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Devon County Council has been accused of going out its way to hide a critical report into its ability to tackle child abuse. The Council is being accused of using the Christmas period to hide the report. Councillors from all parties asked for the probe into social services after an Ofsted report said the council's child protection measures were inadequate. Councillors Alan Connett and Alistair Dewhirst, who both serve on the authority's people's scrutiny committee which commissioned the controversial report, say it was effectively 'buried' by Devon County Council which released the report on Christmas Eve, just as the county was going home for the holiday season. Cllr Dewhirst said it has taken some weeks to get the wording of the final report agreed and he was worried it would be published at a time when attention would be elsewhere. "I raised my concerns with the Conservative chair of the main committee and was given a verbal assurance it would not be issued Christmas week. But that's just what has happened," he said. "The report highlights the lack of information being gathered by the County Council and Devon & Cornwall Police, even though the likelihood is that children are being sexually exploited on a daily basis in the county. "Safeguarding children is a major, major issue for the county council and it is already struggling having been found 'inadequate' by outside inspectors. "It seems to me this will look like yet another attempt to hush things up, limit the scrutiny process and sweep issues under the carpet in the Christmas period." The report recommends that the illegal activity of child sexual exploitation should be declared a priority public health issue like smoking or obesity. Recommendations from the all-party team of councillors on the task group also include that Police and Social Services should raise awareness of child sexual exploitation with district, city, borough councils, housing associations and businesses. In addition to inspections by Ofsted, which oversees the standard of children safeguarding nationally, there should be spot checks on children's homes to ensure they are following Government guidance to inform the police and county council when a child moves into their home who is at risk of child sexual exploitation Cllr Connett, leader of the Liberal Democrats on the county council, said it was the latest example of saying one thing and doing another from the increasingly gaff-prone County Hall in Exeter. "We've learned that the county council sat on an important letter from the Department for Education for several months before admitting the letter existed and sharing it with councillors," he said. "The letter was rather critical of the county council about its role in safeguarding children in Devon and we only learned about it because of a reference from the council's auditors. "Then, an independent review was undertaken at the county council's invitation but only selected councillors were invited to the feedback session. "They say it was all a terrible misunderstanding but these are highly paid members of staff who seem, in some cases, to think they need only have regard to the current Conservative administration which, of course, has been struggling to get to grips with these important issues in Devon." He said he thought the council closed care homes for vulnerable children – like Tiverton's Birchen Lane home – not because residents were vulnerable to abuse from adults in the community, as was claimed, but because the council no longer wanted to be in the business of running residential homes. "If you thought children at these homes were in danger, you would call the police, not shut the home," he said. Devon County Council has not yet commented on the report.

Devon County Council accused of trying to hide critical report into its ability to tackle child abuse

Exeter actresses Ava and Millie Priddis are preparing to make their TV debut in the new series of crime drama hit, Broadchurch.

But the Beacon Heath twin sisters are not giving any interviews just yet – as they are only eight months old.

The beautiful babes-in-arms play just that in the BAFTA award-winning programme that stars David Tennant and Olivia Colman and was filmed in part at Exeter University this summer.

The new series begins tonight, and although Ava and Millie will not appear in the first episode it is anticipated they will in the next one - although strict secrecy surrounds programme details.

Proud and happy dad Luke Priddis, 21, who lives with partner Rosie, 21, at Merlin Crescent, admits he was not a big fan of Broadchurch – but is now.

"Rosie was always very keen on it but I have to say I never watched it, but I will this time round, that's for sure."

Luke, a health care apprentice at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, said it was his mother who helped make the big TV break for the twins.

"She saw an advert looking for twin babies and sent off a picture of Ava and Millie.

"Apparently there were loads of applications but within half an hour of receiving the photo we received a call asking us to come along.

"I cannot say a lot because it is all very secret, but they play a part in the main family.

"The girls take it in turns to play the baby and there is also a real life-like doll.

"Rosie and I were always there when they were involved in filming. We went to Clevedon near Bristol, West Bay in Dorset where much of the series is based, and we were also there for the filming at Exeter University in June.

"It was all very full-on. We met David Tennant and Olivia Colman as well as others involved and we were picked up by a special car and taken about and brought home.

"It was quite an experience.

"The producer rang us afterwards and said Ava and Millie had been great."

