Quantcast
Channel: Exeter Express and Echo Latest Stories Feed
Viewing all 7823 articles
Browse latest View live
↧

Police investigation after thieves steal whole shed from garden

October 23, 2014, 3:48 am
$
0
0
Devon and Cornwall police are investigating the 'unusual' theft of a complete garden shed. The shed's contents were first taken out before the thieves made off with the structure itself. Police think somebody must have seen the shed being picked up and hauled away. The incident occurred sometime between Friday October 17 and Tuesday, October 22, at an unoccupied house in Oliver Place, Heathfield, Newton Abbot. The garden shed was removed from the rear garden and the contents were left in the rear garden. Officers have described the incident as 'most unusual'. Acting Detective Sergeant Shane Robertson of Newton Abbot CID commented "This is a very unusual crime and I believe that someone local would have seen the removal of the shed". Anyone who has any information regarding this crime is asked to contact e contact Police on 101 quoting crime reference CR/ 116285/14 or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or report online at www.Crimestoppers-uk.org

Police investigation after thieves steal whole shed from garden

↧
Search

Alleged stalker appears in court accused of having acid with the intention of using it in an attack

October 23, 2014, 3:55 am
$
0
0
An alleged stalker has appeared at Exeter Crown Court accused of having sulphuric acid with the intention of using it in an attack. Richard Johns, aged 41, appeared by video link from Exeter Prison for a preliminary hearing and was not required to make a plea. He is accused of stalking, making threats to kill, and having a quantity of sulphuric acid with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm. He is also accused of possessing an incapacitant spray. All the offences are alleged to have taken place between September 10 and October 6 this year in Torquay. Johns, of Willis Court, Torquay, was remanded in custody by Judge Graham Cottle and his case is listed to return to Exeter Crown Court in January, when he will be expected to enter pleas. A trial date has been set for March next year.

Alleged stalker appears in court accused of having acid with the intention of using it in an attack

↧
↧

Watch: Devon's Joss Stone and Jeff Beck release Poppy Appeal single and music video

October 23, 2014, 4:06 am
$
0
0
Joss Stone has teamed up with Jeff Beck on a charity single in aid of the Royal British Legion. The song, "No Man's Land (Green Fields of France)" also features a gospel choir and the accompanying music video sees Stone outside the Tower of London surrounded by poppies. The song is written about a soldier who died in the First World War named Willie McBride. Stone, frim Mid Devon, said: "When we started looking into who Willie was, we found no less than three men that it could have been. Then we realised that finding him was not actually as important as what he and this song stand for - peace and the sacrifice made by so many."
Joss Stone - No Man's Land (Green Fields of France) on MUZU.TV.

Watch: Devon’s Joss Stone and Jeff Beck release Poppy Appeal single and music video

↧

Tiny penguins, big sale!

October 23, 2014, 4:35 am
$
0
0
Miniature works of penguin art are being sold for charity.

Living Coasts has put 16 penguins, each 15 centimetre tall and beautifully decorated, up for sale on the charity's website.

Designs include a punk penguin with a Mohican, Harry Potter, a Wagnerian Valkyrie, Superman, a peacock penguin, a Dalek penguin and a Damien Hirst inspired design using 1800 rhinestones.

Some, including Punkquin and Super Penguin, have already been snapped up.

The models were displayed in shop windows around Torquay harbour as part of a free public art trail during the summer. They are being sold to raise money for Living Coasts' conservation projects.

Hayley Gibson, from Living Coasts, explained: "The trail ran from May to September and was really popular. The competition to collect all the letters and discover the mystery phrase was won by Joselyn, aged 10, from Brixham.

"The 16 are now for sale on our web site. There are some terrific penguins available – people put a lot of work into them. My favourite is Harry Potter." The mini penguins can be found at: www.livingcoasts.org.uk. A selection of penguins that were not part of the trail will be on sale in the Living Coasts shop from Saturday 25th October.

Tiny penguins, big sale!

