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Exeter Chiefs fell to a 26-25 defeat at home against Gloucester in a game that swung one way then the other during a pulsating second half. However, the home side were made to pay for making too many errors as they slipped to a third loss in a row. Greig Laidlaw landed two penalties in the first half as the visitors led 6-0, before tries from wingers Jack Nowell and Matt Jess put the Chiefs in front. Gloucester countered with scores from Tom Savage and Ben Morgan, only for Thomas Waldrom's try giving the Chiefs hope. However, it was not to be as David Humphreys' side closed out the win in Exeter's 100th match in the Aviva Premiership, and in front of a record crowd of 12,621. There was a late change to Exeter's starting line-up as Don Armand wife went into labour, with Ben White promoted from the bench and Sam Simmonds named as a replacement for the first time in a Premiership game. The visitors opened the scoring in just the third minute as Matt Jess was penalised for holding on to the ball on the ground, with Laidlaw landing the penalty from around 42 metres. Jess went close to atoning for his error as Thomas Waldrom passed back from a scrum in Gloucester's 22, with Henry Slade kicking down the blindside for the winger to chase but he knocked-on over the line under pressure from David Halaifonua. Fellow speedster Jack Nowell also went close as he hacked on a loose ball but collided with Jonny May as he chased the ball into the in-goal area, but referee Andrew Small ruled there had been no foul play after checking with TV official Keith Lewis. The home side wasted another couple of opportunities before Laidlaw landed his second penalty when Moray Low was penalised at a scrum. More chances went begging before the break as Gloucester turned around with a 6-0 advantage. Skipper Billy Twelvetrees extended the visitors' lead with a long-range dropped goal before a dramatic four-minute period saw three tries scored. First Nowell sniped from the base of a ruck after a break by Gareth Steenson, shrugging off attempted tackles from Morgan and Laidlaw before dotting down behind the posts. Steenson added the extras to that and also a second by Jess two minutes later as he picked up a loose pass by Twelvetrees and raced away from the edge of his own 22. However the 14-9 lead did not last long as Exeter made a mess of the re-start and Savage was on hand to pick up and drive over, with Laidlaw kicking the conversion. Steenson and Laidlaw then exchanged penalties, with two from Exeter's fly-half to one from Gloucester's scrum-half giving the hosts a 20-19 lead with 18 minutes left. The Cherry & Whites went back in front with 12 minutes remaining as Morgan drove over from close range, with Laidlaw landing the extras. But Exeter replied again, with the forwards getting a fantastic driving maul going before Waldrom was able to get over the line for his ninth try of the season. Crucially Steenson hit the right upright with his attempted conversion. There was one last chance for the Chiefs as Ian Whitten broke up field but their patient play came to nothing as Tomas Francis gave away a penalty to allow Gloucester to clear the danger and run down the clock to take the victory.Exeter Chiefs: Dollman (McGuigan, 80); Nowell, Slade, Hill (Whitten, 62), Jess; Steenson, Chudley (Thomas, 56); Moon (Rimmer, 57), Yeandle (Cowan-Dickie, 57), Low (Francis, 54), Mumm, Lees (Sexton, 46), Ewers, White, Waldrom. Rep (not used): SimmondsScorers: tries – Nowell, Jess, Waldrom; cons – Steenson (2); pen – SteensonGloucester: Sharples; Halaifonua, Atkinson, Twelvetrees, May; Hook, Laidlaw; Wood, Dawiduik (Lutui, 54), Afoa (Knight, 75), Savage, Palmer, Kalamafoni (Evans, 54), Kvesic, Morgan. Reps (not used): Thomas, Stooke, Robson, Burns, MeakesScorers: tries – Savage, Morgan; con – Laidlaw; pens – Laidlaw (3); dg – TwelvetreesAttendance: 12,621Referee: Abdrew Small

Exeter Chiefs 25 Gloucester 26: Match report

POLICE in Devon and Cornwall are dealing with around 200 reports of sexual offences including rape allegations, a month, figures reveal, and reports are on the rise. Data released to the Echo in a Freedom of Information request revealed that in just over two years, from July 2012 – September 2014, 5,055 reports of sexual offences were made. Almost half of the reports, or 2,005, were made by children under 17 at the time of the offence. And during the same data period, 296 reports, or 5.8 per cent, related to crimes which dated back to 1955 until 1999. Reports of sexual offences have risen by just over seven per cent from mid 2013 to mid 2014. From July 2013 to June 2014, there were 2,277 reports of sexual offences including rapes across the force area, of which 952, or just under 42 per cent were made by children under 17. And in the same period the year before, from July 2012 to June 2013, there were 2,115 reports, of which 842, or just under 40 per cent, were made by children under 17. Meanwhile, the number of crimes dating back to the 1950s has slightly fallen over the last two years. From July 2012 to June 2013, just under eight per cent related to alleged crimes committed as far back as 1955 until 1999. The following year, there was a three per cent decrease in crimes relating to abuse between the 1950s and 1990s: From July 2013 to July 2014, five per cent related to alleged crimes committed as far back as 1955 until 1999. A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said officers want victims of sexual abuse to continue to come forward, whenever the offence may relate to. The force has specialist officers who are in place to help best support victims of sexual abuse and lead investigations. And the force is "continually" monitoring its performance to ensure the service and support it provides is maintained and improved. He added: "Devon and Cornwall police actively encourage the reporting of all sexual offences and are determined to provide the best possible service to the victims. "To this end we have specialist sexual offence and domestic abuse investigation teams, dedicated child protection teams and sexual offences liaison officers to ensure victims are properly supported by the police. "We work very closely with partner agencies such as Health and those in the Criminal Justice System to support victim care and importantly, ensure offenders are brought to justice. "We continually monitor our performance in respect of this type of crime and work hard with our partners to ensure that we constantly improve our investigations and the service we provide to victims."