The one person not overwhelmed by the success of the twins is their big brother, three-year-old Finley.

Former St James' schoolboy Luke said: "He took it very well and was as good as gold. He stayed with the family while we were away filming."

Now Luke and Rosie are waiting to see what else is in store for their daughters.

"They are with an agency and there could be other opportunities – but of course I always thought they were real stars!"

In June, Exeter University's centrepiece Forum building was renamed 'Wessex Police headquarters' for Broadchurch filming, and actors were seen in character preparing for scenes.

Signs were displayed on the site, saying 'Caution: Filming in Progress' alongside a message apologising for any inconvenience caused.

Students, staff and members of the public were allowed to see the filming inside the building, but were prohibited from taking pictures or video.

In a note handed out to people in the vicinity of the filming, ITV said: "We are happy for you to watch what we're doing but would be very grateful if you could avoid taking photos of us with your phone or camera." More than half a dozen crew trucks, tents covering sound, film and recording equipment, crew and actors arrived to start filming in what appeared to be a graveyard.

Details of the story line were kept a closely guarded secret, with all the cast and crew being made to sign a non-disclosure agreement by producers.

Watch the trailer for Broadchurch series 2 below:

Exeter twins to star in new series of Broadchurch

WOOLY dumpers are being sought after piles of textiles were fly tipped on a pretty Devon lane. Environmental officers in mid Devon report a spate of incidents involvingapte of large quantities of textiles being dumped which suggest it could be a commercial operation. All of the incidents have similarities in that all the waste has been contained in duvet covers, probably for quick removal from a vehicle. Mid Devon councillor Neil Davey, Cabinet Member for the Environment says "We are puzzled why this material is being dumped as it can easily be put it out for recycling and collected for free, or taken to one of the many textile banks sited across the District. Any dumping spoils the environment for us all and costs the local taxpayer to remove." "We investigated 554 incidents of fly tipping last year. The estimated cost of clearance of fly tipping to local authorities in England in 2013/14 was £45.2 million, a 24% increase on 2012/13. "The Council will always prosecute offenders where sufficient evidence is found. Fly tipping is a criminal offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the penalties for illegally dumping waste are high." Fly-tippers can be fined up to £50,000 in Magistrates' Courts and face unlimited fines in higher Courts, as well as prison sentences of up to five years. In April 2014 an East Devon man appeared in Exeter Magistrates' Court where he pleaded guilty to fly tipping in Mid Devon. Judge Nichols fined him £600 for committing the offence, he was also ordered to pay us £1,546 in costs and he paid a victim surcharge of £60. If you have any information or you witness fly tipping please contact us on 01884 255255 or email customerfirst@middevon.gov.uk

Mid Devon Council appeal after spate of fly tipping incidents

A group of three men have denied carrying out a vigilante attack on a friend who they suspected of breaking into one of their homes. The trio believed victim Richard Maddock had stolen a television in the raid a year earlier and allegedly bundled him into a car and drove him 20 miles into the countryside before attacking him. Mr Maddock was found with serious facial injuries wandering around farmland at Trentworthy, near Bradworthy, after escaping from the group, Exeter Crown Court was told. Fabian McAllister, aged 21, of Kimberley Park, Northam; Thomas Kennedy, aged 24, of Boutport Street, Barnstaple; and James Potter, aged 28, of Kala Fair, Westward Ho!, all deny kidnap. McAllister and Kennedy deny causing grievous bodily harm. Mr Peter Coombe, prosecuting, said McAllister had a grievance with Mr Maddock after spotting his stolen television at Potter's house and learning he had got it from him. They all went to see him at his home in Benson Drive, Bideford, on October 26, 2013, and demanded an explanation. McAllister hinted he had a gun and told him 'someone is going to get killed over this'. Mr Maddock told them he was given the television by another friend who he said he could take them to. Mr Coombe said:"Mr Maddock was later to tell the police he got the television from someone else, but gave this name in the hope of resolving matters. "He described Kennedy pulling him by the arm and the three taking him to the car. His girlfriend was looking out of the window and saw the men pushing him inside. "He was in the back with Potter and shortly afterwards the central locking was activated so he could no longer open the doors and the four men drove some way before stopping on land close to a farm house. "Kennedy said to McAllister 'I will do it'. The car doors were unlocked and everyone except Potter got out. At that point Kennedy came from behind the victim and as he turned he hit him on the cheekbone. "He said the force was intense and he stumbled back but was able to run away. He said the three men shouted at him to come back but he hid in a barn until they drove away ten minutes later." Mr Coombe said Mr Maddock was found by a passer-by near Trentworthy Farm and an ambulance was called. All three men told police Mr Maddock volunteered to take them to the man who supplied him with the television and got into the car of his own accord. They all said he took them on a wild goose chase for 20 miles down the A 39 before getting out and running away near Bradworthy. They all denied any assault.