↧

Pictures: George Osborne visits Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital as part of woman working in the economy tour

October 23, 2014, 4:40 am
$
0
0
Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and Education Secretary Nicky Morgan visited Exeter today as part of a two day tour meeting with women working in the UK economy. The pair visited the Research, Innovation, Learning and Development Centre and Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital this morning. During his visit Osborne presented the Woman in Science Prize.Full story online shortly

Pictures: George Osborne visits Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital as part of woman working in the economy tour

↧
↧

Exmouth trains cancelled after car hits Polsloe Bridge in Exeter

October 23, 2014, 4:53 am
$
0
0
Trains have been cancelled between Exeter and Exmouth this afternoon after a car hit Polsloe Bridge. A vehicle has struck the bridge meaning trains are being delayed by up to 50 minutes between ‪‎Exeter‬ St Davids and ‪‎Exmouth‬. There is no firm estimate yet of how long disruption will last but it is likely to continue until at least 13:00. Passengers may use Stagecoach South West Bus 56 Exeter St Davids - Exmouth and Stagecoach South West Bus 57 Exeter. Honiton Road in Exeter is partially blocked inbound between the Moor Lane junction and the B3183 Honiton Road junction, because the incident.Updates as we have them

Exmouth trains cancelled after car hits Polsloe Bridge in Exeter

↧

Exeter drinker denies raping sleeping woman

October 23, 2014, 7:11 am
$
0
0
A drinker has told how a woman stabbed him in the head after suddenly accusing him of rape while they were having sex on a friend's sofa. Jason Jenkins said the 24-year-old woman had been awake and a willing participant in sex but had suddenly turned on him and accused him of rape. He said they had both been drinking at pubs and clubs in Exeter before going back to a friend's house in the Newtown area of the city where they had started making love. He insisted she was sober enough to consent to sex but then become hysterical and violent and armed herself with two knives which she used to stab him in the head. He was found staggering around near Sidwell Street with a wound that needed six stitches. He told police at the scene he had been bottled by three strangers but next day reported being stabbed by the woman. Officers investigating the case ended up arresting him after they interviewed the woman and decided to treat her as a complainant in a rape case rather than a suspect in a stabbing. Jenkins, aged 42, of Pellinore Road, Exeter, denies raping the woman in September last year. The prosecution say she was very drunk and had fallen asleep when she awoke to find Jenkins having sex with him and stabbed him in an attempt to get out of the room. Jenkins said she had agreed to sex and had been awake with her eyes open but had changed suddenly half way through intercourse. He said:"She reacted to what I was doing. She put her legs around me and was gyrating with me and we were having sex. I could see her face and her eyes were open and she was looking happy. "She had her knickers on at first but they were rubbing and I took one leg out. She took them off and threw them on the floor. We continued to have sex. "Her eyes were not open all the time, but she was definitely awake. After her knickers came off we kissed and her eyes may have closed, but that was not because she was asleep. "At one point she rolled over and faced the back of the sofa in a foetal position. I remember pulling the hair from her face and asking if she was okay and what was the matter. "She looked up and gave me a really strange look. She was wide eyed and shot a look at me in a way which freaked me out. Then she pushed me off and said 'get off me' and asked 'what are you doing? What are you doing? "I had my jeans around my ankles and asked her what she was on about. She went upstairs." Jenkins said he followed her into her friend's bedroom where she punched him before fetching two knives which she used to stab him as he tried to hold her off. He said he was ordered out of the house by the owner and then taken to hospital. He said he lied to police because he did not want to cause the woman's friends trouble.
↧

Pictures: Bald hedgehog to spend winter at Westcountry animal sanctuary

October 23, 2014, 7:21 am
$
0
0
A Westcountry animal sanctuary is caring for an unusual patient - a bald hedgehog. Prickles Hedgehog Rescue in Cheddar, Somerset, is treating Pumpkin - a hedgehog with a skin condition which has left him without any spines or fur. Pumpkin was taken to Prickles with swollen legs but later lost his fur and spines. Jules Bishop, founder of Prickles said: "This little chap was lucky to have been found, hedgehogs rely on their spines for protection in the wild. "Without them he would've have died. "It does make them vulnerable. "It makes them vulnerable to predator attack. "Something like a magpie would come down and try and peck a little hedgehog. "But also at this time of year it would be very susceptible to the cold. "I've never seen it before. "It's a severe bacterial infection. "We'll keep him awake until spring and build him up until he's strong enough for release back in to the wild. "But that's all dependent on how long it takes for him to regrow his spines." "We are pleased Pumpkin is responding well to treatment and are confident he will make a full recovery."