Victims of sexual abuse encouraged to continue coming forward as figures reveal police in Devon and Cornwall deal with around 200 reports a month

Police in Starcross are appealing for information after a young cyclist was forced into a hedge by an overtaking car and injured his leg requiring several stitches. The incident occurred at around 3.30pm on Thursday, January 1st in New Road, near the junction of Brunel Road. The vehicle has been described as being white and possibly a fiat type car. PSCO Deborah Sleeman, said: "At the time several young males were riding their bikes and a vehicle, perceived to be speeding, narrowly missed them. "This resulted in one of the youths landing in the hedge and receiving several stitches in his leg. "I understand that in this area one of the speed bumps is missing. Devon County Council's highways department will be informed by the parent of the injured child. "If anyone saw or hear anything regarding this, please contact me directly." Anyone with any information can request to speak to PCSO Sleeman by phoning the police on 101.

Police appeal after young cyclist injured after near miss with suspected speeding car at Starcross

AFTER staggering £30,000 was raised in three weeks, a leading conservation charity is appealing for help to raise the remaining £20,000 needed to secure the future of a family of River Otter wild beavers. A public meeting has been arranged by Natural England in Ottery St Mary this month and public support has been dubbed "vital" in securing their return to the river banks near the town. Since the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced that it would be capturing the beavers, for whom the river has been their home for a number of years, the Devon Wildlife Trust has been working tirelessly to ensure their safe return. Defra authorised their capture with Natural England granting the licence, so they can be tested for the Echinococcus multilocularis parasite – a rare parasitic tapeworm. Backed by East Devon MP Hugo Swire, the Devon Wildlife Trust applied for a licence from Natural England for their re-release in October. The licence would give the charity permission to set up a five year monitoring project called the River Otter Beaver Trial. The project will oversee the population, range and health of the beavers and the effect they have on the local landscape and people. It will focus on the beavers' impact on wildlife, vegetation, water flow, water quality, communities and infrastructure. But it will cost around £50,000. It is understood the granting of the licence for the project will improve the chances of Defra agreeing to re-release the animals. Meanwhile, Natural England has confirmed that a public meeting has been arranged regarding the granting of the licence, in accordance with International Union for Conservation of Nature guidelines. "These beavers are a keystone species, an apex of the ecosystem and help shape a healthy natural environment," explained the trust's Steve Hussey. "We believe they will have, and do have, a very positive impact on the local river system. "The consultation is part of the process which will decide the future of the population of wild beavers. "If people have a view, we want them to come along and make their views known. "The more people who come along the better, this needs to be a community undertaking, because the beavers will be living on their doorstep. "We have had a number of donations, some as large as several thousand pounds, and this shows the depth of feeling out there. "But we now have a race against time to secure the remaining amount to ensure a viable longer term project and enhance the chances of the beavers having a longer term future on the River Otter." The public meeting will take place on Wednesday, January 14, at 6.30pm, Ottery St Mary Scout Centre on Winters Lane. Those unable to attend can send their comments to Natural England by emailing atwild life.consultation@naturaleng land.org.uk Alternatively post to c/o Carys Coleman, Block B, Government Buildings, Whittington Road, Worcester, WR5 2LQ, by January 15. To donate visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org/devons-wild-beavers-appeal or phone 01392 279244.

Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale feels his side have lost their rhythm as they fell to their third defeat in four games against Accrington Stanley on Saturday. An injury-time goal from Tom Aldred won the match for the Lancashire club against a City side who had taken the lead into the half-time break, but struggled to perform after the interval. They were missing Matt Grimes, following his move to Premier League Swansea City on Friday, and David Noble form the centre of their midfield. That seemed to have influence on the second half as City struggled to keep hold the ball and get possession in the opponent's half. Tisdale gave credit to Accrington for how they turned the match around, but admitted his side weren't at their best. "It was a disappointing result and I think Accrington probably deserved it the way they played," he said. "They certainly deserved a draw, so well played them and I think we could have played a bit better. It is a long season – we are having a little bit of a sticky patch – and we need to get our rhythm back. You have to give them credit. You have to look to how they responded and it took us too long to get pace with it." City had been the better side in the first-half with Ryan Harley crossing for Tom Nichols to head home his ninth goal of the season. In fact it wasn't until the hour mark, when Harley and Clinton Morrison were replaced by David Wheeler and Scot Bennett that the game started to swing Accrington's way. They scored a well-taken goal through Seamus McCartan to draw level after 67 minutes. However, in the final 15 minutes it was City who were pushing for the winner, with Nichols having an effort cleared off the line just before Stanley scored the decisive goal. Tisdale made no apologies for going for the win though and added that bringing off Harley, after 60 minutes, was an enforced change. Tisdale said: "Ryan (Harley) wasn't feeling particularly great. He has been ill this week, so he had to come off, which was unfortunate as it meant I had to change the midfield. That was sort of imposed on us a bit, which was a shame. "It is difficult to analyse without watching it frame-by-frame, but we had the best of the first half and I was pleased with our performance although I thought there were things we could have done a little bit better. "We didn't respond to their pick up in performance though and we had to ride that and come back into the game, which we did. "At 1-1 we changed it with 15 minutes to go and picked up or play again, but it was a disappointing way to lose it at the end. I tried to get the win. "I changed it the last five minutes to try and get a winner. Ok, we lost a point, but that has to be our intent in home games, when it is 1-1, to go for the win. "We have done that numerous times, we have gone for something, and today it didn't work. It feels really tough when it happens to you, but we will get our fair share and I'm sure, if we keep playing the way that we do, we will get our rhythm back."

Paul Tisdale: Exeter City have lost their rhythm

Clinton Morrison says he has not been 'given the elbow' at Exeter City and hopes to be at the club for the remainder of the season. The former Crystal Palace, and Republic of Ireland, striker joined the Grecians at the end of November on a non-contract basis. He has played five games for the club, making two starts and three substitute appearances. He is looking to earn a permanent deal at the club in January, having not played competitive league football since leaving Colchester United at the end of last season. However, it appeared after Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Accrington Stanley, that the 35-year-old was going to depart St James's Park after he took to social-media site Twitter to write: "I've enjoyed my time at Exeter, great manager, players and fans. Wish I'd played more, but took time to get match fit. I definitely think Exeter will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season with the good squad and management they have." However, the following morning, on Sky Sports Goals on Sunday TV programme, Morrison denied that he has been let go, saying: "I haven't got the elbow. I think maybe he (Exeter City manager Paul Tisdale) wants me until the end of the season. They are just trying to sort that out now. "He has liked the way I have come in there and helped the youngsters and my experience has helped the team and they are just trying to get out of that league. It is difficult, when you haven't played for four or five months, to build that fitness up at my age and to keep going, but I have enjoyed it and day-by-day I'm getting fitter." Morrison, who scored 113 goals during two spells at Palace, has failed to hit the back of the net for City. However, he does offer the Grecians something different in attack, with his ability to hold up the ball and bring other strikers in to play. Morrison admits that he likes the style of play City adopt and, even despite three defeat in the last four games, he thinks they have a great chance of getting promoted. The Grecians are currently a point outside the League Two play-off places and seven off the automatic promotion spots. "We think we have got a chance," said Morrison. "We think we could even make one of the top three spots. I think the way we played football is different to other League Two teams. "I have never played League Two football before and it is a lot of long ball, but the way our manager does it, is different. He is a very good manager Paul Tisdale - he tries to play football from the back. "It is another reason why I went there. I can't run the channels anymore, but they get the ball into my feet. It is a good club and a good manager. They have got a good fan-base and they have got a great chance of promotion."

Clinton Morrison: I have not been given the elbow at Exeter City

Police in Exeter are appealing for the public's help in tracing a distinctive stolen mountain bike worth around £4,000. The Sunn Radical downhill mountain bike was stolen in broad day light from a shed to the rear of a residential property in the area of Alphington Road Sainsbury's, sometime between 9am and 5pm on Sunday, December 28. The incident has left the owner, a bike enthusiast, "gutted". Officers have stressed that the bike is extremely unusual and are urging members of the public to contact them if they think they see the bike, or if they see any of the parts for sale: Sunn is a French make and not widely available in the UK, and the stolen bike was recently adapted and fitted with large front suspension forks that would look out of place on an ordinary mountain bike. Investigating officer, Detective Constable Andy Hingston said that there had been similar thefts in the nearby area over the last two or three months with bikes being stolen from sheds or garages. He is urging people to be vigilant and make sure their bikes are properly secured. "The bike was stolen in a brazen day time break-in to a shed at the rear of the owner's house in Alphington - not surprisingly the owner is gutted about the loss and keen to get his bike back," he said. "We are appealing to the public to be on the lookout for the bike and to bike enthusiasts in case they see any of the parts for sale." He added: "We have had several incidents over the past two or three months where people's sheds or garages have been targeted. "Now, particularly at a time when people may have had bikes as Christmas presents, we would urge people to consider how they are securing them – the best way is to secure them to a ground anchor or a wall mount. "But anything you can do to make it more difficult for someone to steal, for example that may cause them to make more noise or slow them up, increases your chances of putting them off completely." Anyone with any information should contact DC Hingston at Exeter CID via the police non-emergency number 101.