A Judge has ordered a further report on a man who has admitted starting a fire at his former landlord's home in Seaton Simon Tolley will be sentenced later this month after a Judge at Exeter Crown Court ordered the probation service to prepare a pre sentence report. Tolley, aged 47, from Seaton, admitted arson at a flat owned by Tristram Connell and Chris Reed in Cross Street in December last year. Judge Phillip Wassall ordered a psychiatric report when the case was last before him in October and has now ordered a pre sentence report which may suggest alternatives to immediate custody. Tolley, who has a previous conviction for arson, was remanded in custody.

2014 has been confirmed by the Exeter-based Met office as the warmest year on record. The organisation announced that provisional full year figures for 2014 show it is the UK's warmest and fourth wettest year in records dating back to 1910. It is also the warmest year on record in the Central England Temperature series, which dates back to 1659 and is the world's longest running instrumental temperature series. The UK's mean temperature for the year is 9.9 °C, which is 1.1 °C above the long-term (1981-2010) average and beats the previous record of 9.7 °C set in 2006. This year's record means that eight of the UK's top ten warmest years have happened since 2002. Looking in more detail across the UK, the office said it was the warmest year on record for all countries and regions apart from Northern Ireland - which had its joint third warmest year behind 2007 and 2006. Despite the record breaking warmth, no months through the year saw records for temperature - instead each month was consistently warm, with only August seeing below average temperatures. It was also marginally the warmest year on record in the CET series from 1659 with a mean temperature of 10.93 °C narrowly ahead of the previous record of 10.87 °C set in 2006. The number of air frosts for the UK was also provisionally lowest in a series from 1961. This year's provisional rainfall total of 1297.1 mm is the fourth highest total on record for the UK in the series dating back to 1910, meaning five of the UK's top six wettest years have happened since 2000. It was also within the 20 wettest years in the England and Wales Precipitation series which dates back to 1766. However, no individual regions had their wettest year on record. A large contribution to the high annual rainfall total came from very wet weather in January and February. May, October and November were also wetter than average and August was especially wet across Northern Scotland. Most other months were drier than average in most areas, and September was the driest in the series from 1910 for the UK.

Met Office: 2014 was warmest year on records

The Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital has said one ward remains closed after cases of the sickness bug norovirus were confirmed. The hospital is still urging anyone who has suffered from symptoms of the highly infectious Norovirus bug to stay away from the hospital until they have been free of the symptoms for at least 48 hours. Thirty seven extra beds were made available to cope with demand late last week. The Hospital said today that two other wards, Lowman and Mere, also have isolated areas where Norovirus has been confirmed. As a result, around eight beds are not available for use. A representative of The RD&E said: "The hospital is pleased to report this reduction in the number of areas affected by Norovirus since late last week but would remind anyone who has suffered symptoms of the highly infectious Norovirus bug – including vomiting and diarrhoea - to stay away from the hospital until they have been free of the symptoms for at least 48 hours. "Anyone planning to visit patients on Okement, Lowman or Mere wards is advised to call the hospital switchboard on 01392 411611 first to check if any restrictions are in place on visiting hours." Cases of Norovirus, which causes vomiting and diarrhoea and is more common in the winter months, There have been rising at the RD&E over the Christmas and New Year period, placing extra pressure on hospital bed capacity at a very busy time for the hospital. Its symptoms are very distinctive – patients often report a sudden onset of nausea followed by projectile vomiting and watery diarrhoea. Some people also experience headaches, mild temperature and stomach cramps. There is no treatment for the virus but it is important to keep hydrated to combat the loss of fluids. Most people will recover within a few days and there are no long-term effects.

Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital confirm one ward remains closed after norovirus cases

GREEN Baroness, Jenny Jones, has backed city campaigners calling to bring the Railway network and its operation into public hands. Green Party campaigners joined Union representatives at Exeter St David's and Central Stations to greet commuters as they headed back to work. Baroness Jones, who travels regularly to the South West to visit her family said: "Our privatised and fragmented railways are today characterised by poor services and some of the most expensive fares in Europe. "They're ripping off passengers, harming the economy and failing the environment." The action was one of many across the South West and other parts of the UK taking place in the wake of the annual hike in rail fares. Diana Moore, the Green Party's prospective parliamentary candidate in Exeter, joined today's demonstration outside Exeter St David's station. She said: "The South West continues to be overlooked when it comes to investment in rail, despite assurances from Ministers to tackle the South West's chronic rail problems after the collapse of the line at Dawlish. "We rely on hand-me-down rolling stock which is often overcrowded in the summer – having a detrimental impact on our tourist sector. We need electrification of the rail network all the way to Penzance and increased frequency of services particularly in the summer and in the evenings. "We also need increased capacity and frequency for branch lines and rural services to provide local people with a reliable rail option." Ms Moore also called for investment in rail rather than roads: She said: "Duelling of the track though the Blackdown Hills would be much better value for money than a costly and damaging road scheme. The fact that the government has found at least £15 billion for roads is a sure sign that investment in rail is a matter of political will not because the money isn't there." Today's day of action precedes the Second Reading of Green MP Caroline Lucas' Railways Bill [1], due in Parliament this Friday. The Bill has gained strong public and political backing and calls for Britain's rail franchises to be brought back into public ownership as they either fail or their contracts expire.

SAVE Clyst St Mary is a campaign started to object to large scale development in and around the village. It has been started by a group of local residents who want to protect the character of the village as they believe that substantial residential schemes, which would see the village grow by 120 per cent, will considerably alter the whole identity of the village. They also believe that the developments would have a detrimental effect on the local community by overloading the infrastructure (including an already heavily congested traffic system) causing potential increased flooding with the loss of green spaces, and inevitably causing the destruction of the beauty of the East Devon landscape. The Local Plan for Clyst St Mary agreed the provision of 93 new dwellings in the village and after obtaining the necessary planning permission, these developments have recently commenced. The group believes that this provision fully meets the housing requirements of the village. Applications for outline planning permission have recently been submitted for 304 residential units by Friends Provident on a green/brown field site at Winslade Park. In addition, property developers have submitted an application for 93 dwellings on a green field site near the Cat and Fiddle with another developer proposing a further 40 houses on a green field site adjoining Winslade Park. Gaeron Kayley and Ingrid Quick, two of the organisers of the Save Clyst St Mary campaign, said: "This level of development would double the population of Clyst St Mary and turn a small, rural village into a characterless town! "We must all understand that wherever we manage or influence how others manage land of any size or scale, we must place the protection of our unique local communities and our landscape at the heart of local decisions. We must hope that the local authority will focus on their responsibility to protect and maintain the amenity quality, character and identity of local villages, to conserve and promote wise use of land and protect and enhance the landscape of East Devon'. Anyone wanting to support the campaign can find further details on their website: www.saveclyststmary.org.uk. Residents are encouraged to attend the Extraordinary Parish Council Meeting at 7.30pm on Wednesday, January 7 in Clyst St Mary Primary School and ensure letters of objection are submitted to East Devon District Council by the deadline, January 15.

Campaign started to ‘save Clyst St Mary’ from large scale development in and around the village

Due to emergency engineering work there are currently long delays on train between Exeter and Taunton. Earlier today First Great Western announced there were no trains running between Taunton and Exeter. First Great Western passengers are being advised that South West Trains are accepting tickets on the West of England main line. FGW later announced that services are now running but there will be delays up to 120 minutes.

The results are in for the online poll, the Express & Echo ran in the lead up to Christmas, on Exeter City's favourite players. The poll attracted a lot of interest, with hundreds of votes being cast. Today (Monday) we look at the midfielders. View the top 10 results below and on Tuesday we will look at the strikers as we try to build an all-time Exeter City starting XI.