Pictures: Bald hedgehog to spend winter at Westcountry animal sanctuary

↧
Search

Devon police launch anti trick or treat poster for Halloween

October 23, 2014, 7:59 am
$
0
0
IF YOU want to avoid ghosties and ghoulies this Halloween, then a little sign will do the "trick". Devon and Cornwall Police will once again be offering it's "No Trick, No Treat, No Thanks" sign which it has made available over the past few years. The 'Sorry... no trick or treat this Halloween' campaign encourages members of the public who do not want to be bothered by trick-or-treaters to download and print this poster and place it in the front door or window of their homes. Crime Reduction Team Leader, Bob Bunney, said: "In recent years we have seen an increase in the number of people participating in Halloween fun. "We ask that anyone wishing to trick-or-treat considers other people, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, as they may get worried if strangers are continually calling at the door during the evening. "We don't want to discourage anyone or spoil anyone's fun, but we would remind trick-or-treaters that some people do not want to be disturbed and we would ask people not to call at homes displaying this poster." You can download the poster from www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/halloween To have a fun and safe Halloween follow these top tips:• Always be accompanied by an adult when you are trick-or-treating.• Only go to houses of people you know and who are happy for you to call. • Stay safe, keep to places that you know and are well lit. Do not take short cuts through gardens, alleyways or parks. • Watch out for traffic - drivers might not see you. • If you are wearing a mask make sure that you can see where you are going and are aware of your surroundings. • Carry a torch and a fully charged mobile phone (if you have one)

Devon police launch anti trick or treat poster for Halloween

↧
↧

Devon police appeal for help to trace missing 13-year-old girl

October 23, 2014, 8:19 am
$
0
0
Devon police are asking for the public's help in tracing a missing teenage girl. Police are becoming increasingly concerned for 13-year-old Sasha Leonard who was reported missing from her home in Paignton on Tuesday October 21. Sasha informed her family that she was going to be staying out for the evening with friends but did not return home. She is described as a white female about 5' 4" tall with straight brown hair. She was last seen wearing a black zip up hoody, black vest top and grey jogging bottoms. If anyone has any information on Sasha can they please contact Police on 101 quoting police reference 831 211014.

Devon police appeal for help to trace missing 13-year-old girl

↧

Hero who kept motorist away from exploding car shocked no-one else helped

October 23, 2014, 8:20 am
$
0
0
A MAN who stopped a distressed driver returning to his car shortly before it exploded said he was shocked no-one else came to his aid. Simon Williamson was walking home from work at Marsh Barton when he saw the car well alight on Alphington Road. The driver, called Claudio had only arrived in England from his native Romania seven months ago, was trying to return to his car to get possession from the boot. Mr Williamson said: "I stopped him going back to the car. I just told him that he was out and that was the most important thing. It was too dangerous for him to go back and he needed to stay away. "He was clearly distressed and in a lot of shock. "Claudio did not speak good English so I phoned the emergency services and stayed with him for about 15 minutes until the fire was put out." "Credit to the fire brigade. They were there very quickly." It is understood the driver had just refuelled at Sainsburys petrol station, bought his wife flowers and was on his way home when he noticed smoke coming up around the steering wheel.. "I was initially worried he had kids in the vehicle," said Mr Williamson. "But thankfully there was no-one else with him. "I just helped to console him. He was very shocked and very edgy so I stayed with him. "What astonished me was the amount of people taking pictures. There was one who walked two feet from the car to take one. "But no-one came over to see it the driver was all right. That amazed me. I could not understand why no-one was stopping to help. "Cars drove straight past and just veered around it." "He had got stuff out of his boot and chucked it on the side of the road. A lot of his personal belongings were still in the car. There is no way he was getting anything out of there." Mr Williamson said there was an explosion that blew out the windows. "I was worried the whole thing would go boom and take out another car." The fire occurred at around 5.50pm on Wednesday, October 22. The vehicle was extinguished by fire crews using two breathing apparatus wearers and two hose reel jets. Fire crews carried out traffic control until the attendance of Police. The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental.

Hero who kept motorist away from exploding car shocked no-one else helped

↧

PODCAST: ECFC Talk discuss Exeter City's Mr Men and pay tribute to Arnold Mitchell

October 23, 2014, 8:35 am
$
0
0
ECFC Talk is back for episode 10 of the season - on this week's show the panel discuss Arnold Mitchell, Mr Men nicknames for Exeter City players and the four points gained from matches against Southend United and Wycombe Wanderers.

