Two Devon cricket officials have been voted into top jobs in the Minor Counties Cricket Association.
Neil Gamble, Devon CCC's chief executive, has been elected to the management committee, while Roger Moylan-Jones, a former Devon CCC player and chairman, has taken over as MCCA president.
The MCCA is launching a new T20 competition in 2015, which Gamble is hugely enthusiastic about. And he will be going into bat for the continuation of three-day cricket at Minor Counties level, which some officials at the ECB would like to scrap.
"I am very keen to help ensure that the new T20 competition goes well and receives good sponsorship," said Gamble.
"I am determined to promote the value of the three-day championship as the Minor Counties most important competition, especially because of the vital role it plays in supporting the player pathway."
Moylan-Jones, whose cricket career started with Paignton in the 1950s, has done as much off the field for cricket administration as he did on it. He was the first chairman of the newly created Devon Cricket Board in 1997 and continued in that post until 2004.
↧
Devon cricket officials voted into top jobs in the Minor Counties Cricket Association
↧
EuroMillions results: Winning numbers for Tuesday December 9
EuroMillions' 753rd draw took place on Tuesday 9th December.
The draw has been made for the £17m estimated jackpot.The numbers were 01,03,31,42,46 The lucky star numbers are 4 and 11
The lottery started the month of December with a bang as a single French ticket holder grabbed the rollover jackpot of a staggering £57.8m (€72.9 million).
That top prize came after nearly a month of rollovers since Northern Ireland's Mary Hamilton shared a £25.8 million (€33 million) bounty with another French ticket holder on November 7.
EuroMillions has a total of 13 prize tiers and the overall odds of winning a prize are also 1 in 13. Prizes are won for matching just two numbers or more and culminate with the jackpot prize for matching all five main numbers plus the two Lucky Star numbers drawn.
↧
↧
Reader's Letter: Exeter theatre will make city centre feel less threatening
RE the juxtaposition of the articles Rape charity aims to reclaim the night and Campaigners call for new theatre (Echo, December 4), has anyone made a connection between the threatening atmosphere of Exeter at night and the lack of a varied venue such as a good-sized theatre? I am convinced by the arguments put forward by the campaigners for a new theatre and believe that by attracting a more representative cross section of people the city would become a safer-feeling destination.
Exeter in the evening can be an intimidating place. When the shops shut, the streets are often taken over by groups of drunken young people. During the day the cathedral and its green provide beauty and calm, the museum stimulation and interest. At night there is no such equivalent.
Ann Berger
Exeter
↧
Man admits stealing charity boxes from across Exeter
A man has admitted stealing charity boxes across Exeter.
Kevin Williams, 41, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to stealing charity boxes from the Pyramids Leisure Centre, Poundland and the Imperial in Exeter during a spree on November 4. He also admitted a charge of using threatening behaviour on the same date. He was jailed for a total of 14 weeks.
Magistrates said this was because he committed the offences while subject to a community order given for stealing a charity box belonging to the Devon Air Ambulance on August 28. He must also pay an £80 victim surcharge.
↧
Former Exeter sex worker Charlotte Rose to stage mass fake sex protest outside Parliament
Former Exeter sex worker Charlotte Rose has organised a Parliament protest which will encourage protesters to simulate sex acts in front of Westminster Abbey.
Around 500 people are set to descend on Westminster and pretend to have sex on Friday in a protest against 'censorship'.
The protest called #PornProtest will include a world record attempt and a mock game show called 'The Sex Factor'.
#PornProtest hopes to address what it deems as an attack on civil liberties in the Audiovisual Media Services Regulations (AMSR) 2014, which banned a variety of legal activities from UK pornography.
