has also previously been a neighbourhood beat manager for St Loye's. He has lived in Cowick for the past 15 years and is currently on the leadership team of St Thomas Baptist Church. Mark has also been engaged in youth work in the city for more than 12 years. Upon joining the team Mark said: "I am excited to work in an area I know fairly well, with two experienced PCSOs in Darren Wallis and Will Malcolm, and am looking forward to making a positive contribution to policing in Cowick and St Thomas." See also St Thomas and West Exe for more news from Mark. Newtown Parking change COUNCILLOR Richard Westlake is to ask Devon County Council where it is regarding the proposals to change parking arrangements in the Denmark Road/ Athelstan Road area. Cllr Westlake said: "I want to find out what is going on. It was my understanding that this was going to Exeter highways committee in July, but I have heard nothing about it and the residents deserve to know what stage things are at." Pinhoe Have your say! REGARDING the recent community engagement day, PCSO Ed Mitchell reports that it was enormously successful in giving the local neighbourhood team an opportunity to listen to residents' feelings on crime and anti-social behaviour in the area as well as other community issues such as parking, dog fouling and speeding hot-spots. PCSO Mitchell said: "We received a good deal of information from residents and will be looking to address the issues raised by them over the coming weeks. "It was also a good opportunity to work alongside local councillors, who were also involved in the event, and discuss issues raised by residents on a multi-agency platform. "We would like to thank Sainsbury's Pinhoe and their staff for generously accommodating us on the evening and furnishing us and residents with delicious snacks, that helped a great deal in enticing passers-by. "Thanks particularly to Julia the community relations officer who stayed on after her shift had finished to help out and went the extra mile to make us feel welcome." Polsloe Railway halt FOLLOWING the very successful clean-up day last month at the railway halt at Polsloe Bridge, another is now being planned for July. The day was organised by Councillor Richard Westlake, who has now told Community News: "The provisional date for the next one is July 12 with a start time of 10am. "We will have to look at tackling the big bank but a schedule will be worked out." If you are intending to pop along to help please email richard.westlake@devon.gov.uk RD&E Hospital Memory walk PATIENTS and staff at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital recently took part in a memory walk to raise awareness of dementia. The walk around the hospital grounds was part of a week-long programme of activities organised in support of National Dementia Awareness Week which aims to raise awareness of the symptoms of dementia and to encourage people to seek help if they are concerned. Throughout the week visitors to the hospital were encouraged to write down their memories of the seasons on memory walls across the Wonford site. A service was held in the hospital's Chaplaincy Centre where patients and guests could enjoy music from a brass band ensemble, sing hymns and listen to poetry readings. Inpatients were also entertained by the RD&E's rock and pop choir, the Rhythm of Life, during an evening performance on the wards and enjoyed a cream tea on Friday afternoon to wrap up the week. The Devon Garden, a therapeutic space for patients with dementia which is currently under construction in the grounds of the RD&E, played a central role in Dementia Awareness Week. Patients were given the chance to plant sweet peas with Stephen Pettet-Smith from Exeter Health Care Arts to grow in the garden and participants on the memory walk finished their tour with a sneak preview of the nearly completed space. As well as raising awareness about dementia, staff were also keen to support the Alzheimer's Society and organised a cake sale and raffle, raising a grand total of £838 for the charity. The Department of Health has said that all NHS staff should be trained in Dementia Awareness by 2018. In order to provide the best possible care for its patients, the RD&E has already trained more than 2,500 clinical and non-clinical staff – a number that has been boosted by a further 236 staff who were trained during Dementia Awareness Week. Julie Vale, acting consultant nurse for older people at the RD&E said: "Dementia awareness is something that is at the top of our agenda. "We are working towards ensuring that all our staff have the knowledge, skills and confidence to ensure that patients with dementia receive the right care and support whenever and wherever they come into contact with our services." St David's Solar power THE Premier Inn currently being built just off Southernhay is planning to supplement its power needs with the help of the sun. A planning application has been lodged with the city council for 110 photovoltaic panels on the roof of the new hotel. Each panel will measure 1.6m by 9.5m. St Thomas Station plans COUNCILLOR Adrian Fullam has welcomed plans for improvements to be made at St Thomas train station. The station suffers from higher than average incidences of anti-social behaviour and First Great Western has said the refurbishment will also improve passenger safety. It is intended to demolish and replace the existing waiting shelters and relocate the existing aluminium shelter on Platform 1. New seating is planned for both platforms including the formation new bays on Platform 2. There is also a plan to put new lighting into the internal staircase to Platform 1. In addition, First Great Western is seeking to install CCTV to both platforms, ticket vending machines on both platforms and a mural on Platform 1 depicting the historic past of the station. The station was first opened in 1846 and, although many of its original features have been removed the station building, which was designed by Brunel, was grade II listed in 1974. The roof covering the platforms was removed in the 1970s. Cllr Fullam said: "We are delighted to see this investment in St Thomas train station. "The concrete shelters are a bit dingy and the freshening up of the facilities will be welcomed by passengers. "Improved security with CCTV cameras will be reassuring on those quiet evenings." It's purple! THERE'S money in these purple locks! As previously reported in Community News, Rev Anne Dowdeswell decided to help raise money for urgent repairs to St Thomas Church by dyeing her hair, with people being asked to vote for a colour at £1 a time. More than £100 has been raised by people choosing between red, white, blue, pink and purple. Pink and purple were early leaders but, as you can see from our picture (above), purple won out in the end. Anne told Community News: "The response from the parish about my hair has been very positive – people have been very kind about the colour – although I am still getting used to it. "Donations are still coming in too, which is great, and it has certainly been a talking point in Cowick street and local shops. "My favourite comment was one from a small boy who had heard me talk in assembly about what I was going to do and, when he saw me, called "Reverend Anne, you weren't lying". "I was less keen on the quotations from All things bright and beautiful – the purple headed mountain!" The fundraising continues and the next major event is the St Thomas Past and Present Flower Festival which will run from August 28 to 31. As well as the floral exhibits, there will be memorabilia of the history of the area, concerts, lunchtime recitals, meals and light refreshments served all day and a festival service on the Sunday. In addition the church is launching a 200 club. Anne added: "We are very grateful to the many local people who have started to respond to our leaflet appeal by making donations and offering help." Graffiti success SUCH was the success of the recent community graffiti clean-up there are plans to hold another at a later date. Several volunteers turned up to help out across three days after the event was arranged by PCSO Will Malcolm. Graffiti cleaning kits were provided by the city council's anti-social behaviour officer Steve Stewart, who told police officers that in two days they and the volunteers had managed to clean more than the council could do in several years. PC Mark Oliver explained: "I think this is because in general people don't do anything about it, but when they are asked if they want something done about the graffiti then they respond. "We are hoping that we can do this again." Topsham Defence wall A FLOOD defence wall at Bowling Green Marsh, which was damaged by storms at the start of the year, has been repaired. Contractors working for Exeter City Council began work on April 28, and have now finished on schedule. A large section of the coastal defence alongside the River Clyst frontage was severely damaged during the high tides and storm damage in January and February. The high tide overflowed raised defences which provide protection to the RSPB reserve at Bowling Green Marsh and a number of nearby properties and businesses. The city council owns the land the defences stand on, and leases the land at Bowling Green Marsh to the RSPB. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and has European status as a freshwater marshes habitat. Cllr Rachel Sutton, deputy leader of Exeter City Council, said: "It's great that these works have finished. Although we're heading into summer, you never know what weather is around the corner and I'm sure that those living nearby and visiting the site will be relieved to know the defences are back in place." Tony Whitehead, speaking for the RSPB in Devon, said: "I'm delighted that the works have gone to schedule and been carried out with the minimum of fuss and disruption. In fact, we've even had some rare overseas visitors to the reserve during the work, like a purple heron, a Ross's gull and a spoonbill." Rob Sanders, who lives next to Bowling Green Marsh, said he was pleased with how the works had been carried out. Coffee morning THERE will be a coffee morning plus many stalls at St Margaret's Church on Saturday, June 14, from 10am until noon. The event is being organised by the Rotary Club of Exeter Enterprise to raise funds for the work they do with local projects, such as giving dictionaries to the leavers of a local school, the young chef competitions, plus 20/20 cricket for under-13s. Treasure hunt 1ST Topsham Sea Scouts have organised a walking treasure hunt and cream teas afternoon for Sunday, June 15, from 2pm to 5pm, starting and finishing at St Margaret's Church rooms. The cost of the entry form is £2. If the treasure hunt is not your thing – then pop in for a cream tea. All proceeds to the Scout Hut Regeneration Fund. West Exe Signage change TWO years ago, Councillor Heather Morris was successful in getting the signage changed within the Exe Bridge Retail Park car park. Prior to Cllr Morris contacting the company responsible for managing the car park, its users were prevented from leaving the retail park in order to go to the toilets, post office, bank etc. However, on visiting the car park recently, Cllr Morris noticed new signs have been put in place which state that, once again, you are not permitted to park and then leave the car park. Cllr Morris told Community News: "I appreciate retailers within Exe Bridge Retail Park would like the car park to be available to customers visiting their stores, but many of their customers probably also need to pop along to the bank, the post office etc. It seems to have worked very well over the last couple of years so I don't understand why new signage and restrictions have once again been put in place, and I shall certainly be taking this up again." Safety issues CLLR Morris has also recently attended a site meeting with fellow councillor Rob Hannaford and Devon County Council officers at the Cowick Street/Exe Bridge Retail Park exit, to discuss the various complaints residents have brought to their attention. The complaints include buses blocking the exit to the retail park when two buses arrive at once, drivers still turning right out of the retail park, although this is not permitted, and buses allowing passengers to get on and off the bus from the island positioned in between the entrance to the retail park. Cllr Morris said she had brought this to the attention of the county council previously, but there was no satisfactory resolution and she is therefore grateful to Cllr Hannaford for arranging the site visit. County council officers are to present a report with possible solutions to Exeter's highways committee. Let's meet up! THE local neighbourhood policing team has organised a special conversation evening with tea, coffee, cake and biscuits to discuss issues affecting the communities of Cowick and St Thomas with the aim of identifying priority needs to be addressed and ways to address them. The event will be hosted by St Thomas Baptist Church in Dorset Avenue and will run from at 7.30pm til 9pm. Items included for discussion will be the future of the West Side Youth Centre, policing issues affecting the area, ways of meeting the needs of the community as well as issues raised by residents and others present. This is a public meeting and is open to all and has been organised by neighbourhood beat manager PC Mark Oliver. Councillors will also be present. For catering purposes the police would like to know rough numbers. If you are intending to pop along please let them know by emailing one of the following – darren.wallis@devonand cornwall.pnn.police.uk william.malcolm@devonand cornwall.pnn.police.uk mark.oliver@devonand cornwall.pnn.police.uk Whipton Barton Petition in THE petition started to try to stave off the closure of day care centre at Bodley House in Wayside Crescent, after many anxious phone calls from clients to local councillor Olwen Foggin, has been handed in to Devon County Council. The petition was started by Cllr Foggin who has told Community News: "I would like to see Bodley House become a centre of excellence for the east of Exeter – after all we don't have anything else this side of the river. "I would also like to thank everyone we took the time to sign the petition and I really do hope that now the county council listens to us."