PODCAST: ECFC Talk discuss Exeter City's Mr Men and pay tribute to Arnold Mitchell

↧

Binge drinker left in coma after falling 30 feet as he fled police following Exeter street attack

October 23, 2014, 8:48 am
$
0
0
A binge drinker spent two days in a coma after falling 30 feet from a wall as he tried to escape police after attacking a complete stranger in the street. Jamal Sleeman broke the jaw of a student who was on a night out in Exeter but then suffered a broken thigh, hip and 15 fractures to his face after climbing up a wall and falling down the other side. He was caught on CCTV swinging a punch at the victim who had been walking down Sidwell Street swinging a light stick around his head when he was set on and punched in the face. Sleeman spent two days in a coma, two weeks in intensive care, and was so badly injured police were not able to interview him for four months after his attack. He had no memory of what he had done and was horrified when officers showed him footage from the city centre CCTV cameras, Exeter Crown Court was told. Sleeman, aged 21, of Mermaid Court, Exeter, admitted causing grievous bodily harm and affray and was jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years, curfewed for six months and ordered to pay £950 compensation and costs. Recorder Mr Robin Belben told him:"This was an ugly incident. I have seen the CCTV and it is clear to me the victim was offering no aggression or violence and appeared to be backing away at the time you punched him. "The most that can be said is that he was waving a plastic light stick around but whether that had anything to do with it we will never know because you cannot remember anything. "This unfortunate young student had his jaw broken in two places and needed three metal plates, with all the consequences that flowed from that. "I recognise you also suffered serious injuries. You have no-one to blame but yourself for those but I do take them into account." The Judge told Sleeman he was suspending the sentence because he suffers from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and would be very vulnerable in jail. Miss Janice Eagles, prosecuting, said the attack was seen by CCTV operators in the early hours of March 13 this year and Sleeman swung one punch at the victim and then lashed out at others standing nearby. He was dragged away by a friend and shown leaving the area shortly before he suffered his own injuries in a fall from a wall near Sidwell Street. She said:"He was anxious to escape and leapt over a wall where thee was a long drop and sustained multiple injuries. He was found by police and taken to hospital." Miss Eagles said the victim, who was studying football coaching at Cardiff University, had been left with uneven teeth and missed an exam and a skiing holiday as a result of his injuries. Miss Vanessa Francis, defending, said at the time Sleeman had been diagnosed with OCD but his medication was not working well and he was binge drinking to try to cope with his condition. She said he is still signed off work as a result of the injuries he suffered in his fall and is living acting as carer for his mother, who suffers from multiple sclerosis.

Binge drinker left in coma after falling 30 feet as he fled police following Exeter street attack

↧
↧

Parents warned: Schools across Exeter on high alert after potential abductors seen approaching children

October 23, 2014, 8:52 am
$
0
0
SCHOOLS in Exeter have been placed on high alert after two potential abductors were spotted approaching children in Exeter. Two men in a white van have been seen outside several primary schools in the city over the last week and have been reported to the police. This has prompted teachers to issue a warning about the potential threat and advising parents and staff to be aware and take extra precautions. A letter, which has been sent out to parents and carers, states that approaches have already been made to children at primary schools in Exminster, Ide and Alphington. It reads: "Last week outside Exminster Primary School we understand that a child was approached by two men in a white van. "Since then we also understand that children from Ide and Alphington were also approached in the same way. "Staff have spoken with the school crossing patrol to make sure she is aware of this and can look out for any potential danger/risk." Local police have been made aware of the situation.

Parents warned: Schools across Exeter on high alert after potential abductors seen approaching children

↧

Businesswoman facing jail after being found guilty of forging £180,000 will of ex policeman

