Mark Molesley has certainly made an impression since joining Exeter City, but despite a decent start to life in Devon, the midfield terrier thinks there is more to come.

The 31-year-old was one of two signings – the other being defender Myles Anderson – made by manager Paul Tisdale during the January transfer window, but, while Anderson has found first-team opportunities hard to come by, Molesley has become a first-team regular and something of a hit with the home faithful for his combative style.

Molesley has made seven appearances for the Grecians, and it could have been more had he not had to serve a three-match suspension for his sending-off at Port Vale. That aside, it has been a pretty good start to life with Exeter.

"It has been very frustrating and very stop-start since I have been here, but I have enjoyed it," Molesley said. "It is a great club with great people to work for.

"The first couple of games, I was just trying to get my match fitness and then unfortunately, I picked up a virus and I played despite being a bit unwell and under the weather.

"Then the suspension came along where, in the process, I damaged my neck, so I couldn't even properly train. I was confined to gym work, so I was pleased to train on the Monday and then played on Tuesday [against Gillingham]."

Molesley added: "It was good to get back out there and amongst it and I hope to get a few games under my belt and really push on.

"My calves cramped up a bit towards the end of the game, but, as I said, I didn't do any proper football training during my suspension, I was confined to the gym and straight-line stuff and on the bike, so it was a bit frustrating," he added.

"It caught up on me at the end of the game, but hopefully, with 75 minutes under my belt, I will be ready for an improvement on Saturday."

In his first six appearances for Exeter, Molesley was used on the right-side of midfield, despite impressing Tisdale in a reserve-team game for Bournemouth against Exeter and for Plymouth Argyle in the Devon derby against the Grecians in a more central role.

On Tuesday, he was given the opportunity to play a more central role and he was part of an Exeter side that dominated the table-topping Gills, but had to settle for a point from a goalless draw.

"I am happy to do a job wherever the manager needs me, I like to think I give 100 per cent wherever I play," he said. "But, I must admit, I did enjoy being a bit more central because you are involved in the game more and in the thick of the action. I did enjoy it, but I will do a job wherever I am needed."

However, with Matt Oakley and Tommy Doherty both facing lengthy spells on the sidelines, and with Liam Sercombe not expected to feature again this campaign, Tisdale may turn to Molesley to fill that sizeable void.

"It is a big, big blow losing Matt Oakley and Tommy Doherty because they are two big, influential players for us," Molesley added. "But whoever comes in for them has to fill their boots and step up to the plate and try to combat the loss of them. They were both playing really well at the time, but these things happen in football. We have to adapt and deal with it, but, hopefully, we'll get some good news on the injury front and we can get them back."

With Jake Gosling coming to the fore and Arron Davies a regular under Tisdale, it may just mean Molesley is that man, starting with tomorrow's npower League Two clash with play-offs chasing Bradford City.

"They are chasing us at the moment, so, if we can put an even bigger gap between them and us, it puts us in a much stronger position and gives us some daylight in the play-offs as well," he said.

"But we are looking to push for that automatic promotion place first and foremost. At the same time, it does give us that cushion in the play-offs.

"It has been well documented what a good side they are and what they have achieved this season and what they are capable of, so we have to be ready for that. But we are confident that, if we impose our game on them, we are more than good enough to take the three points.

"There is a lot to look forward to now. We are getting to the really exciting stage of the season and we are up there with a fighting chance, so it is time to get our heads down, work hard and see where it takes us."

A married police community support officer accused of having sex with women while on duty should not be prosecuted because senior politicians – including former prime minister John Major – were not deemed criminals for their affairs either, a court heard.

Peter Bunyan, an officer with Devon and Cornwall Police, is also alleged to have accessed highly sensitive police data to perform background checks on women and their former partners after so-called "welfare" visits to victims of crime.

He is accused of neglecting his duties by turning his police radio down on shifts before having sex with women, including once at a police neighbourhood office, as well as encouraging one mentally ill woman to send explicit pictures of herself on e-mail to the police station.

Bunyan, a father-of-two, denies 12 counts of misconduct in a public office, taking place over a five-year period in the Camborne and Redruth areas of West Cornwall.

Michael Melville-Shreeve, defending, described his client as "a rat", but told Taunton Crown Court: "The prosecution say if he's off duty having sex with these women: not misconduct. If he's on duty, if he'd stopped off to have tea with them or coffee with them: not misconduct. But if he has sex with them, it is misconduct. Why? How is that?

"He (Bunyan) is a rat. He's a disgrace as a married man. But somehow, my learned friend (prosecution counsel Simon Burns) wants to turn that into criminal misconduct. If it's not serious crime to have tea with someone for half an hour, it is not a crime to have sex consensually with them."

Referring to the affair between the former Conservative PM – who led the country from 1990 to 1997 – and former minister Edwina Currie, Mr Melville-Shreeve said: "What about John Major and Edwina Currie? She's even written a book about it!

"That was a public office. I don't know if it was on duty or off duty. I don't know whether a prime minister is ever off duty. I remember people were raucous about those Conservatives. But it is not crime. Nobody ever called for their prosecution."

Bunyan, 40 and of Carharrack near Camborne, admits having sex with four of the women, but said it was in his own time. All five women said the sex was consensual, although the court heard some of the witnesses had mental health problems.

The trial continues.

The force's assistant Chief Constable Paul Netherton admitted to be "concerned" at the multiple demands being placed on the force in June.

Up to 100 officers from Devon and Cornwall are to be abstracted for three days' training and a week-long deployment to Northern Ireland in mid-June as world leaders gather in County Fermanagh.

At the same time, the force is providing "mutual aid" to Avon and Somerset to police potential flashpoints during the badger cull, which is scheduled to start on June 1.