LAST week the people of Newark elected a great Conservative MP in Robert Jenrick in the first by-election we have won as a governing party for 25 years. This is a huge vote of confidence in our long-term economic plan that is securing a better future for Britain. It was in this context that MPs attended the State Opening of Parliament by the Queen for the 61st time in her reign, to hear the Queen's Speech which lists all the Bills that Parliament is to debate and discuss for the following year. It marks the next big step in our long-term economic plan to build a stronger, more competitive economy and gives hardworking people peace of mind for the future. The centrepiece of the Queen's Speech was the Pensions Bill which will give people who work hard and do the right thing more security in their retirement. By no longer forcing people to buy an annuity, we are giving them total control over the money they have put aside over their lifetime and greater financial security in their old age. We are also freezing fuel duty for the rest of the Parliament. By the end of the Parliament fuel duty would have been frozen for nearly four and half years which makes this Government's duty freeze the longest in more than 20 years. Rural commuters already pay 25% more to travel to work and travel an additional 10,000 miles to access essential public services. This will be especially welcome in Devon, with nearly 56 per cent of residents living in rural areas across the county, where a car is often not a luxury but a necessity for many of thousands of people to get to work. Four years into this Government and our long-term economic plan is starting to take effect. The deficit down by over a third, income tax cut for 25 million people by an average £705, there are 1.5 million more jobs and 1.7 million more apprentices. However, the gains made can easily be reversed if the Government's plan is abandoned and there are still those who are yet to feel the benefits of the recovery and whose working conditions have not improved. The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill is intended to give a boost to small businesses by giving them better access to Government and other public sector procurement. With an annual spend of £230bn public sector procurement is vital for many businesses and if we are to continue to grow the economy and create jobs we must give small businesses a fair bite of the cherry. The Bill will also help address key weaknesses in employment law such as tackling minimum wage and zero hours contract abuses by providing tougher penalties for businesses not adhering to the rules. It will also give greater flexibility to childcare regulations to benefit working families. Also announced in the Queen's speech were measures to tackle one of the world's great social evils that sadly plague developed countries such as the UK. I am of course talking about the abhorrent crime of modern day slavery. This Bill, which was published in December 2013 and has already been under pre-legislative, seeks to create an Anti-Slavery Commissioner to help develop multi-agency action at the local level, puts a new duty on local authorities to report potential victims of trafficking to the National Crime Agency and increases the maximum custodial sentence from 14 years to life. Human trafficking is something that should concern all of this and it certainly is not limited to major cities. Given the difficulties in identifying the victims of modern day slavery it is hard to get specific statistics, but the recent figures show that in 2011/12 there were 148 cannabis farms in Devon and Cornwall, and many run by child slaves who have often been trafficked to Britain from South East Asia. I have long been a support of the Human Trafficking Foundation's campaign to eradicate Modern-Day Slavery. Over the past months I have been corresponding with the Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, Shaun Sawyer, as well as the Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg to ask what action plan Devon and Cornwall Constabulary have developed to help fight modern day slavery, and importantly, what can be done to ensure that victims of this crime are not themselves punished. I have received helpful responses from both these officials and I am currently in contact with Devon County Council's Children's Social Work Service and Child Protection to press them on their strategy for both identifying and protecting victims of modern day slavery.