October 23, 2014, 9:08 am
$
0
0
A businesswoman has been told she is facing jail after being found guilty of forging her lover's will after he committed suicide. Victoria Kendrew could not bear the thought of ex policeman Peter Farquharson's entire £180,000 estate going to his estranged wife and devised a plot to seize it for herself. She persuaded two of his old fishing chums to go along with her scheme and pretend they had acted as witnesses to the will while on a trip to Devon two months before Mr Farquharson died. Kendrew was facing a race against time to challenge Mr Farquharson's will before his widow Jayne Humphries was granted probate. She claimed to have found the will in a pocket of a fishing jacket and took it to her solicitor a few weeks before Miss Humphries was due to inherit the estate. Kendrew had been living with Mr Farquharson for 15 months before he hanged himself at her home in Whimple in March 2008, aged 53. He had left his wife for him after they had been together for 17 years and told friends he intended to make a will in favour of Kendrew but killed himself before he could do so. Miss Humphries was due to gain probate in June 2009 but in May she received a letter from Kendrew's solicitors telling her that the new will had been found. The document appeared to leave everything to Kendrew and when Miss Humphries queried its veracity the so-called witnesses were bullied into making false statements to support it. Fellow plotters Kevin Dodd and Carl Jensen both signed legally binding documents claiming they had met Mr Farquharson on his fishing boat in Teignmouth in January 2008 and he asked them to witness the will. Kendrew eventually inherited Mr Farquharson's home in Third Avenue, Teignmouth, his boat, car and other belongings with a total value of £180,000. Miss Humphries remained suspicious. She is a serving police officer and her persistence led to a fresh inquiry which showed the signature had been forged. The two witnesses were traced by police in Guildford, where they live and work, and both admitted they had signed a document provided by Kendrew after Mr Farquharson died. They felt sorry for her because they believed Mr Farquharson had intended her to have his estate and they felt a debt of gratitude to her for letting them store a boat at her farmhouse home. Kendrew, aged 43, of Lilypond Lane, Whimple, denied fraud and conspiracy to create a false document and to pervert the course of justice but was found guilty on all three counts. Carl Jensen, aged 49, and Kevin Dodd, aged 57, both admitted the conspiracy charges in January and all three will be sentenced after probation reports are prepared. Recorder Mr Robin Belben bailed Kendrew and told her:"These are serious offences. You should be under no illusion that a sentence of imprisonment is virtually a certainty in this case." During the trial Dodd and Jensen told the jury how they were drafted into the plot by Kendrew, who told them she wanted to keep Mr Farquharson's estate out of the hands of Miss Humphries, who she considered 'a money-grabber'. They had agreed to co-ordinate their stories at her behest but the whole plot unraveled when bank records showed they had used cashpoint machines in Surrey on the day they claimed to be in Teignmouth She told the jury she did not know how a forged will had come to be in Mr Farquharson's old fishing jacket but insisted she had nothing to do with creating it. Her barrister Mr Sean Brunton, compared her position to a character in a Hollywood film who is framed and wakes up to find themselves holding a smoking gun next to a dead body. Kendrew is a former property developer who is now involved with a business making waterless urinals. She met Mr Farquaharson when he went to her farmhouse to help with renovations. He was a decorated former police officer, originally from Scotland, who had suffered periods of depression. He had also lost his driving licence for drink driving two months before his suicide.

Businesswoman facing jail after being found guilty of forging £180,000 will of ex policeman

↧
Search

Exeter gets a taste for Autumn as The Real Food Store hosts 'meet the supplier' events

October 23, 2014, 4:00 pm
$
0
0
Exeter's popular community-owned food store is celebrating the change of season with a tasty series of 'meet the supplier' events. The Real Food Store on Paris Street will play host to a range of artisan suppliers who will talk about where their products come from and how they are made. Customers will be able to taste samples and buy products in store. Natalie Ohlson, the Real Food Store's shop manager said: "Customers really enjoy meeting our suppliers and learning how their food is made. We have a fantastic range of high quality local producers and many people are surprised when they see that local food is not more expensive. The Real Food Store's locally grown organic vegetables are consistently cheaper than the nearest supermarket. Customers are pleased when they find they can afford to support local producers." Customers are also able to try out the season's offering in the Store's café – a popular meeting place for business people and visitors to the City alike. The café offers a daily special which will celebrate autumn. Georgia Stuart, the café's manager said: "The Café has the pick of all the freshest produce from the Store to give our customers a taste of local food. We keep our dishes straightforward so that people can try them out at home too. We want to inspire people to use what's in season and local – it's good for you and good for Devon!" The first supplier is Joy from Bees Knees, of Lympstone who will be at the store from 11.00am - 2.00pm on Saturday 1st November providing tastes of honey, mincemeat and Christmas puddings using produce from her beehives Bloomberry Juice company will be showcasing their range of juices on the 7th November. The range of suppliers who will be coming soon include The Occasional Brewery of Silverton, The Tiny Marmalade Company of Exeter, Mannabonbons across the county line in Dorset, and Touch of Hart venison of Uffculme. Meet the Supplier sessions are free and offer shoppers informal events to taste and chat. All the dates and suppliers can be found on the Real Food Store's website www.realfoodexeter.co.uk nearer the time
↧