Ryan Harley tops poll of Exeter City's favourite midfielders

It was not for the want of trying that Tom Merson narrowly failed to reclaim his senior men's title in the South West Cross-Country Championships at Bicton College. When the Exmouth-based runner hit the front on the second of the three big laps with just two other runners for company, the large contingent of spectators would have been expecting a repeat of 2013 when Merson pulled clear for victory. That conviction was strengthened when Cornwall's Dan Nash dropped off Merson's relentless pace, but that still left one other – who was looking alarmingly easy. "I had no idea who the other guy was," said Merson. "I did my best to shake him off but he was really strong and when he kicked up the hill on the final lap I couldn't do anything." The mystery man was another Devon runner, Jamie Parkinson of Dartmoor Runners, and it is not surprising that Merson was in the dark over his identity. Parkinson admitted he flew way "under the radar" at this event last year when finishing 21st, but was third in the Oxford v Cambridge University varsity match last month to show a significant improvement after a couple of years of just dabbling in the sport. Apparently that followed a period of intense training as Parkinson was persuaded to devote more time to his running after a broken hand forced him to abandon his main sport of hockey. "Fair play to him, but I am pretty happy with my run as since the Devon Championships (which Merson won last month) I have had a calf injury and then was ill all over Christmas," added Merson. "I was not as sharp as I would like but I haven't lost too much fitness." Exeter-based runner Steve Goss ran well to win the male over-45 prize from Exmouth Harriers' Mike Musgrove, while Exmouth's Terence Oldham won bronze in the over-55 age group. Exeter Harriers' athletes were out in force in the children's races, and will be delighted to have won three team golds in the under-17 and under-13 girls' age groups plus the under-11 boys' race. Katie Olding led the challenge in the under-17s, finishing 12th, and she had excellent support from Zoe Kuyken (14th), Madeline Roche (17th) and Florence Livingstone (20th). In the under-13 girls' race, which was won by Teignmouth-based Molly Canham, Jasmine Wellman finished fourth and was supported by Runa Manby, Isabelle Beech and Brooke Coldwell. In the under-11 boys' race the Harriers had their top three runners – Josh Cann, Samuel Mills and Cameron Bryson – in the top 10, and with Oliver Beech 11th they easily finished as the top team. The Harriers also struck team silver in the under-15 boy's age group with the quartet of Patrick Livingstone, Matthew Penny, Joe Chamberlain and Alfie Devine-Wright finishing just one point behind Wells City Harriers. Elsewhere, there was a fine performance by Molly Smith of Axe Valley Runners as the 13-year-old finished fourth in the under-15 girls' race and Exeter's Sam Pyne was fourth in the under-13 boys.

Tom Merson misses out on South West Cross-Country Championships title

A van driver killed a road worker because he was allegedly checking the eBay app on his smartphone while doing 55 mph on a dual carriageway. Anthony Tompkins was on a delivery trip when his white van veered into a party of highways workers who were mending pot holes on the North Devon link road. Road worker Steven Tolley, aged 48, suffered fatal head injuries when he was hit by the wing mirror of the Iveco van as he wheeled a barrow load of tar inside a protective lane of cones. Tompkins had been seen driving erratically in the minutes before the accident at Gornhay Cross, Tiverton, in January 2013, and checks on his phone showed he may have been using the internet at the time. He is a self employed delivery driver from Saltash, East Cornwall, but also runs his own business buying and selling furniture of the internet auction site eBay. He accessed the eBay app on his Samsung Galaxy mobile phone for six minutes at the time of the fatal crash, Exeter Crown Court was told. Mr Tolley, from Tiverton, was one of a team from South West Highways who were carrying out urgent repairs to the outside lane of the North bound carriageway of the A361 after drivers had complained of dangerous potholes the previous day. He was thrown into the air by the force of the impact and suffered head injuries when he hit a 'hot box' in which tarmac was heated. He died six days later in Derriford Hospital, Plymouth. Tompkins, aged 45, of Trehurst Farm, Saltash, denies causing death by dangerous driving. He says he was suffering from a condition called sleep apnoea which caused him to have a 'mini-sleep' at the time of the crash. Mr Richard Posner, prosecuting, said Tompkins drove around 1,500 miles a week and was on his way to North Devon from an antiques shop near Exeter Airport when the accident happened at around 11 am. He said a driver who was behind him on the dual carriageway saw his van swerving between lanes just before the accident scene. Other members of the road mending crew suffered less serious injuries after jumping out of the way of the van which swung into the coned-off area and hit a device called a whacker plate and Mr Tolley's wheelbarrow. Mr Posner told the jury they would have to decide whether Tompkins' erratic driving was the result of him blacking out, as he claims, or because he was distracted by his use of the internet on his phone. He said a police IT expert had set up an identical Galaxy Mobile with the same eBay app and found it was not possible for it to be activated unwittingly. He said Tompkins used his phone four times in the half hour before the accident, culminating in a six minute internet access starting at 10.52 am when he accessed the eBay app. He said:"There is evidence he was using his mobile phone to access the internet while he was driving. He supplemented his income as a driver by buying and selling furniture on eBay and had an internet account to do that. "The prosecution say his driving was erratic and the jury are going to have to decide why he was driving that way. The forensic examination of his mobile phone provides compelling evidence to answer the question of what caused him to lose concentration. "The evidence will establish that when he was driving along the road the eBay app was launched and launched manually. The jury are going to have to analyse that carefully. "The prosecution say if he did so at the time he was seen driving erratically that was dangerous. He was not concentrating on the road as he approached the scene of the collision. "There is compelling evidence that he accessed eBay, a site which he visits to buy furniture, and as a consequence of his behaviour he caused the death of Mr Tolley. That is the irresistible conclusion we invite the jury to reach."