Exeter Chiefs' players and coaches will get back together next week as pre-season starts – just over five weeks since the end of last term. But while the management team will be busy from Monday working on preparations for the summer, the players will head to Spain as a reward for winning the LV= Cup. The summer's training starts the following week, with the Chiefs using the University of Exeter's sports facilities while Sandy Park is redeveloped, and head coach Rob Baxter said it was an exciting time of year for everyone involved in professional sport. As coaches, they can work on what they want to with the players to develop their game without having to prepare for a match at the weekend. Baxter said: "We'll be back in pretty much full-time as coaches from Monday. "We've got our reward trip for winning the LV= Cup to Spain for a couple of days and we'll invite the new guys who are around to come over and do a bit of team bonding with everybody else. "The week after that we'll be in full-on for five weeks before we have another break. "It gets exciting around this time of year. The conditioners get excited because they get to work on a tough block of conditioning time with the players, and as coaches we get excited because we can work on things on a daily basis without that pressure of the game around the corner that we have to get ready for. "The training base at the university looks fantastic and in some ways we're going to have one of our best concentrated training areas we've ever had, which is a bit strange considering we've had to move out of Sandy Park. That just shows how well everyone's dealt with the move." Baxter has made seven signings for next season but is still in the market for a few more as he looks to strengthen his squad further. However, the Sandy Park chief insists he would be happy to go into next season with the players he has on the books at the moment. Luke Arscott's departure to Bath means there is a vacancy for a full-back, with lock and centre the other positions Baxter is known to be keen to strengthen. "Everyone's aware we're looking for a full-back and there's potentially one or two other spots, but we're going to take our time," he said. "If we went into next season with the squad we've got now we'd be okay, so it's not about rushing in and signing someone for the sake of it. "We've got some young academy guys coming through who I'd rather give game time to than bring in a squad player, but if the right player eventually becomes available we might be active. If we get them great, if not we'll move on to the next guy."

A GROUP representing Exmouth Town Council and armed forces' veterans has resolved to postpone plans for protective railings around the town's war memorial. In May last year, members of the town council's regeneration and general purposes committee unanimously agreed to share the cost of railings and raise the funds needed in conjunction with the Exmouth War and Flagpole Memorial Committee. Councillors also agreed to take joint responsibility for maintenance and work with the memorial committee in agreeing the size and design of the railings. Until then, maintenance of the memorial was paid for through donations made to the memorial committee. Committee chairman, former warrant officer and physical training instructor at Lympstone Commando Training Centre and branch member of the Royal Marines Association Jeff Trail first raised the issue of some sort of protection scheme because of damage to the memorial which, in turn, was increasing the cost of its maintenance. A group of town councillors, Royal British Legion members and memorial committee members decided last month to put the plan on hold and instead see if the extended presence of wreathes, left in remembrance on the memorial, helped to protect it. Deputy Mayor Councillor Maddie Chapman said: "The town council expects the memorial to be treated with pride, respect and gratitude.