Jail for man who got himself arrested so he could smuggle heroin into Exeter prison

October 23, 2014, 4:01 pm
$
0
0
A drug user has been jailed after he got himself arrested so he could smuggle heroin into Exeter Prison. Gary Leggett owed £1,000 to dealers in Plymouth and agreed to take part in the scam in return for them writing off the cash. He made sure he was caught when he broke into a car and then hid a large lump of drugs inside his body on the morning he was due to go to court to be sentenced. He was sent to jail with the drugs still concealed inside him but his plan was discovered after a governor noticed he was unduly nervous while being booked into the prison. The idea had been for him to remove the drugs once admitted and then put them in a pre-agreed hiding place in the exercise yard, Exeter Crown Court was told. The package was worth up to £2,700 on the streets but drugs are far more valuable inside jail and the same amount would have netted someone around £11,000 if the plan had worked. Leggett, aged 35, of Vinstone Way, Plymouth, admitted possession of heroin with intent to supply and theft and was jailed for a year by Recorder Mr Robin Belben. He told him:"You took a significant quantity of a class A drug into prison and I sentence you on the basis of your explanation you had drug debts. "You were told by your dealer you could wipe them out by committing an offence for which you were sent to prison and taking with you this amount of heroin valued at between £6,000 and £11,000. "Taking drugs into prison for whatever reason is serious because they are clearly going to be distributed by a network of people inside prison." Mr Jonathan Barnes, prosecuting, said deputy governor David Crawford became suspicious of Leggett when he arrived after receiving a seven week sentence in October last year. Leggett broke down in tears when he was challenged and produced 27.49 grams of heroin from his body. He said he had been asked to leave the drugs in the exercise yard for someone else who he did not know to pick up. Mr Barnes said "He said he was in debt for drugs and was told by his suppliers if he committed an offence and went to prison he could take a package in and he would be free from his debt of £1,000. "We accept he would have been under some pressure but he could and should have gone to the police before he got to the stage of smuggling drugs into prison." Mr Malcolm Clark, defending, said Leggett is now determined to overcome his drug problem and had been assessed as suitable for a rehabilitation programme. He said he was unable to go on it because he had re-offended by stealing a satnav from a car last month, making him ineligible for the programme which is run by the probation service.

Jail for man who got himself arrested so he could smuggle heroin into Exeter prison

↧
↧

Friends Of The Earth begins legal challenge to East Devon beaver capture

October 23, 2014, 4:02 pm
$
0
0
Friends of the Earth has taken the first formal legal steps to prevent the Government from capturing a family of beavers living in the wild in Devon and placing them in captivity. In papers submitted to the court on Tuesday evening [22 October 2014] the environment campaign group is seeking to challenge licences issued by Natural England to capture the animals, which were filmed on the River Otter earlier this year. It is not known where the beavers came from or how long they have been on Devon's River Otter, although anecdotal evidence suggests they may have been resident for several years. Nor is it clear how many animals are present. Film footage of the beavers' broadcast on shows adults and kits (baby beavers), suggesting that a breeding population has established itself. Friends of the Earth's action will require Natural England to release further information about the basis on which they issued the licences – which will determine whether or not the legal challenge will proceed. Beavers are a native species once found right across England, which were driven to extinction several hundred years ago. In recent years several populations have been re-established in Scotland. Wildlife experts, including Natural England itself, have indicated that their reintroduction would bring many benefits to the English countryside. Defra has argued that the beavers should be captured to test them for disease (from the tapeworm, Echinococcus multilocularis). While it is highly unlikely they are infected, it is possible to test and release them within a day, as is currently done in Scotland. Friends of the Earth is very concerned that licences have been issued to capture the animals without proper consideration for the alternatives, or of the conservation status of the beavers in Britain, which are a legally protected species under European law. Friends of the Earth campaigner Alasdair Cameron said: "At a time when our wildlife is facing an unprecedented crisis, the Government should be taking steps to protect and expand the range of key native species like the beaver - not removing them from our rivers. "We know that beavers can bring many benefits, such as boosting fish stocks, improving biodiversity and helping to prevent flooding – as well as injecting a little more joy into our landscape. "These animals have been living and breeding in Devon for years, Ministers should work with the local community to find a sensible solution that allows them to remain in the wild. "This is an opportunity to create a richer, better environment for ourselves and our children, where we can experience the beauty of animals that are an important part of our ecosystems."