The activities banned in AMSR include "spanking, caning, 'aggressive' whipping, role-playing as non-adults, physical restraint and other sex acts" some of which will be emulated in the protest.
https://t.co/FMECS1x49s - protest this Friday 12th and 12 - come show your support or RT xx
— Charlotte Rose (@_Charlie_rose) December 8, 2014
↧
↧
Exeter City mascot receives backing from Coldplay in World Cup charity fundraising song
An Exeter City mascot has gained support from the world's biggest band during her mission to raise money for charity through a football song.
'Little Olivia' has smashed her £250 target by raising a current total of £1,078.98 for Teenage Cancer Trust and has now received recognition from Exeter's very own Chris Martin and Coldplay.
The band posted support for Olivia on social media last night:
100yrs since Brazil v Exeter FC. C met @LittleOlivia7 who made this http://t.co/1ZirGzs4pw for @TeenageCancerpic.twitter.com/GPtzAPfTSX
— Coldplay (@coldplay) December 9, 2014
↧
Reader's Letter: Where is Exeter pool money from?
I am sat here filled with disgust for our city council. Why, might you ask. Well, IN the past few years the city council has always said that 'we are cash-strapped' because of the austerity measures imposed by the government. They have bleated and bleated that we cannot afford to put up Christmas decorations in the city centre. They cannot afford 'this and that' etc. But reading the Echo of December 4 they can suddenly produce over £19m towards a new swimming pool.
Once more, good old community charge payer. I only wish that members of the city council, who sanctioned all this expenditure on a 'white elephant', can justify the expense to the public of Exeter, and can categorically state where the money is coming from. It would be nice to know. I wonder just what they will dream up next.
Bob Brereton
Gloucester Road
Exwick, Exeter
↧
Approval for 350 homes in Exeter despite drain concerns
PLANS for 350 homes in Exeter have been approved despite several objections.
The development for land at Tithebarn Green in Monkerton already had outline planning permission granted last year.
But at a meeting on Monday full details of the application were given - and backed - by Exeter City Council's planning committee.
The committee looked at the appearance, landscaping, layout and scale.
A total of 14 letters of objection were received with many of the complaints surrounding whether the infrastructure and amenities of Pinhoe could cope with the expansion.
Councillor Rachel Lyons said: "I do hope we do make sure the water run-off right or we will have problems for the next 10 to 20 years."
Councillor John Winterbottom added: "We will find it difficult to turn it down as it ticks most of the boxes. I do have concerns over the drainage and hope this is taken into consideration very seriously."
The development of 350 homes at Monkerton will be linked, via Tithebarn Lane over the M5, to an urban village of 580 homes alongside Exeter Science Park.
↧
Okehampton window salesman admits fraud
A salesman has admitted swindling a window company by claiming commission on ghost deals which never happened.
Anthony Ambrose also defrauded a woman who he befriended and fleeced for thousands of pounds during their relationship.
Ambrose, aged 53, of Abbeyford Road, Okehampton, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud when he appeared at Exeter Crown Court.
He was due to stand trial but changed his plea after Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, gave an indication that his likely sentence would fall into the range where it cold be suspended.
He released him on bail pending sentence next month and ordered a probation report.
Ambrose admitted obtaining £1,687 from Anglian Windows and around £5,000 from a woman who lived in Devon, of which £3,500 has been repaid.
He submitted a basis of plea in which he claimed he never intended the window company to suffer a loss. He says all the money would have been clawed back when the bogus sales were cancelled.
↧
↧
Two more admit amphetamine plot charge in Topsham pub landlord case
Two men from Exeter have admitted taking part in a plot to supply amphetamines in the city but may still face trial over allegations of cannabis dealing.
Marc Smith and Sean Greenham pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply a class B drug but denied a similar charge in relation to the supply of cannabis.
Their cases were adjourned by Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, at Exeter Crown Court and both were remanded in custody pending a further hearing in February.
Gary Turley, aged 55, the former landlord of Drakes pub in Topsham admitted both charges when he appeared before the same judge on Monday.
Smith and Greenham will return to court with three other men and one woman who are also facing charges relating to the same police operation.