Natasha Sites,@ 41, of South View, Tiverton, has pleaded guilty to three breaches of a non-molestation order. On May 2 in Tiverton she attended an address she was prohibited from visiting, and on May 4 and 5 she made a phone call and sent a text message which she was also banned from doing. She was given an 18-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge. Thomas Egan, @ 34, of Hillside, Sidbury, admitted violently gaining entry into premises on March 10, and assaulting a male victim by beating on the same date. He must attend 12 days of alcohol-related sessions and pay £60 compensation. Kirk Golding,@ 35, of Shobrooke, Crediton, stole a pot plant worth £200 from Premier Inn in Exeter on January 13. He was also caught driving without the required licence and insurance on May 9 in Harcombe. He must carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay a £60 victim surcharge. He was also banned from driving for six months. Ryan Mettem,@ 21, of Clapham, Dunchideock, has pleaded guilty to driving without insurance on Newton Road, Kingsteignton, on February 15. He must pay fines, costs and a victim surcharge totalling £335. He has also been banned from driving for six months. Reuben Aplin, @ 19, of Monks Road, Exeter, admitted three charges of criminal damage. He damaged a police cell door to the value of £50 belonging to Devon and Cornwall Police, a Honda motorcycle worth £1,482.28 and a red Suzuki to the value of £139.32. All the offences were committed in Exeter on December 29, 2013. He was given an 18-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay compensation and a victim surcharge totalling £434.66. Martyn Newbery, @ 39, of Liberty Way, Exeter, admitted breaking the 40mph speed limit on Rydon Lane in Exeter on September 22, 2013. He was disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay fines, costs and a victim surcharge totalling £185. Joshua Sails, @ 22, of Wykes Road, Exeter, has admitted two charges of possession of cannabis. The offences were committed on December 29, 2013 and January 26. He also admitted criminal damage of a red Suzuki on December 29, 2013. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and must pay compensation, costs and a victim surcharge totalling £169.66. Andrew Pearce, @ 30, of Exeter Road, Exmouth, pleaded guilty to using threatening or abusive words or behaviour during an incident in Exmouth on April 24. He was fined £70 and must pay costs of £85 and a £20 victim surcharge. Arron Callard,@ 21, of Bennett Square, Exeter, pleaded guilty to possession of ammunition for a firearm having been a person who had been sentenced to a term of three months or more in prison in the last five years. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and must pay £50 costs and a £15 victim surcharge. An order was made for the ammunition to be destroyed. William Clarke,@ 33, of no fixed abode, admitted stealing a can of Monster energy drink from Poundland in Exeter. He was given a six month conditional discharge and must pay £50 costs and a £15 victim surcharge. Robert Green, @ 26, of Coronation Road, Exeter, stole a male grooming kit worth £14.99 from Boots in Exmouth on March 15. He must pay £14.99 compensation and £85 costs. Mark Gribble, @ 46, of Cowick Street, Exeter, pleaded guilty to criminal damage of a moped on April 26. He also admitted a charge of racially aggravated threatening or abusive behaviour on the same date. He was given a 14 month conditional discharge and was banned from entering Kongs Fish Bar and contacting the victim. He must also pay £200 compensation and £50 costs. Nicholas Jefferies, @ 51, of Lancelot Road, Exeter, stole size 10 JCB Boots worth £54.98 from B&Q in Sowton, Exeter on April 27. He was given a four-month conditional discharge and must pay £50 costs and a £15 victim surcharge. Ashley Matthews, @ 28, of Imperial Road, Exmouth, has admitted drink-driving. He was stopped driving a Ford Focus on Exeter Road in Exmouth on April 25. He gave a reading of 60mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. He was fined £200 and must pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge. He was banned from driving for 12 months. Steven Ritchie, @ 47, of Elliott Road, Plymouth, stole aftershave worth £32 from John Lewis in Exeter. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and must pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge. Owen Tratt, @ 73, of Honiton, admitted driving without the proper licence on February 18. He must pay fines, costs and a victim surcharge totalling £120. His licence was endorsed with three points. Stephen Gannaway-Pitts,@ 51, of Park Road, Exeter, stole a coat and shoes worth £330 from Go Outdoors on April 28 in Exeter. He was given a four-week curfew to remain at his home address between 9pm and 7am daily. He must also pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge. Rabua Elsayed,@ 38, of Cowick Street, Exeter, was found guilty of stealing £11.95 of food from Morrisons in Exeter on February 5. She was also convicted of possession of price reduction labels to be used in connection with theft on the same date. She was convicted to a 10-week curfew and must pay compensation of £11.95, £200 costs and a £60 victim surcharge. Abedur Rahman, @ 38, of Newman Road, Exeter, pleaded guilty to failing to give the information relating to the identity of the driver of a vehicle that was alleged to have been guilty of an offence. He was fined £250 and must pay £60 costs and a £25 victim surcharge. His licence was also endorsed with six penalty points. Mark King, @ 26, of Polsloe Road, Exeter, admitted criminal damage of a window, a set of double gates and a side gate worth £320 during an incident in Exeter on January 14. He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and must pay compensation, costs and a victim surcharge totalling £420. Mark Stokes, @ 44, of South Lawn, Sidford, was found guilty of pursuing a course of conduct that amounted to the stalking of a female victim in Ottery St Mary. Between November 22, 2013, and January 26 he sent text messages, tampered with her vehicle, spray-painted her property and threw objects into her garden. He also admitted breaching a restraining order by contacting the victim on February 28. He was given a six-week curfew for Friday and Saturday nights and must attend a 12-day programme.