Can you help? Police appeal after £4,000 bike is stolen from Exeter man's house

Detectives have charged two Plymouth men jointly with murder after a disturbance outside a pub in the city on New Year's Day which left one man dead and four others seriously injured. Just after 11pm on Saturday, January 3, officers charged Ryan Williams, aged 21, of Landulph Gardens, St Budeaux, and Donald Damian Pemberton, aged 20, of Haydon Grove, St Budeaux, jointly with the murder of Tanis Bhandari, 27. They have also both been charged with being in possession of an axe and a knife in a public place. Both men will remain in police custody until their appearance at Plymouth Magistrates' Court on Monday 5. January. Police were called to attend The Kings Arms in Tamerton Foliot shortly after 1.30am on Thursday, January 1, following a disturbance. Mr Bhandari, from Tamerton Foliot, was taken to Derriford Hospital by ambulance with serious injuries but was pronounced dead on arrival. The other injured men were taken to Derriford Hospital. One of the men, aged 21 from Plymouth, remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition. The others have since been discharged. Detective Inspector Gregg Dawe, Senior Investigating Officer, said: "An axe and knives have been recovered and searches are continuing in the Milford Lane area for any further knives that may have been used. "I want to thank everyone who has assisted us with the police investigation so far. "Searches and enquiries are continuing in relation to this incident."

Two men charged with New Year's Day murder of young Devon builder

Haydn Thomas says everyone at Exeter Chiefs was frustrated with their display in defeat against Gloucester. The Sandy Park men suffered a third loss on the trot as they went down 26-25 on Saturday. Rob Baxter's side dominated possession and created a host of chances but spurned most of them. Scrum-half Thomas, who made his 200th appearance for the Chiefs in the match, said the players know they could have won the game if they had played as well as they can. Head coach Baxter was frustrated after the contest, and Thomas said that was the same for all of the players. "It's massively frustrating," said Thomas, who was unable to celebrate his milestone as he would have wanted. "All I can think about is the game and how it slipped away from us. "We're really disappointed not to get the win but Gloucester played well, we weren't good enough and you've got to be on top of your game to get results in the Premiership. "I think if we'd played to our full potential we would have won, so I can see why Rob (Baxter) is frustrated. I'm frustrated and I think everyone in the squad is frustrated." Exeter found themselves 9-0 down early in the second half before two tries in two minutes from wingers Jack Nowell and Matt Jess gave them the lead. But with the game swinging one way and then the other, Gloucester hit back with scores from Tom Savage and Ben Morgan. Thomas Waldrom's ninth try of the season left the Chiefs a point down with nine minutes to play, but Gareth Steenson – who had already kicked 10 points – hit an upright with his conversion attempt. Gloucester were able to see out the remaining minutes, and Thomas said his side need to find some greater consistency after seeing their eight-game winning run turn into a losing habit. "That's why the teams at the top of the table are there, because they can put in an accurate performance week in, week out," he said. "We've got to look to get that sort of consistency into our game." One of the positives for the Chiefs was that the game attracted a record crowd, with 12,621 people packing into Sandy Park to watch the derby. Thomas said: "I've never experienced anything like it, the crowd were superb – Sandy Park is just getting better and better." With the run of defeats, Sunday's match away to London Irish takes on added significance for the Chiefs. They return to European action the following week – the next league game is on February 14 at home against Newcastle – and they will want to go into the break from the Premiership with a win under their belts. However, Thomas said the Chiefs will not panic and make drastic changes, they will simply train hard this week and look to make the improvements they need to get a win at the Madejski Stadium. "It's a big game for us against London Irish, but it was a big game for us against Gloucester," he said. "We've got to start putting in some performances that are going to get us results. "Obviously because we've lost the last three now and are chasing a win it's even more important but I don't think we'll change anything, we'll look at ourselves and look to improve the bits we can improve and look to get a better performance."

Exeter Chiefs players are frustrated, says Haydn Thomas

An Exeter man has appeared before the city's crown court accused of robbing a train passenger during a disturbance in a commuter carriage. Adam Scott, aged 22, made no plea but a trial date was set for June this year by Judge Francis Gilbert, QC at Exeter Crown Court. Scott, of New North Road, Exeter, and formerly of Exmouth, is accused of robbery and affray aboard a South West Trains service last year. The Judge set a timetable for the exchange of evidence between the Crown and the defence, which includes surveillance footage from the train.