Shaun Greenham, aged 33, of Wonford Road, Exeter and Marc Smith, aged 29, of Briar Crescent, Exeter, admitted conspiracy to supply amphetamines and denied conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Brett Seldon, aged 31, of Briar Crescent, Exeter, Richard Armitage, from Bristol; Michelle Russell and Richard Evans, who are both from Exeter all face the same or related charges.
↧
White Christmas 2014: Long odds on Devon seeing snow on Christmas day
Devon is unlikely to have a white Christmas, according to the bookies.
Despite the Exeter-based Met Office saying snow falling on Christmas day is "not out of the question" betting shops have offered long odds for the day.
William Hill have offered odds of 8/1 – the longest odds anywhere in the UK – for snow to fall in the region on December 25th.
Meteorologist Kirk Waite, from the Exeter-based Met Office, said: "It is not out of the question but it is too early to tell. We are looking at a fairly typical December pattern at the moment, which mostly bring things from the west. This normally brings us milder and wetter conditions."
The most likely location for snow, according to the bookmakers, is Aberdeen in the far north of Scotland at odds of 5/2.
The last snowfall on Christmas Day in the region was in 2004, when snow fell over much of the west and north of the UK. Cornwall saw an unusual amount of snow in December 2010, but it did not fall on Christmas Day.
↧
One year on Exeter Central Station still does not have a new canopy
ONE year on Exeter's Central Station still does not have a new canopy.
A partnership of the city council, Devon County Council and Network Rail spent £660,000 re-modelling the station forecourt and it was completed in time for Christmas last year.
In February a report to the Devon and Exeter Rail Working Party said that the scheme had come in more than £100,000 under budget and that, because of that, it would be possible to replace the canopy which had not been included in the original scheme.
In July a spokesman for First Great Western said: "We are tendering for the work to be conducted. Once tenders have been returned and assessed we will be in a better position to put some dates and details forward."
But nothing has so far been done and the canopy is deteriorating.
A spokesman for First Great Western said: "The county council kindly helped fund improvements to the station frontage, but not the canopy.
"During the previous franchise, working with rail partners and local authorities, we invested over £85 million in our stations.
"While we have to allocate our resources to balance the needs of all users across our network of 210 stations, we are working with Network Rail to find a suitable solution at Exeter."
The spokesman added: "The only thing we can add at this stage is that we are working closely with Network Rail to help develop a scheme that is not only affordable, but will deliver the benefits the local community wish to see."
Councillor Rachel Sutton, lead councillor for city development, said that she would be more than happy to see the canopy replaced.
Cllr Sutton said: "This really is a case of spoiling the whole for a ha'porth of tar. The station forecourt looks really great now but the canopy is getting worse all the time. Sooner or later it is going to become dangerous and they are going to have to do it anyway.
"We took it in good faith that they have the finances available and would do it.
"If they don't then we are going to want to know where that money is."
A spokeswoman for the county council said: "Replacing the canopy at Exeter Central station was not part of the original forecourt improvement scheme approved by Cabinet. "We have to be cautious as a new canopy, if needed, would prove a significant maintenance issue for Network Rail to take responsibility for."
In March this year a spokesman for the county council said that it was hoping to 'use the saving towards schemes in the immediate vicinity, including the forecourt canopy, improving the pedestrian crossing strips across Queen Street and an interactive monolith sign to provide information about train and bus departures'.
↧
Cullompton stalker told to stay away from ex lover or go to jail
A jilted lover has been warned he will go to prison unless he stops a year-long campaign of stalking against a married mother-of-two.
Colin Spurway repeatedly defied a court order to leave the woman alone and even bought a house within quarter of a mile of her home in Cullompton.
He shadowed her movements and engineered apparently random encounters as she walked her dogs in the morning or went to Tesco to shop after work.
He has now been banned from a stretch of road which runs past the victim's home and warned that a suspended sentence will be activated if he goes within 20 metres of her.