Devon death crash driver 'was using eBay app on phone' when his van veered into highways workers, court hears

An armed gang have been warned they face long jail sentences after admitting a gunpoint robbery in which they forced a man to hand over cash and property. Jamie Jones, Neil Groft and Thomas Papworth used an imitation pistol in the hold up in Newton Abbot in which they escaped with goods and cash worth just £170. Papworth's girlfriend Kayleigh Ineson and friends James Carpenter and Craig Lee then tried to thwart the police investigation by hiding a safe where detectives thought they had hidden the fake gun. Victim Hassan Khan was robbed on an industrial estate at Bakers Park, Newton Abbot almost a year ago while visiting Devon from the West Midlands. He had been due to give evidence against the six defendants on the first day of their trial at Exeter Crown Court but all changed their pleas. Jones, aged 25, of Broadlands Avenue, Newton Abbot; Papworth, aged 19, of Hensford Road, Dawlish; and Groft, aged 29, of Carswells, Kingsteignton, all admitted robbing a Mr Khan in January last year. Carpenter, aged 22, of Ash Road, Kingsteignton; Ineson, aged 23, of St Leonards Road, Kingsteigton; and Craig Lee, aged 23, of Holbrooke Farm, Liverton, near Newton Abbot, all admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice. All charges relating to firearms were dropped. Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, remanded Jones, Groft and Papworth in custody and granted bail to the other three. He said:"These three face prison sentences of some length for what is a serious offence of robbery. It is a case where a prison sentence is inevitable and they must start it now." Mr Jonathan Barnes, prosecuting, said the charges relating to the possession, use and disposal of the imitation firearm are not being pursued. He said:"The pleas to robbery are acceptable. They are entered on the basis that they accept robbery as a joint enterprise in which at least one imitation firearm was used to make the victim hand over property. "We take the view the individual counts of possessing a firearm with intent add very little. It is right to say the identified weapons were never located. "As far as the other three defendants are concerned, the background was that the police were looking for firearms or imitation firearms and the charges relate to the removal and hiding of a safe. "We accept there was never any direct evidence that any imitation firearm was in the safe. Mr Robert Linford, for Papworth, said he and Ineson have a young family. He urged the Judge to grant bail so he could put his affairs in order and say his goodbyes. Mr Gareth Evans, for Groft, said he had children aged two and five and was in a similar position. Mr Rupert Taylor, for Jones, said he could be monitored on an electronic curfew at a bail hostel if he were released pending sentence.

Devon gun gang facing jail for Newton Abbot robbery

A newlywed bridegroom is starting his married life in jail after he jumped bail to get married. Michael Brown paid the price for deciding that his wedding day more important than a court appearance when he was remanded in custody by a Judge at Exeter Crown Court. The 48-year-old burglar skipped bail and got married in Jamaica four days before he was due to be sentenced for breaking into student lodgings. He handed himself into police when he returned from his honeymoon this week and has now been remanded in custody until he is sentenced later this month. Brown, of King Arthurs Road, Exeter, admitted burglary. He has a lengthy criminal record in which he has repeatedly failed to answer bail in the past. Mr Rupert Taylor, defending, told Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, his client had just returned from his honeymoon. He said:"He accepts he did not come to court as he should have done on December 19 but he had gone to get married. His wife arranged the wedding and he did not want to disappoint her. "He attended the wedding and the honeymoon and then returned and handed himself into Heavitree Road police station. "He is due to be sentenced for burglary with intent to steal. He was found in the communal area of a multi occupancy student dwelling." Mr Taylor asked for the case to be adjourned for a pre sentence report and said his client failed to attend a previous appointment with the probation service because he fell off his bicycle on the way to the meeting. Judge Gilbert noted Brown's 25 year history of bail act offences and remanded him in custody. He said:"I'm afraid he is going to have to stay where he is."