EXETER'S John Lewis is to scale back its opening hours from the end of July. From July 27 it will open until 6pm instead of 7pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It will continue to open late, until 8pm on Thursdays and 7pm on Saturdays and between 11am until 5pm on Sundays. City leaders have said they are 'disappointed' with the decision – it had been hoped that John Lewis' later opening would encourage other businesses to follow suit as the city seeks to create an evening economy. John Harvey, the city centre manager, has said that there is consumer demand for later opening and accused some retailers of being out of touch with customers' needs. Derek Phillips, vice president of Exeter Chamber of Commerce said: "The chamber is disappointed that some other retailers did not follow the lead of John Lewis in staying open until 7pm, and we understand their reasoning behind changing their later opening hours to Thursday and Saturday. "However, we are pleased that John Lewis is continuing to support the extended trading hours campaign." Kate Connock, branch manager at John Lewis Exeter said: "Whenever we open a shop in a new location we try to match most closely the hours that we think are appropriate to trade. "After a fabulous year and a half in the city and the conclusion of the city's review of core trading hours to trade until 6pm Monday to Saturday and until 7pm on a Thursday, we felt it was timely to review our own trading times. "We are making a small change to weekday evenings with the exception of Thursday and the adjustment moves us closer to the city's proposition but still offers a full late night for those customers wanting to take advantage of an evening's shopping." Mr Harvey said: "This is no great surprise, John Lewis are not doing anything radical here." "It is just part of an on-going dialogue and we are encouraging as many retailers as possible to open later on a Thursday and until 6pm on other days in the week." Mr Harvey said later opening times in the city would take time to establish. "These things take time to take root," he said. "At the last count we had about 30 per cent of shops opening late on Thursday, which is about the same percentage when we first started Sunday trading," he said. "We are not suddenly going to get it up to 90 per cent. "There is overwhelming consumer demand for this, and there is recognition among a number of businesses that they need to meet that demand. But some retailers are out of step with public need." Andrew McNeilly, manager at the Guildhall Shopping Centre said: "We are obviously disappointed that John Lewis have taken the decision to close earlier during the week, but fully understand the commercial rationale behind the decision. "We are however, very pleased that even with reduced hours they continue to actively support the extended trading hours campaign for Exeter city centre. "Obviously with the high level of public support for extended trading the Guildhall will continue to remain open from 9am until 7pm Monday-Saturday so we are hoping that with John Lewis closing an hour earlier it won't influence our trade too much."

Exeter University scientists are setting off on a two-month wild goose chase to Northern Canada to study one of the world's most extreme migrators. Every year thousands of light-bellied Irish Brent geese make an arduous journey from Ireland to Iceland and then on to Arctic Canada to breed. Once there, they have a matter of weeks to build their nests, hatch their eggs and prepare their chicks for the journey back before temperatures drop and the nights draw in. The birds have attracted a lot of scientific interest for their intense migratory practices, yet very little is known about their habits once they reach their breeding ground. But this summer a team of researchers from the University of Exeter are following the geese to North Ellesmere in Canada to improve understanding of the species. "Irish Brent geese migrate right to the edge of where it is possible to breed," said Professor Stuart Bearhop, who is heading the project. "In preparation for migration they almost double their body weight and during their journey they fly at altitudes up to 3,500 metres – this is a relative performance level that would kill a human being." "We're going to Canada to try and understand how they cope in a place where there is very little to eat for the first few weeks, how they breed when they get there and what affects the success and failure rates of their breeding." The Exeter team have been observing a large population of the geese since winter to collect data for their investigation. They set off for the Arctic yesterday on June 11 for the beginning of the goose breeding season and will return mid August when the birds begin the first leg of their flight home. While away, the researchers hope to gain insight in to the goose's relatively low reproductive success rate. "Most arctic breeders have boom and bust cycles – some years are either generally good or generally bad," said Professor Bearhop. "With the Irish Brent goose, in a good year they will have around 20 percent success, but in a bad year that drops to less than 1 percent. "Weather conditions are usually the cause for those off years, but we want to know why it is that numbers are so low the rest of the time." Ellesmere is so northerly that even during the summer temperatures can get down to minus three degrees, which might lead some to question why any animal would choose to breed there. But Professor Bearhop said that the area's low predator density and twenty four hour daylight made it worth travelling the long distance. "This means they can feed for twenty four hours a day, which is important for herbivores and gives the young time to feed and grow." In addition to geese, the team expects to see a host of arctic wildlife during their expedition, including wolves, walruses, musk ox and polar bears. They have completed basic arctic survival courses to prepare for the trip, as well as lessons in shooting, which Professor Bearhop stressed was "just a precaution". He added: "Polar bears are an issue up there but it is very unlikely that we will be in a situation where we would need to shoot."

The Prime minister has called for a crackdown on "bad behaviour" in football after an attack on a Devon referee was raised in the House of Commons by Devon MP Mel Stride. The Central Devon MP told Parliament how his constituent Donald Distin was "seriously assaulted" by a player during an amateur match last month. In response, the Prime Minister said more should be done to promote respect in the game and "all forms of bad behaviour" should be discouraged. The incident happened during a game between Torre FC and Ashburton FC Reserves in Division Six of the South Devon League. Mr Distin, a former mayor of Ashburton, was taken to Torbay Hospital with facial injuries. The match was abandoned and police were called to the ground. Torre later withdrew from the league. Mr Cameron told the Commons during Prime Minister's Questions: "Referees should have the full protection of the law to ensure community football is safe and enjoyable. "I pay tribute to the FA for all the work that they've done in terms of training but also explaining the importance of respect and good behaviour in our game," he continued on the eve of World Cup 2014, which kicks off today at 9pm when host nation and pre-tournament favourite Brazil faces Croatia in Sao Paulo. "But we need more of that in the years to come," said the Prime Minister. Mr Stride, Conservative MP for Central Devon, had told Mr Cameron he wanted to raise one of the "darker aspects of the beautiful game", explaining: "Recently my constituent Donald Distin was seriously assaulted while refereeing a local football game by one of the players on the field. "He was very seriously injured. "Can I therefore ask you what steps the Government is taking to ensure that violence, whether it occurs on the field or off the field, is treated with equal seriousness and is never tolerated?"