He was also forbidden to go into Tesco other than between 7 pm and 9 pm and from going into an exclusion zone in the centre of Cullompton at certain times other than to watch football at the Market House pub.
Gardener Spurway, aged 50, of Head Weir Road, Cullompton, admitted breaching a restraining order between November 6, 2013 and January 16, 2014.
He was jailed for eight weeks, suspended for two years and made subject of an indefinite restraining order by Judge Erik Salomonsen at Exeter Crown Court. He ordered him to do 80 hours unpaid community work and attend courses to address his aggression and distorted thinking.
He told him:"You were in a relationship with a woman for a short time which she clearly bitterly regrets. She moved on. You did not.
"You were not violent towards her but you undertook a course of conduct which was effectively stalking, putting yourself in her way when you had no reason to be near her.
"You have blatantly and wilfully breached the orders of the court and that is a serious matter which frequently leads to a prison sentence.
"You stalked your victim over a period of months, presenting yourself when she was walking her dogs in the early morning or in local shops where she happened to be.
"You came up with the wholly spurious excuse that you came to Cullompton to buy and eat an early morning pasty. You have now brought yourself even closer to the victim by buying a house.
"I can understand the price may have been a material factor but one questions your motive in doing so. I have read about the victim's considerable anxiety.
"She has become increasingly frightened. In her perception you seem to enjoy stalking her. This has not caused her simple annoyance. It has clearly had a significant psychological impact on her."
Miss Caroline Bolt, prosecuting, said Spurway had a relationship with a married mother-of-two between May 2012 and April 2013 which she ended.
He started harassing her with phone calls and unwanted meetings and was taken to court for harassment in November 2013, when the first restraining order was made.
He broke it by engineering apparently chance meetings or parking his car on the route of her early morning walks.
He was already subject to the restraining order when moved from his parents' home in Payhembury, near Honiton, and chose to buy a house in Cullompton which is in a street parallel to the one where the victim and her family live.
Miss Bathsheba Cassel, defending, said Spurway's ability to live a normal life and to work as a gardener could be affected by the strict terms of the new restraining order.
She said he had bought his new house because his marriage had broken up and it was the only one he could afford to buy for himself and his two grown up children with the settlement.
She said:"He has been struggling to maintain perspective but the Engage programme proposed by the Probation Service will assist his emotional self management."
↧
↧
Exeter couple banned from keeping dogs for 10 years after RSPCA step in to help pet with skin condition
An Exeter couple have been disqualified from owning dogs for 10 years at Exeter Magistrates' Court after admitting failing to meet their dog's needs.
Anne Marie Every, 29, and Guy Francis Pinn, 27, both of Spenser Avenue, appeared at Magistrates Court last week and were ordered to pay costs. In addition, Pinn was ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid work and Every was given a two-year conditional discharge.
The couple said they were 'heartbroken' at the outcome of the case.
Mazie, a collie cross springer spaniel, was first seen by the RSPCA in April 2014. She had a skin condition and the couple were provided with funding for veterinary treatment. However, her owners failed to go back to the vets for follow up visits and eventually contacted the RSPCA two months later, by which time Mazie had severe demodectic mange and a flea infestation which had caused her skin to become thickened, inflamed, crusty and scaly and she had fur loss on her body and face.
The 14-month-old dog received treatment and care at the RSPCA and now has a new home.
RSPCA inspector Marije Zwager said: "We visited on several occasions and paid for vet treatment but despite this Mazie's skin was left to gradually worsen to the point that it was inflamed and painful.
"We always want to protect animals and improve their health along with their owners, but this is just not possible where the owners consistently fail to take us up on this help and advice.
"The most important outcome is that Mazie has recovered and has a great new home."
Speaking after the case Mr Pinn said: "We took the dog to the vets and we did what the RSPCA asked us to do.
"They said to us that if we couldn't cope with the treatment the dog needs send it over to them. We did that and they prosecuted us.