Exeter groom who broke into student flats starts married life in jail after jumping bail for Jamaica wedding

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has said a Mid Devon MP's call for more promotion of red meat eating is not only "out of touch but also grossly irresponsible". The charity have written a letter to Tiverton and Honiton MP Neil Parish asking him to think again about his support for the meat industry. The charity whose motto reads, in part, that "animals are not ours to eat", have questioned why the Conservative MP was recently re-elected as chair of the all-parliamentary group on animal welfare, when he has previously made calls for more red meat to be served in restaurants at the Houses of Parliament. The charity sent a letter to the MP seeking to remind him of the high cost of meat for animals, the environment and human health and encouraging him to reconsider his views. "At a time when people are increasingly avoiding animal products – for health, environmental or animal welfare reasons – a proposition that actively endorses meat consumption is not only out of touch but also grossly irresponsible", said PETA manager of special projects Elisa Allen. "British MPs can set a positive example by reducing or eliminating their meat intake." Some scientific research has linked red meat consumption to a range of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, strokes and certain cancers. The charity also says growing crops to feed animals which go on to be eaten by humans will also prove unsustainable for the planet. The lobby group is encouraging people to make a pledge to go vegan during January.

PETA say MP Neil Parish’s call for more promotion of red meat is ‘grossly irresponsible’

A COUPLE with a combined weight of 54 stone and claim £2,000 a month in benefits because they are 'too fat to work' have been getting married in a £3,000 ceremony on TV, Stephen Beer, 45, and Michelle Coombe, 43, claim they are too big to find a job and instead rely on hand-outs and help from carers day-to-day. The St Budeaux couple receive Disability Living Allowance because they have metabolic disease - the medical term for a combination of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. Stephen, who has already been married five times, weighs 31 stone and has not worked in five years, while Michelle has never worked and weighs 23 stone. They takeaway-loving pair were filmed planning their benefit-funded wedding for a new Channel 5 documentary series about benefit claimants who say their weight prevents them from working. Despite claiming they are unable to find jobs because potential employers are prejudice against fat people, Stephen and his future wife are shown eagerly planning their ceremony. The day included canapes and a buffet provided by their favourite kebab shop, and custom made outfits. The duo, who planned the day from their one bedroom flat in St Budeaux, paid for the wedding out of housing benefits. They can be seen trying to lose weight before the big day, joining two weight loss courses, in a bid to squeeze into their made-to-measure wedding outfits. But, they admitted they were struggling to cut back on the takeaways. Stephen, who loves kebabs, Chinese food and spaghetti Bolognese, said he would like a job ideally "sitting down in a kiosk on the Tamar Bridge" or as Santa Claus in a department store. He confessed that he once had his own cleaning company but, after a stroke in 2008, his eating spiralled out of control while he weighed 27 stone, and he lost his business. The groom said he can no longer stand up for more than a few minutes at a time, and relied on a council carer to get washed and dressed - costing £8,000 of taxpayer's money a year. He can only get around on a specially adapted mobility scooter for the obese. Stephen is so big he even struggles to chop vegetables for his favourite pasta dish without becoming out of breath. The documentary, Benefits: To Fat to Work, is set to air tonight (Monday, January 5) and shows the couple escorted between the register office and Church by a fleet of motorbikes. The wedding came to an abrupt end however as Stephen was taken ill at the reception and rushed to hospital by ambulance. Stephen and Michelle are among 12,000 people who claimed Disability Living Allowance last year. The Department for Work and Pensions statistics show the number of claimants with the condition has more than doubled from around 5,500 five years ago, and costs the welfare system £54million a year.