Devon County Council's plans to close all but eight of its youth centres have been rubber stamped by ruling cabinet members. The £3.8 million annual youth services budget will be cut by £970,000, closing 32 facilities and instead creating eight area-based youth centre hubs. The reduction is part of overall cuts of £28 million by the Conservative council in 2014/15, which are expected to total more than £200 million by 2017. Yesterday the authority approved a new remodelled service which will see 60 workers lose their jobs but retain around 50 professional youth workers. Opposition councillors welcomed the decision to abandon an original plan to scrap the entire service but said the new framework was "flawed" and a "false economy" – forcing other agencies to deal with an increase in anti-social behaviour. Liberal Democrat leader Alan Connect said there was "no evidence" that the scheme would "deliver" an adequate youth service and likened it to a "half-baked cake". Mr Connett also criticised the decision to keep £71 million in reserve, including a £2 million underspend describing the Tory authority as "a pickpocket council" which "cuts services but not the grass". The cabinet member responsible for the cuts, James McInnes, said he had listened to the concerns of youngsters, who rallied to prevent the cuts. "These hubs are not the youth service slimmed down, it is a different model to what we already have," he added. "We are at the sharp end of implementing millions of pounds in cuts and this is the best we can do under the financial situation we find ourselves in."

Carmel Coaches, the Exeter-based firm that was involved in the fatal crash near Looe, have been dumped by at least one school after it had its passenger licence revoked. South Dartmoor Community College has vowed to scrap its ties with the firm. In a note posted on the school website, headteacher Hugh Bellamy told parents: "Carmel Coaches will have their Passenger Licence revoked from July 31st. "At this time they do have the right of appeal, however I am concerned about the welfare of our students on these coaches. "Carmel provide our twilight services as well as deliver the Devon County Council Contract for a number of routes to and from the College at the beginning and end of the school day. "Devon have said that they intend to continue with their contract with Carmel until the end of this term. "I am making representations to officers about this decision as student safety must, in my view, remain the paramount consideration. "The College will be sourcing alternative coaches to deliver the twilight service from this evening and will not use Carmel Coaches in the future." This week Carmel Coaches lost its operating licence over "woeful failures" in vehicle safety. One of the company's vehicles was involved in a coach crash at Looe in Cornwall on 13 May in which two women died. Devon County Council said it would appoint independent vehicle engineers to carry out spot-checks on the coaches. The Council is to carry out spot checks amid safety concerns over children travelling with a coach company involved in a crash which left two passengers dead. Carmel Coaches has seen its licence revoked by the Traffic Commissioner but will continue to transport students until the end of July. The local authority said it was unable to find alternative schools service provision at short notice during the busy summer period. Carol Muldoon, 68, and Margaret Luxton, 61, both from Exmouth, died when a coach owned by the Devon firm crashed into a hedge near the Morval in South East Cornwall. The incident on May 13 also left four other passengers, on a day trip with Age Concern, seriously injured. Tony Hazel, director of Carmel Coaches, said he thought the commissioner's report was "harsh" and plans to appeal. A council spokesman said: "We are appointing our own independent vehicle engineers to ensure that the Carmel coaches used on our school routes meet all the statutory safety requirements. "We will follow this up by carrying out unannounced spot checks on coaches at schools. "The safety of students is paramount and we are fully aware that parents will want to be reassured about children's safety following the decision by the Commissioner. "We're liaising with her so we can be clear why she chose not to issue an immediate revocation but suspended it until July 31. We are also studying in detail all the concerns she had about management and fault reporting.We are actively pursuing other transport companies to provide alternative arrangements as soon as possible but we are just entering the busiest time of year for coach companies which do not have much spare capacity so we cannot replace all the services immediately."

Exeter Airport owner the Rigby Group Plc has acquired the luxury Bovey Castle hotel and estate on Dartmoor. The deal takes the group's recent investment in South West luxury hotels to £30 million. The family-owned business said the 275-acre estate, complete with 64-bedroom mansion hotel, 14 lodges and championship golf course, would become the flagship within its growing Eden Hotel Collection. The new owners are to invest £2 million immediately on improvements and renovations at Bovey Castle, near Moretonhampstead. The acquisition follows the recent announcement of a planned £13.5 million investment by Rigby Group in Salcombe, where it has acquired the Tides Reach Hotel and intends to create a brand new 50-bed luxury waterfront boutique hotel on the site, opening in 2016 and creating 100 jobs. It already owns the Buckland Tout-Saints Hotel in Kingsbridge in South Devon, The Mount Somerset Hotel and Spa in Somerset and five other hotels across the Cotswolds and Midlands – nine hotels in all. Mark Chambers, managing director of the Eden Hotel Collection, said: "The Bovey Castle has become a byword for true English luxury. We see tremendous potential to build on an exceptional brand in an exceptional location as we grow the Eden Hotel Collection into the South West's leading luxury boutique hotel operator. "This acquisition takes to nine the number of hotels in the group, offering around 300 rooms across a hand-picked portfolio of unique venues in fantastic surroundings." The Bovey Castle deal and Tides Reach are the latest significant investments in the South West for Rigby Group following its acquisition of Exeter International Airport and British International Helicopters, which has a base in Newquay. Steve Rigby, chief operating officer for Rigby Group, said: "The South West has quickly become a key part of Rigby Group and we see great opportunities across several of our business streams in the region, not least boutique hotels and aviation, and we are planning significant further investment to cement our position as leading providers in these areas." Founded by entrepreneur Sir Peter Rigby, originally as a technology business, the group has evolved into a £1.8 billion portfolio business compromising technology, airports, hotels, real estate, finance and aviation. It is one of the largest family-owned businesses in the UK and was named Family Business of the Year in 2013. In 2012 Rigby Group sold its SDG wholesale technology distribution business, putting it in a strong cash position for acquisitions.