"We're heartbroken - we have two other dogs which will now need to be rehoused. It is heartbreaking."
↧
Temporary one-way system to be introduced on Exeter Airport access road for widening scheme
A TEMPORARY one-way system will be introduced on the access road to Exeter International Airport, to allow the next phase of improvements work to be carried out safely next month.
Work on the £1.4 million widening scheme on the B3184 is progressing well and the next stage requires a one way system, inbound towards the airport and Business Park coming into place between Monday, January 5 and Friday, February 20.
For traffic looking to leave the area, a diversion route will be signed via the B3184 to the A3052, before turning left for the A30 Eastbound (Honiton, Axminster and Dorchester) or right for A30 Westbound (Exeter and M5). This temporary system will mean that all traffic coming away from Exeter Airport will be re-routed on the diversion.
Traffic leaving the A3052 is being asked to find an alternative route to the B3184, where possible, in order to reduce congestion created by traffic passing in the opposite direction.
After February 20, temporary two-way traffic lights will be back in place until the end of March.
The work is being carried out by contractor South West Highways (SWH Ltd) and is expected to be completed in the Spring.
↧
Exeter's fire hit McDonald's announces re-opening date
Exeter High Street McDonald's restaurant is looking to re-open on January 3.
The premises were badly damaged in a major fire last week but the company has pulled out all the stops to start the New Year in style.
The building in High Street suffered smoke damage over all three floors as a result of the blaze which started in the ground floor kitchen and ducting at around 10.15am on Sunday, December 7.
Crews from across the county were called in and at one time nine fire appliances were on the scene including the turntable ladder which played water onto the roof.
David Shawyer, McDonald's franchisee said "We are working around the clock to ensure we can reopen early in the New Year.
We look forward to welcoming customers back on January 3."
Mr Shawyer also stressed that it was wrong to suggest that employees were unpaid following the fire.
He said: "All crew members are being paid in line with their earnings in the three weeks prior to closing."
↧
Name chosen for Exeter's newest Church of England School
THE new Church of England primary and nursery school to be built for Exeter will be named Trinity, after its parish church.
The new school is to be built at Seabrook Orchards and will serve the Newcourt housing development on the south east fringe of Exeter.
The school takes the name from Trinity Church, which has only been a parish church since May last year, responding to the needs of the growing community. The name was suggested to parishioners, who all approved it.
Local vicar the Revd Jonny Elvin said: "There are three reasons why we've chosen the name Trinity. Firstly it is about partnership. Trinity Church of England Primary School will be school, families and church and community all working together for the best possible education of our children. It's also a new school in a new build area with a new parish church. And thirdly it reflects the ancient practice of naming a Church school after the parish in which it's situated."
A planning decision is expected early in the New Year for the earmarked site which is close to the development of the 700 new homes currently being built. The school will take children from September 2016.
Philip Mantell, Director of Education for the Diocese of Exeter, said: "I am delighted that the local community has agreed on the name of Trinity Church of England Primary and Nursery School. It links well with the name of the parish, which shows church and school as an integrated part of the combined service to the new community it will serve. I hope that the facilities will be well used by the community in its widest sense and that the parish will have its school as a place of worship, learning and play."
The Diocese of Exeter currently educates over 22,000 children in 130 church primary schools, secondary schools and academies across the county of Devon.
↧
↧
Exeter police nab murder fugitive during drugs raid in Beacon Heath
A MAN on the run for murder was caught by chance after police carried out an early morning drugs raid in Exeter.
Officers arrested Timothy Avril and three others for drugs offences in Beacon Heath after tip offs from neighbours.
But back at the station they discovered his fingerprints matched those of a fugitive being sought in Kent in connection with a fatal stabbing.
The 22-year-old from South East London was then handed over and later convicted by a jury of killing Gus Allman in February alongside Damien Daley, 39, of Folkestone.