Exeter man accused of robbing train passenger

Broadchurch series two is finally being aired on British Tv's tonight. The 2013 nationwide fixation is back after almost 10 million people tuned in to the final episode. "We started life as a little show that nobody had heard of. Then, after a few Monday nights, we started being talked about all over the place. It's been a whirlwind," says the writer and creator Chris Chibnall, who adds that he and the team's focus has always been on "what happens next". "In the time we've been off air, we've never stopped working on the show's return," says the playwright and TV writer, known for his work on the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood. "I knew from the start there was another story to tell in the world of Broadchurch: so much so that I'd pitched it to Peter Fincham, director of television at ITV, in our very first meeting when he green-lit the first series of the show." And that, he says, is the story viewers will see when the second series begins on January 5. Production has been shrouded in secrecy, and all Chibnall will say is that series two is a "different journey". "It has a different shape and energy, a different rhythm. It's a new story, and there's a different engine under the bonnet this year. Some characters from series one return, others don't. And there's a set of new characters for you to get to know," he continues, referring to the likes of Charlotte Rampling, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Eve Myles, Meera Syal and James D'Arcy. Among the original cast members returning (including Jodie Whittaker and Andrew Buchan as Danny's parents, Arthur Darvill as the vicar Paul Coates and Carolyn Pickles as newspaper editor Maggie Radcliffe), is David Tennant. He reprises his role as DI Alec Hardy, who arrived in Broadchurch still haunted by the collapse of a previous murder case and, despite the Latimer murder mystery being resolved, hasn't left the Dorset seaside town when series two opens. "It's a very different type of story," notes the former Doctor Who actor, who recently appeared (to lesser success) in the American version of Broadchurch, titled Gracepoint. "We all found it hard to predict where Chris was going to go, and how he was going to tell a story faithful to season one, without underselling the veracity of it. It would have been ludicrous and a bit disappointing to discover another body on the beach and begin another eight episodes of whodunnit... He absolutely doesn't do that. Tonally, it's the same show, but structurally, it's completely different." The father of two says he "loved" being back in Dorset, where the familiar beach scenes are shot. "West Bay is the location everyone recognises, and the Jurassic cliffs [where Danny was found in series one] still feature prominently in season two," he says. "We always enjoy coming back here - this is where Chris lives, so he writes to his locale." As the investigation into Danny's murder escalated, many townspeople came under suspicion, and it was only after numerous twists and turns that the killer was identified as Joe Miller, the husband of DS Ellie Miller, played by Olivia Colman. Fortunately for Tennant, he has no problem keeping a secret. "I think it frustrates those around you, but I am well practised at not giving anything away; withholding everything," says the 43-year-old. "I quite like being the holder of secrets. I get frustrated if I'm the one that doesn't know them, but happy to be in the slightly superior position of knowing what comes next..." His co-star Colman, who resumes her role as DS Ellie Miller, also enjoyed keeping schtum. "We had each other if we needed to talk about it," remarks the 40-year-old. "I did get a lot of texts and emails from close friends and family, asking me who did it, and I quite enjoyed the power of saying no to them all!" She might have been in on the secret, but the mother-of-two was as keen to tune in as anyone else. "I was gripped! I hadn't seen everybody else's scenes and it was the way the cast and crew really kept the secret - it made it special," she reveals. "We all loved it when we were filming and the scripts were brilliant, so you hope people are going to get that, but as the audience built, it was incredibly flattering that people loved it as much as we did. It's great if people enjoy what you do." Despite her huge success (aside from her win for Broadchurch, Colman's received two Baftas for Twenty Twelve and Accused), the actress confesses she was nervous about meeting Charlotte Rampling on set. "She's a proper legend but she's so sweet, and brought everybody a box of chocolates on her last day." And as for Myles: "She's told me some of the worst jokes I have ever heard, yet still, I think about them in the middle of the night and laugh." A third series has yet to be commissioned, but it'd be surprising if Tennant and Colman didn't sign up to another. "Broadchurch is the best job; an absolute treat," says Colman. "It was a long job, but there wasn't one day when I wasn't excited about getting up and going to work." Broadchurch returns to ITV on Monday, January 5 at 9pm.

Broadchurch season 2 preview: What time and what channel?

Tourists renting holiday accommodation are providing a £4.35 billion a year boost to the UK economy, according to a report. These rental clients are also helping create more than 95,000 jobs across the country, the report from the London School of Economics (LSE) showed. Produced for family accommodation supply company HomeAway, the report showed that the £4.35 billion figure related to the amount spent annually by the rental clients. The report added that the holiday rental industry contributes an estimated £100 million a year in tax revenue to the UK Government;. It also found that expenditure by tourists staying in self-catering accommodation is growing faster than expenditure by tourists booking any other accommodation category. The report also included a survey of 1,600 UK holiday home-owners which revealed that they spend £450 million a year on their properties and in employing local people. The poll also showed that 36% of holiday rental owners were likely to buy an additional rental home in the next five years. Kath Scanlon, of the LSE, said: "Holiday rental visitors stay longer at their destinations and therefore spend more. In fact, many visit rural or seaside areas specifically to stay in attractive holiday rental properties. "This has helped areas like Cornwall where tourism has pumped new pounds into previously struggling locales." She went on: "Most holiday rental owners support other local businesses. Support is also in the form of employment, with over three-quarters of owners employing staff to assist with property maintenance. "Nationally, owners spend an average of about £1,600 per year per property on hiring employees. In Cornwall and North Yorkshire - two locations with underemployment issues - the figures are even higher. In these areas owners spend on average £2,500 and £3,000 respectively per property." HomeAway UK regional director Erica Chang said: "This report is the first step in showing the significant value that the holiday rental market brings to the economy as a whole, as well as to individual communities which depend on tourism."