Mill on the Exe Bonhay Road, Exeter 01392 214464 www.millontheexe.co.uk It's all about the location at the Mill on the Exe with its tranquil waterside gardens next to Blackaller Weir and the Millstone footbridge. It's the perfect setting to enjoy eating, drinking and meeting with friends. Spread across two floors, it is ideal for a quiet meal or a big occasion. The Certificate of Excellence 2013 Winners by Trip Advisor ensure all its food is freshly prepared and cooked to order. Wherever possible, ingredients are sourced from local farmers and fishermen. A range of options are available from light snacks such as jacket potatoes and sandwiches; to something more substantial from its main menu.What? Hungry visitors can start off with something from the Tempters menu ranging from marinated olives, £3.50, to salt and pepper squid with sweet chilli sauce, £3.50. Next is a wide selection of starters with the extra option of a board of sharers which can double up as a main meal for one and start from £8.50. For mains, there is a daily special boards along with set menu ranging from a handmade 60z bacon and cheese beef burger, £9.75, to The Mill salad with feta, cured ham, green beans, hard boiled egg, warm roasted tomatoes and new potatoes with a peach relish, £9.50. Desserts include raspberry and tarragon compote, £5.25, and treacle tart, £5.25.When? The bar is open from 10.30am to 11pm everyday. Food is served noon to 9pm daily.Extras? There is a Sunday menu served and special events take place throughout the year such as a bank holiday barbecue. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome throughout the pub.

University of Exeter students behind two enterprising start-up businesses have received top awards from the SETsquared partnership. TickBox, which pioneers digital democracy, won the Best Student Start-Up category and the People's Choice Award, while photo sharing specialists Instabear scooped the Best Graduate Start-Up prize at the Student Enterprise Awards at the University of Exeter Students' Guild. SETsquared is a partnership of the universities of Bath, Bristol, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey which, as well as incubating high-tech start-ups, encourages entrepreneurship among students at the five institutions. Its Student Enterprise Awards, which take place every year, seek to honour the cream of the crop when it comes to business-minded students. TickBox was set up in response to the outdated way it believed the public interacts with democracy and the voting process. The students realised vast sections of society, particularly the 18-24 year olds, felt disconnected from the process. Making candidate and policy comparison as easy as possible, TickBox pioneers the field of digital democracy with technical innovation to put people back in touch. The platform was tested at the university sabbatical elections at Exeter and Bristol and has since secured £50,000 of investment from grants and private individuals to fund the development of its website. This was launched at the European elections in May. TickBox has also won awards from the UKTI and cross-party support in Westminster. Instabear was launched in February 2013, providing instant photo printing services from social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. It allows guests at major events to share photos via social media and has delivered major events contracts for Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, Jack Wills and other brands – including the launch of the F-Type Coupe and the JLR Auto Show in Los Angeles where more than 3,500 photos were printed and a enjoyed a viral reach of more than eight million people. These contracts have led to a turnover of £60,000 in the year ending February 2014 and a further £20,000 in the current year to date. Simon Bond, innovation director at SETsquared, said: "Both TickBox and Instabear impressed the judging panel with their professionalism and drive. The enthusiasm and rapid success of both companies shows real foresight into what services the public wants and great entrepreneurial spirit."

Eating strawberries and cream at Wimbledon is a quintessentially British tradition that has been in place for hundreds of years. As Wimbledon fever hits again, with the competition starting on Monday, those who can't make the courts organise Wimbledon parties at home and most are already planning what to serve. This year, Belgium's finest biscuit maker – Jules Destrooper - has taken the classic Wimbledon flavours and has created a treat that's simple to prepare at home and guaranteed an "ace"! The Wimbledon Wonder is an indulgent sponge dessert topped with juicy strawberries, and Jules Destrooper Almond Thins, served with a large dollop of whipped cream. Ingredients: 1 packet Jules Destrooper Almond Thins 175g plain chocolate 175g butter, softened 225g caster sugar 4 medium eggs 200g self-raising flour 1 tbsp cocoa powder 175g ground almonds Grated zest of 1 orange For the chocolate icing: 225g plain chocolate, broken up 100g butter 150 ml carton double cream 3 tbsp strawberry jam 200g strawberries Whipped cream to serveMethod: 1. Pre heat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/ Gas Mark 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cm/ 8in round, deep cake tin. 2. Break up the plain chocolate and place in a bowl over gently simmering water until melted (or microwave for 1-2 mins until melted). Make sure the bowl is not touching the water otherwise the chocolate will spoil. Allow to cool for 5 mins. 3. Place the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or electric whisk until light and creamy in texture. Separate the eggs and beat the yolks into the butter mixture. Beat in the melted, cooled chocolate. Fold in the flour, cocoa powder, ground almonds and orange zest. 4. In a clean, grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Add a quarter of the egg whites to the chocolate mixture to help loosen it, mix in gently then fold in the remaining whites. 5. Spread the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 50 mins to 1 hour until firm to the touch and a skewer comes out cleanly. Allow to cool in the tin for five minutes then turn out and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. 6. To make the icing: Melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave for three minutes on medium, stirring halfway through. Alternatively, melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of just simmering water (make sure that the bowl does not touch the water). Stir until smooth, then beat in the cream. Cool slightly. 7. Cut the cake in half and sandwich with strawberry jam then spread the icing all over the cake. Mark into portions then place a strawberry on each portion. Arrange an almond thin on each slice just before serving with a big dollop of whipped cream. Jules Destrooper Almond Thins are available from Co-op, Ocado, Tesco and Waitrose – RSP £1.54.

Tomorrow is set to be one of hottest days of the year so far in the South West. According to the Met Office, the weekend is expected to be fine and dry with fairly warm temperatures in the low twenties and some cloud around. Forecasters said the maximum temperature in the region could be as high as 22C today. Exeter can expect to see temperatures climb to 22 degrees Celsius tomorrow and prolonged spells of sunshine. "The weekend is looking relatively dry and fine with variable amounts of cloud," said a spokesperson for the Met Office. "Friday is a better day – we are looking at a day of sunshine and temperatures are the warmest of the weekend at 22 degrees Celsius. There will certainly be plenty of sunshine and prolonged spells."