Friends Of The Earth begins legal challenge to East Devon beaver capture

↧

Record number of Exeter College graduates to celebrate at cathedral today

October 23, 2014, 4:02 pm
$
0
0
Around 130 Exeter College higher education students will don their caps and gowns today (Friday, October 24) and take to the streets to process through the city for their graduation ceremony, which is being held at Exeter Cathedral at 3pm. With the cathedral providing the stunning backdrop to the formal ceremony, the college's largest cohort of graduates to date will be joined by over 500 guests to celebrate their achievements at this spectacular event, including the Lord Mayor, representatives of Exeter College and its board of governors, VIPs from Devon's schools, colleges, business and community partners and the graduates' families and friends. Guest speaker will be Professor Alison Wolf CBE, The Sir Roy Griffiths Professor of Public Sector Management at King's College London and expert on vocational education and training and on the relationship between education, gender and the labour market. Professor Wolf has been awarded a life peerage this week in an announcement from the Prime Minister's Office for her proven track record of public service. Baroness Wolf has also been involved in the development of the first specialist maths free school in London – an important link to Exeter since the University of Exeter and Exeter College have just opened the country's second specialist maths free school in the city. Also attending the ceremony will be senior representatives from the college's partner universities of Exeter, Plymouth, Kingston and St Mark and St John as well as City and Guilds and Pearson awarding bodies who, along with principal Richard Atkins, will officially acknowledge the graduates of 2014. The students, of all ages and from all over Devon and the South West, will be awarded qualifications ranging from BA to Foundation Degrees, HNCs and HNDs in a range of subjects offered at the college. Exeter College's Higher Education provision includes Aircraft Engineering, Computing, Coaching and Fitness, Health and Social Care and Construction as well as university level qualifications for Education and Leadership amongst others. This year students from the Flybe Aircraft Engineering programme will be remembering their talented and hardworking colleague, Richard Smith, who sadly passed away in the summer from a rare illness. Richard's family will be collecting his certificate on his behalf from Dr Peter Barrington from Kingston University and the congregation will pay tribute to Richard.

Record number of Exeter College graduates to celebrate at cathedral today

↧

Review: An Elephant in the Garden, Exeter Northcott

October 24, 2014, 2:07 am
$
0
0
An Elephant in the Garden Exeter Northcott Theatre Runs until Saturday, October 25 FORGET the one man band, Exeter's Northcott Theatre plays host to an exuberant one woman show. Based on the best-selling children's novel by Michael Morpurgo, Simon Reade's new adaptation of An Elephant in the Garden tells the story of Lizzie and her mother (Mutti) as they flee firebombed Dresden in 1945. The narrative follows the pair as they trek towards safety, collecting fellow refugees on the way – including an elephant from the local zoo called Marlene and Peter, a Canadian navigator pilot. Performed entirely by Alison Reid, the story gives a personal insight into World War Two from the perspective of a teenage German civilian. Though she plays every character, Alison Reid brings the story to life as she jumps about the stage taking on each role, adapting her voice and never once losing track of which individual she is playing. Her capability to perform the different roles brings the story to life and allows the audience to follow the plot but whilst she is animated, its lack of actual action does mean it requires a lot of attention. Also, because the entire narrative is crammed into 75 minutes, the end is quite rushed and does not give the resolution to the tale the full impact it deserves. However, the major pitfall of the performance is the lack of an actual 'elephant in the room' because a visual representation of Marlene would have engaged the audience more and added to the minimalist set. While this monologue is aimed primarily at children, its narrative has some dark undertones as it deals with the realities of World War Two, so it is more appropriate for ages 9+. Given the right audience, the play is fantastically performed and Alison Reid deserves full credit for invoking the audience's imagination and transporting them back to a war-torn Germany. Tickets for the show, being shown at 7pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2pm, cost £13.50. Call 01392 493493 or visit www.exeternorthcott.co.uk

Review: An Elephant in the Garden, Exeter Northcott

↧
Viewing all 7823 articles
Browse latest View live
Search
<script src="https://jsc.adskeeper.com/r/s/rssing.com.1596347.js" async> </script>