A couple had a true fairytale wedding after all the guests dressed as DISNEY characters - including the mother-in-law as Cruella de Vil. Toni and Eric Orford dressed as Beauty and the Beast as they walked down the aisle in front of 70 guests in fancy dress. Among the characters were Snow White, Mary Poppins, Tinkerbell, Woody from Toy Story, Minnie Mouse and Goofy. Even the bridesmaid lived the dream as Elsa from the hit movie Frozen. And Toni's mum Lynn Scaplehorn joined the fun by dressing as Cruella De Vil, the evil villain from 101 Dalmations. Toni, 32, a dementia patient carer, said some of the guests were sceptical at first but many later commented on how special it made the day. She said: "I don't really know when I first came up with the idea. "I've never really dreamt of a big white dress, I wanted it to be laid back and relaxed and I wanted everyone to have fun. "I love dressing up, I always have and I've always been a fan of Disney, me and my sister used to watch it together and sing all the songs. "I only chose to go as Belle because my husband wanted to be the Beast, as he's a big and hairy Australian. "We had about 60 or 70 guests and most of them dressed up. There were three or four that didn't get involved, there always are. "People absolutely loved it. A few people were a bit unsure about it at first but lots of people told me how nice it was, it was really relaxed. "It was really lovely - it wasn't too pretentious, it was relaxed but fun, just what we wanted." Toni, of Plymouth, Devon, met Eric in March 2010 while working on a banana farm after she went travelling and ended up penniless in Australia. The pair became an item and Toni decided to permanently emigrate to Australia, buying a house in Toowoonba, Queensland. Though the couple talked about marriage, Eric didn't ever get down on one knee - so Toni decided to ask her sister to book the wedding and surprised Eric, 25. Despite the surprise, the biology student was more than happy to go ahead with the wedding and oblige with the fancy dress theme. Toni said the planning of the wedding, which took place at Plymouth Registry Office on Friday (January 2), only took a couple of months. She hadn't even tried her dress on before arriving in England, where she stayed with her parents, ahead of the service. The guests also included a Little Red Riding Hood, a Superman, two Fred Flitstones and a Minion from Despicable Me. Toni added: "It didn't take very long to plan at all. "Eric had never actually proposed but we had talked about marriage for a long time so I just called my sister one day and got her to book it. "When Eric got home I told him we were getting married and he was fine with it. "I also asked him about having a cartoon and Disney theme and he agreed and said he wanted to be the Beast. "Eric loved it, I thought I'd have a bit of a problem persuading him but it was fine, he's so chilled out and he just got into it. "He decided he wanted to be the Beast so I came up with the idea of being Belle. "I ordered the dress from American and had it sent to England, so I hadn't tried it on before which was pretty nerve-wrecking. "Luckily it fit perfectly. I loved it, I had a great day, it was beautiful."

Pictures: Devon couple 'Beauty and The Beast' have Disney fairytale wedding

Re-nationalise the railways! Green Party to lobby Monday morning commuters at stations across the West Environmentalists and the West's Green Party candidates are staging a protest outside an Exeter train station today calling for the rail network to be brought back into public ownership. The Greens are the first national political party to call for the re-nationalisation of the railways, and they will be urging commuters to sign a petition calling for a publicly-owned transport system that is 'affordable' for all. The protestors will be outside Exeter Central Station from 7am to 9am and 5pm to 7pm. The protest comes after the latest above inflation rise in the cost of tickets on the trains, and as well as The Green Party's candidates standing in all of the region's constituencies, it includes the Campaign Against Climate Change and members of the People's Assembly. A separate protest is also taking place at several West train stations tomorrow morning by the railworkers union the RMT, who are campaigning against First Great Western's running of the West's rail franchise. "Passengers are paying more than their European counterparts, and it's thanks to privatisation – against all evidence of what works," said Bath's Green Party candidate Dominic Tristram. A recent YouGov poll revealed two-thirds of people in Britain wanted to see the railways in public ownership. The Greens' only MP Caroline Lucas has presented a bill to Parliament calling for the rail franchises to be brought back into public ownership as they either fail or their contracts expire. Other SW Station to be targeted include: Bath Spa 7- 9 am Bridgwater 7-10 am Bristol 5 pm – 7 pm Dorchester South 5.45 - 8.20 am Swindon 17:00 -19:00 pm Weymouth 5.45 - 8.05 am

Green Party to protest outside Exeter train station today as part of calls to re-nationalise the railways