More than 300 guests attended a party to celebrate the relaunch of Hanlons Brewery, formerly O'Hanlons. Jim Bungard and Dan Taylor took over the business last December and moved the existing brewing equipment into a purpose-built brewery at Half Moon Village, near Exeter, as well as rebranding and refreshing the image. Yellow Hammer fans and friends for the last 15 years, Jim and Dan had both been looking for a new direction in their careers. When the opportunity to take over the brewery came up, they felt it was too good to miss. Four members of staff, including master brewer Richard Mayne, stayed on after the takeover and the company has seen considerable rewards for their efforts including 140 new pub customers across the UK and being awarded the 2014 Gold Taste of the West for Port Stout (bottled) and Silver Taste of the West for Yellow Hammer (cask). One of their customers, Andy Chrichard from the Rose & Crown in Sandford, said: "One of the main reasons we choose to use Hanlons is because it's a local brewery, it's great to serve beer that has come just a few miles down the road from where its brewed. We think it's important to serve local beers as much as we can and always have Yellow Hammer available." Hanlons is a real family affair with both Jim and Dan's family making significant investments in the business and the new brewing site being built on land at Dan's family farm. "Family members have all thrown themselves into the venture, and we couldn't have made such progress without their help," said Jim, who has taken on the role of sales and marketing director whilst Dan is in charge of production. The launch was enjoyed by customers, suppliers and friends alike who all sampled a free bar and took part in tasting sessions provided by renowned beer specialist Adrian Tierney-Jones. Accompanying food was provided by catering company the Proof of the Pudding using ingredients from local suppliers such as Quickes Cheese and Good Game. The team will be brewing Yellow Hammer (4.2% abv), the lead brand in a five-strong core cask range that also includes Port Stout (4.8%), Stormstay Premium Ale (5%), Firefly Bitter (3.7%) and Copper Glow (4.2%), the lineup will also feature occasional and seasonal beers. Jim said: "We'll stick to those five core beers as it means we can have better consistency and quality and fresher beer in the pubs. We did, however, brew a wheat beer, Half Moon, to commemorate our launch and it became the third best-seller at Wetherspoon's Spring Beer Festival."

UEFA president Michel Platini has turned his back on FIFA counterpart Sepp Blatter – and the former France midfielder admits he could be tempted to replace the Swiss as the head of football's world governing body. Blatter has been under pressure for some months with corruption allegations clouding the award of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, in Russia and Qatar respectively. Platini, 58, backed the FA's fierce opposition to Blatter's U-turn on his promise to stand down in 2015 on Wednesday, saying he was "proud" of Europe's negative response. And the head of UEFA has since further distanced himself from Blatter by contemplating standing against him in the elections next year – but he stressed it wasn't because of recent events. "It is an option," said Platini. "It is not because of Blatter that Michel Platini would stand. And it is not because of Sepp Blatter that Michel Platini would not appear. "My only concern is what I want to do. I am almost 60 years and I need to know what I want. I just want to be sure what I want to do. "In my life, I wanted to be a footballer, it went well. I was asked to coach, and to be president of the organising committee of the 1998 World Cup, I liked it. "Then I became a member of the Executive Committee (FIFA). Now I am very happy to be at UEFA. I am loved by national associations. But FIFA is something important. "But I am supporting him (Blatter) no longer, it's finished. I have known him for a long time, I like him, but I'm not favourable to him having another term. "I supported him in 1998, but I do not support in 2014. And in the future, I shall not support Blatter. I told him that. I think FIFA needs a breath of fresh air."

My name is Ivonice Powell, i'm 54 and have lived here in Devon since 1970 when i was brought here from Brazil. I was adopted from a Sao Paulo Favela because i had contracted Polio and my mother was too poor and had other children , so she let a Norwegian Missionary, who happened to be a nurse, adopt me..  a year after my adoption had been finalized in 1966 my adopted mother died. I have been in a wheelchair all my life, and never knew anything about my Brazilian family, until October 2013, when after yet another search, ( and i've been searching for my family since 1995 when i got my first computer)  I only had my mothers and fathers names, no more details at all... oh, and the hospital i had been born in..  The day after i placed the advert, i got a reply, from a lady in Sao Paulo, who does voluntary work, re-uniting families and searching for missing people..  she told me that she had found my brother, within 3 days, my entire family had been notified of my existance.. and to my shock i am one of 14 children, and my birth mother is still alive..  The poverty i was born into, remains the same to this day, although modern technology is easily accessible for the majority of the population, education, and health, and human rights are not !!  .. my family in Brazil and myself have now known each other via the internet, Facebook and Skype for 9 months now, communication is difficult, as i have not spoken Portuguese since i was ten years old, and due to lack of formal education and lack of electricity , power shortages etc... I am still separated from my family. I was a regular street entertainer in Exeter and further afield for 25 years & more, but have not been physically up to making myself heared on the high street, and now I am going to start busking again, in order to raise the £5.000 it will cost to transport myself and my husband and Grandaughter ( to whom we are mum and dad, since birth) to Sao Paulo, as i am unable to use public transport and my family in the vast majority live in higgledy piggeldy Favelas, where wheelchair movement would be practically impossible..  so, I am desperately trying to raise the funds so i can rent a ground floor flat somewhere central to where my family all live.. in Sao Paulo itself and Laranjal Paulista. For my entire life, i didn't not have a sense of identity, never feeling a part of where i've lived, because i was sent to a disabled boarding school in Hampshire from the age of 12 to 18, so as a child, never made connections with people on my school holidays here in Devon.. Finding my natural family, and all my brothers and sisters and nephews and nieces and great nephews and nieces, and knowing that i belong to a huge huge family who always knew of my existance and had themselves searched for me , but had been told i was taken to America..  I did write my story to the Express and Echo in November 2013, and included photos, i thought somebody might be interested in my story, I was given hopes that Globo Tv would be flying me over to be re-united with my family ,that i've never met or seen in 54 years..  but that was not to be.  The World Cup starts today, and millions of people from Europe are going to be jetting their way over to my homeland to watch football, whilst my family are amongst the millions of poor Brazilians protesting against it..   and me, well... i'm just this disabled person on benefits who in general is looked upon by society as some fortunate one.
This is my story  and here is a Portuguese song
https://soundcloud.com/ivonice-powell/desfado