He will be sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday.
Mr Allman was stabbed seven times following a drugs deal and died in hospital.
During a search of the crime scene police found a pair of white trainers which had blood stains on. DNA work soon established the shoes belonged to Avril who had fled the scene in the aftermath of the attack in a change of clothes.
The trial heard that Avril headed to London after the stabbing before his eventual arrest in Exeter. It is not known how long he had been in the Devon before his arrest but he was not known to local officers and was not the target of the raid in Wynford Road in April.
PC Mark Arthurs, the officer in charge of the initial raid, said: "All four found at the address were arrested for drugs offences following the early morning raid. They were all fingerprinted and the results showed that Timothy Avril was wanted for murder by Kent police so he was arrested by officers for that offence.
"He was transferred to Kent where the case was dealt with.
"We did not know he was in Exeter and it was just luck really that he was at that address. We are not sure how long he had been in Exeter."
PC Arthurs said they had a close working relationship with Kent police throughout their investigation.
"It was a good result all round," he added.
"We reacted on community intelligence regarding drug activity at an address in Exeter and two people were convicted for that. At the same time we managed to arrest a male wanted on suspicion of murder.
"We believe he was new to the area and not known to us beforehand. But he was wanted for murder, which is about as serious as it gets. It is not often you just pick up people like this for the very high end offences. So we are very pleased with the result."
The two men charged with offences as a result of the raid on April 15 in which Avril was arrested were Drew Morgan, 25, of Wynford Road, Exeter and Ryan Payne, 22, of Arena Park, Exeter. At a hearing in Morgan admitted possession of 6.41g cannabis. He was fined £155. Payne admitted possession of 2.39g of crack cocaine and was fined £120.
One other woman was released without charge and Avril was not charged with any drug offences. He does however face a proceeds of crime act hearing at Exeter Magistrates Court tomorrow over cash that was found at the property.
For the murder Avril will be sentenced alongside Daley on Thursday. Four others who are guilty of perverting the course of justice in relation to the crime will also be sentenced at the same hearing. They are Laura Smith, 38, of Folkestone, Michael Williams, 20, East Dulwich, Melech Marshall, 19, of New Cross and Dean Alford, 20, Aylesham in Kent.
↧
Christow Community Primary School celebrates successful OFSTED report
Christow Community Primary School is celebrating a very successful OFSTED after it was confirmed as a good and a strongly improving school which is making impressive progress.
The report identified that "pupils achieve well from the time they join Reception through to the end of Year 6. Many pupils attain above the national average by the time they leave school."
The report highlighted how much pupils 'love the school, both for the lessons and the out-of- lesson activities such as clubs.'
In the last year Christow has seen over £250,000 worth of funding come into the school for the development of specialist teaching and sporting facilities.
James Clark, Chair of the Christow board said: "We are very pleased that the inspector recognised the great progress that has been made improving the school and the outcomes for our pupils.
Christow's Head of Teaching and Learning, Clare Bamford, who has been seconded from Coombeshead Academy, stated, "We are delighted that the steps we have taken to raise standards and the dedication of our teachers have been recognised in this report. The 'rigorous' leadership identified in the report is having a positive impact. We are ambitious, and will continue in our 'drive for excellence."
↧
Exeter Chiefs player Tom Johnson set to return next week
Flanker Tom Johnson looks likely to return to action in the Exeter Braves' A League game against London Wasps next week.
The 32-year-old Exeter Chiefs player, who has eight England caps to his name, has been out since October following neck surgery.
He has not played for his club this season, and his last appearance was in England's 20-15 loss to New Zealand in June.
Head coach Rob Baxter confirmed that Johnson was back in full training, and although the Chiefs' trip to Sale on Friday was probably too soon for him, he would see some action in Monday's A League contest.
"Tom Johnson is probably going to play in our A League game next week," said Baxter.
"Tom is back in full training now, but may not be available until next week."
↧