Devon couple 'too fat to work' marry in wedding costing £3,000 with kebab shop buffet

The UK's largest dry-cleaning chain, which has a store in Exeter, said it will close more than a third of its stores this year in a move set to impact on hundreds of jobs. Johnson Service Group plans to close 109 of its 307 Johnson Cleaners branches as it continues a shift away from traditional high street locations towards collection and delivery points within supermarkets. The company has not disclosed how many jobs will go but, with a typical store employing four people, the planned closures may affect more than 400 jobs. Johnson, which also closed more than 100 branches in 2012, said the dry-cleaning business failed to grow sales last year despite several initiatives to reach new customers. The company has one store in Exeter, on South Street. It has established collection and delivery points in office premises with a high concentration of staff and now has a presence within 78 Waitrose stores, with a further 46 locations due to be opened in the early part of this year. The company is also planning to launch an online home collection and delivery service for higher-value or bulky items. The majority of stores set for closure have leases expiring within the next two years, with renewal not seen as financially viable. Johnson said: "We are commencing a consultation exercise with affected employees and anticipate that branches will close during the first half of the year. "The remaining 198 better-performing premium branches are in more convenient locations with an infrastructure capable of receiving dry cleaning from various collection and delivery points."

Dry-cleaning chain Johnson to close a third of its stores

Work has started on a project to convert the redundant St Margaret's School building in Exeter into 41 new homes. This first stage of construction will see 28 apartments built in the listed section of the site. The scheme includes additional development of three new mews-style houses which were once a music block, eight new build apartments off of Heavitree Road, and a new block with two further apartments in the centre of the site. Jason Hayes, CEO at Grenadier Estates Ltd, the Exeter-based developer that is carrying out the redevelopment, announced today that work on the former St Margaret's School site has commenced. "St Margaret's Residences is an exciting, flagship development for us and getting on-site in the first week of January couldn't be a more perfect start to the year," explained Mr Hayes. "We place our focus on ethical development, and will carry out a sympathetic conversion of a number of listed buildings at the heart of the site. We will create a range of luxury apartments and accommodation that breathes new life into the attractive but redundant old buildings." St Margaret's School opened in 1902 as a girls' school and became part of the Woodard Corporation, a charitable trust, in 1968. Due to low projected pupil numbers the school was seen as no longer financially viable, and on the recommendation of the governors it was closed early last year. Richard Short, Assistant Director City Development at Exeter City Council said: "We are delighted to see work commencing at the former school site. The development will bring much needed housing to this part of the city. It is important that the City takes advantage of redundant brownfield sites and creates quality places. The scheme ensures the future of the listed buildings." The new homes, which will initially be available for rent, will be accompanied by 55 parking spaces and it is anticipated the first homes will be ready for occupation by January 2017.

Pictured: Work starts on 41 new Exeter homes at former site of St Margaret’s School

THIS year will see the establishment of a forum for allotment holders. Looking forward to that is Cowick councillor Heather Morris, who has done so much to ensure that the Mobile Homes Residents' Forum has been a success. Cllr Morris said: "Fellow Cowick councillor Paul Bull and I are very much looking forward to the new allotments' forum taking off, and hope that all sites in Exeter will have a representative, should it be decided that this is the best way for the forum to be run. "I very much hope it will be as successful as the mobile homes' forum which has helped owners to feel supported, which has been essential given the recent changes to mobile homes legislation. "For this reason, I was happy to support the suggestion for the forum put forward to scrutiny community a few months ago." Becky Wells, secretary of the St Thomas Allotments' Association, said: "Allotments are important in terms of general health and wellbeing, food security, community, socialisation and the environment involving people of all ages and backgrounds. "St Thomas Allotments' Association has been working very hard, in partnership with Exeter City Council, to represent their members, all allotment tenants who have plots on the west of the Exe. "The idea of a city-wide allotments' forum, involving elected councillors, council officers and representatives from allotment sites all over Exeter, was put forward by one of our members at the community scrutiny committee in September 2014. "We hope that, by drawing together providers and users of the allotment service, we can discuss problems, share experience and ideas, and we will achieve what, surely, we all want to see; a well-managed, thriving, resilient, sustainable allotment service in Exeter, with plots available for as many people as possible. "A preliminary meeting will be held at the end of January with the first full forum meeting being held at the beginning of the next financial year." Becky added: "The mobile homes forum has become a model in other areas all over the country. "It would be wonderful to think the Exeter allotments forum might be the same."

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