A firefighter who played a major part in the response in Dawlish during the severe weather last year has been awarded the British Empire Medal. Assistant Chief Fire Officer Trevor Stratford was awarded the British Empire Medal in the 2015 New Year's Honours List for services to the Fire and Rescue Service. The honour follows a year in which Trevor managed the fire service response to the flooding on the Somerset Levels and the impact of the severe weather at Dawlish last winter. As Director of Operations at Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, Trevor has responsibility for all operational and resilience matters across the organisation. He said: "I am extremely proud to receive this award and feel fortunate to have had such an enjoyable career to date in the fire service. "Many firefighters from across the country worked extremely hard to help alleviate the impact of the flooding in the affected parts of Somerset last year. This award reflects their efforts and demonstrates the place the fire service has in local communities." Reintroduced in 2012, the British Empire Medal rewards a sustained, local contribution or innovative, high-impact work of a relatively short duration. The medal provides the opportunity to recognise a large number of people who are actively engaged in charitable or voluntary work within their local community. Chief Fire Officer Lee Howell said: "Trevor's efforts in managing the fire service response to the severe weather incidents last year was significant and contributed to the successful resolution of the incidents. "I'm really pleased that his sterling work over many years has been recognised in this way. This great achievement is thoroughly well deserved." Trevor served in London and Essex, prior to transferring to Devon and then Somerset, before the combination created Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service. Trevor is the lead officer for the south west region on behalf of the Chief Fire Officers Association for Operations and Resilience and sits on the national Operations Committee. He was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal in 1988 for bravery shown during the Broadwater Farm riots in 1985 while serving with the London Fire Brigade. Secretary of State Eric Pickles said: "Congratulations to everyone from local government, fire, housing and the voluntary sector recognised on the New Year's Honours list. It is superb that these individuals have been acknowledged in this way for their extraordinary contribution, impact to public service and dedication to local communities."

Firefighter rewarded with British Empire Medal for service during Dawlish storm crisis

A man has been found guilty of exposing himself on the platform of the Trago Mills miniature railway. Phillip Plumridge, 47, has been given a community order after being seen carrying out a sex act near the ice cream kiosk at the popular shopping destination in Newton Abbot. Magistrates in Torquay had previously been told that Plumridge had exposed himself on the platform of the railway and carried out a sex act in front of a female employee of Trago Mills on Tuesday, April 29. The woman told the court she had struck up a conversation earlier with Plumridge while he was having an ice cream in the cafe. She said later she noticed his flies were undone and she could see his private parts. She continued: "I was shocked and did not say anything as I could not believe it. She said she saw him carrying out a sex act. She told magistrates: "He was staring at me. I felt sick and his action worried me." Plumridge said he was actually urinating, or trying to. In his police interview he said his flies had no button and he was unaware that his penis was showing. "I was trying to pee," he said in his police statement. "When you have to pee, you have to pee. Sometimes I have to do it for a few minutes and to pee I have to press on my bladder." The court was also told that Plumridge had a medical condition resulting from gall bladder surgery that means he could get caught short and takes longer to urinate. Plumridge said he did not think he could be seen and did not want to be seen, and thought the railway was closed that day and it was all quiet. "I was going for a pee in public, I am guilty of that," he added in his statement. Plumridge had denied the charge of exposure but was found guilty in his absence earlier this year. The matter was adjourned for reports. Returning to court for sentence this week Plumridge was given a three year community order to include supervision along with a 28 day sex offenders' treatment programme. The defendant, now of Fordingbridge in Hampshire, was also fined £300, ordered to pay £240 towards costs and a victim surcharge of £60.

Man found guilty of exposing himself on miniature railway platform at Trago Mills

Martyn Rogers has blamed Tiverton Town's defeat at Clevedon Town on New Year's Day on a lack of respect for their opponents. The Yellows found themselves 2-0 down at the break after goals from Kye Mountford and Omari Sims at the Hands Stadium. Their task should have been made easier with Lewis Hedges' dismissal on 68 minutes, but the hosts made it 3-0 five minutes later when Jamie Adams slotted home the rebound after Chris Wright had saved Ben Bament's penalty. Luke Mortimore made it 3-1 with 15 minutes remaining, but Alex Faux's dismissal for two yellow cards snuffed out any hopes of Tivvy forcing a draw. "I thought we didn't show them enough respect. Off the ball we were very average," said Rogers, who was also frustrated at what he felt was inadequate floodlighting. "It is probably the first time I have been really annoyed with the players because I thought we didn't do enough off the ball until too late. "We didn't press them hard enough and I think it was a bit of a case of just turn up, play football and turn them over. "They had a good start to be fair and scored off a set-piece we didn't deal with, and when you give a side a start like that it is always an uphill battle. "Clevedon certainly weren't that much better than us, that is for sure, but we never really got ourselves going for it." With the Yellows' match at home to Shortwood United being postponed on Saturday, it now means that the Ladysmead outfit have not won in six games in all competitions. They have amassed two draws and four defeats in that time, one of which came in the Devon St Luke's Bowl away to Willand Rovers. Clevedon also had some questionable results heading into the contest, becoming the first side to succumb to bottom side Bishops Cleeve in a 5-3 setback. They then lost 3-0 to both Evesham United and Bridgwater Town, but still bounced back to beat the Devon outfit. And Rogers felt that complacency after Clevedon's poor run played a part in the Yellows' lacklustre performance. "I always think with football that the mental attitude to games is key," Rogers said. "Clevedon had just lost to Bishops Cleeve, so I think our players probably thought it was a case of turning up and getting the three points. "We were nowhere near the level of commitment off the ball needed. On the ball you can play poorly, but off the ball there is no excuse. "Even with the penalty, Wrighty saved it and they were first to the ball. I said to them that if that was the Taunton game, we would have been in there first. "Them reacting quicker than us for the penalty is scandalous – to my mind, that is a crazy goal. That was disappointing. "It is something they have got to learn. I said to them that some of the results we have had against the bottom five have been poor, but our performances against the top six sides show a big difference. That is down to the mental attitude and how you approach a game. "At the end of the day, I think they realised that the work ethic needs to be 100 per cent all the time and we did not get that against Clevedon."

Martyn Rogers: Lack of respect cost Tiverton Town against Clevedon Town

INMATES at Dartmoor Prison have access to illegal drugs and some legal highs are "readily available", according to an official report on the jail. The annual Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) review also found: - An apparent increase in incidents of self-harm and violence among prisoners; - Lock-downs of wings happening due to staff shortages; - Some prisoners feeling "unsafe" queuing for medication. - The latest IMB report also says that problems identified in the previous year's review remain "largely unresolved". They include: - Some prisoners having to share single cells; - No specific programmes for sex offenders; - Work needed on the fabric of the buildings. But the chair of the board told The Herald that Dartmoor was "not such a bad place". "It has had a pretty bad reputation but it functions pretty well," said Graham Stoate. Most prisons had drugs issues, and the apparent rise in violence came after an improved reporting system, he added. The 2014 IMB report says the board attended one death in custody and five serious incidents. No further details are given. In 2013 the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said that negotiations were starting with landlords the Duchy of Cornwall about closing the 206-year-old jail. It is understood that the closure will happen within nine years. In a direct appeal to the Government, the board expresses concerns over "much needed" repairs to the Category C jail, which holds up to 660 men "Can the minister confirm that HMP Dartmoor will continue to be maintained to an adequate standard in the time remaining to it as a functioning prison?" the report says. Elsewhere in the document the review says that the closure talks are unsettling for officers. "The announcement has inevitably caused much uncertainty for staff." All prisons have independent boards, appointed by the MoJ, from members of the surrounding community.

Drugs too easy to get hold of at Dartmoor Prison, says report

Pieces of Lego lost overboard from a container ship 17 years ago are still being found washed up on the South West coast. It is a beach litter cleanup kids could enjoy Lego is continuing to wash up on the shores of Devon and Cornwall beaches 17 years after a container ship was struck by a freak wave and close to five million pieces were lost overboard. The list of places where the famous plastic toys has been found ashore includes South Devon's Bigbury Bay, Texas and Melbourne. Former South Devon resident Tracey Williams set up the Lego Lost at Sea Facebook page after finding pieces of sea themed Lego near her home in the late 1990s.. Tracey now lives in Cornwall and finds Lego almost daily. The Facebook page has more than 40,000 likes and receives updates and photos from around the globe. Tracey also set up the facebook page Newquay Beachcombing and is one of the co-founders of the beach cleaning group Newquay Beach Care. The tanker which lost the cargo was caught in a storm off Land's End on 13 February 1997. Most of the pieces of Lego are found in Cornwall and reported to be flippers, spear guns, seagrass, scuba tanks and life preservers. But sightings have been reported in the Gower Peninsula, Pembrokeshire, Ireland, America, the Netherlands and even Australia Tracey told the BBC: "Some people have suggested that divers should go down and try to locate the lost container," "One man contacted me to say he could put a team together to attempt this. Another wants to create a theatre piece based on the whole story. "It's great that all this interest raises awareness of the whole issue of marine debris and ocean pollution, especially when it's among children." Only three containers from the lost load were recovered intact - the rest were assumed to have sunk and were not considered a hazard for shipping, a report in the Lloyd's List maritime journal said.

Lego pieces continue to be washed up on Southwest beaches 17 years after container filled with plastic bricks fell into the sea

So Christmas and New Year are over, and now you are waiting for your next break. The bad news is, unless you've got some time booked off already, it is just under three months until we get our next day off work. The next Bank Holiday in England and Wales is not until Good Friday on April 3, followed by Easter Monday on April 6.See the full list of bank holidays below April 3, 2015 - Good Friday February 16 to 20, 2015 - spring half term school holiday March 27 to April 13 - Easter school holiday April 6, 2015 - Easter Monday May 4, 2015 - Early May bank holiday May 25, 2015 - Spring bank holiday May 25 to 29, 2015 - summer half term school holiday July 22 to September 3, 2015 - summer school holiday August 31, 2015 - Summer bank holiday October 26 to 30, 2015 - autumn half term school holiday December 18, 2015 to January 5, 2016 - Christmas school holiday December 25, 2015 - Christmas Day December 26, 2015 - Boxing Day

Bank Holidays 2015: Dates and school holiday guide