"Both are happening at the beginning of the summer and of peak demand on our services when we see a big rise in the number of people coming into places like Newquay and Torquay," Mr Netherton said.

"We are being very careful to make sure we are not dipping to below our required safety levels, although the G8 summit is only for a week."

Mr Netherton said while not short of volunteers for the Northern Ireland deployment, officers were being chosen from different departments and locations to lessen the impact.

Restrictions have also been put on certain officers taking leave, as the force tries to back-fill the temporary vacancies.

"I am concerned at our ability to respond to multiple events that are taking place at the same stage," Mr Netherton added. "It would make some sense to stagger them in some way."

A variety of officers from the region, including firearms and personal protection specialists as well as public order units, are expected to join up to 4,000 officers from England, Wales and Scotland in Northern Ireland.

The summit will see US president Barack Obama, Russian president Vladimir Putin, German chancellor Angela Merkel and others gather for two days at Lough Erne golf resort in Co Fermanagh.

It will be the first time the annual summit has been held in the UK since Gleneagles in Scotland in 2005.

The Police Federation in Devon and Cornwall, which represents constables, sergeants and inspectors, blamed the Government for a lack of "joined-up thinking".

Branch chairman Sergeant Nigel Rabbitts said the looming problem had been made worse by the recent loss of 400 officers because of Government budget cutbacks, which had undermined the force's "resilience".

"Officers will either have to work overtime or be taken from other duties to cover," he said.

"It doesn't seem like joined-up thinking from the Government, especially given the impact on police resources because of restructuring of budgets.

"We have always said reducing officer numbers would affect the resilience of the force, particularly when there are additional operational demands."

Two culls of disease-carrying badgers, on Exmoor and in Gloucestershire, are to be carried out this year as part of a package of control measures for bovine TB.

Up to 5,000 badgers could be killed in the two areas during the four-year cull period. If found to be effective in combating the disease, which has ravaged cattle herds across the region, the "pilot" culls could be rolled out.

Devon and Cornwall Police have been closely involved in planning the policing response with neighbouring Avon and Somerset.

Contingency plans have been put in place if the local offices of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs or the National Farmers' Union are targeted by protesters.

Avon and Somerset Police has said it will "engage with protesters to facilitate safe, peaceful and lawful protests" but stressed its role was "to uphold the law by responding to any reports of criminality or public disorder".

Exmouth know they cannot afford to take it easy when they visit Amersham in a rearranged game tomorrow.

Having won 19-15 at Chippenham last Saturday, Exmouth are joint second with Weston in National Three South West with a game in hand to get ahead of them.

This is the game in hand and win will narrow the gap between Exmouth and London Irish to four or five points.

As Exmouth's next two league games are Weston and London Irish – admittedly two weeks apart – the season is reaching a critical stage.

A loss at Amersham is not part of the equation, although as Newton Abbot found out last Saturday it is a difficult place to go as they lost there 34-21.

"Amersham have scored more than 200 points in their last four games and have got used to winning by big margins," said Exmouth's director of rugby Chris Wright.

"The win at Chippenham was vital as it keeps us right up there with London Irish and Weston, but Amersham is every bit as important. Lose this one and we really put the pressure on ourselves in the last four games – two of which are Weston and London Irish."

Exmouth were below full strength at Chippenham with skipper Ross Moorshead in the back row among those missing. He should be back.

Newton Abbot and Brixham have no games this weekend in National Three South West.

Barnstaple go to Sidmouth in the first Devon Cup semi-final looking to put some gloss on a season which hasn't had much in the league.

"We should win but I am not taking anything for granted," said Barnstaple's director of rugby Kevin Squire. "I have never had much luck at that ground, it's always a tricky place to go."

Sidmouth, a division lower on the league ladder, see the game as a measuring stick against their ambitions.

"I genuinely believe we are capable of playing rugby at the same level as Barnstaple – certainly that is what we should be aspiring to," said Sidmouth player-coach Jason Luff.

"A game like this will show us what it will take to step up a division – and I am sure it will be a tough game."

Barum will be without lock Matt Gohl, who is suspended following his sending off in the win over Maidenhead last Saturday.

Sidmoth are resting wing Zac Bess and hooker Alex Spurdle, both of whom are required for Devon Under-20s' game against Cornwall at Plymouth Albion on Sunday.

It is semi-final day in the Cornwall cup with Camborne at home to Bude, and St Ives away to Wadebridge.

Exeter Chiefs quartet Luke Cowan-Dickie, Sam Hill, Jack Nowell and Henry Slade are all in England's starting line-up for their RBS Under-20 Six Nations Championship decider against Wales tonight.

Hill, Nowell and Slade all scored in last Friday's 52-7 win over Italy at Northampton, while Cowan-Dickie's impressive display won him the man-of-the-match accolade.

All four will be looking to play their part for head coach Rob Hunter's side as they look to defend their Six Nations crown against the Welsh at Colwyn Bay's Parc Eirias.

Wales are unbeaten in this season's Under-20 Six Nations campaign, while England have lost once but have the greater points difference, meaning tonight's clash in north Wales is a 'winner-takes-all' affair.

England have brought wing Anthony Watson, prop Kyle Sinckler and hooker Nathan Morris into their starting XV. Hunter, who will join the Chiefs on a full-time basis following the completion of the tournament, is looking forward to this evening's match.

Hunter said: "It will be a tough game, and a big game in front of a sold-out crowd. Wales have performed very well in this competition and they've been quite consistent with their selection – we'll approach this one as we would any other, we want a good performance from the guys."

Hunter, who heads to Sandy Park having to date won 19 of his 24 matches in charge, said that he cannot afford to think about this one being his last just yet, adding: "It hasn't really crossed my mind, to be honest, the focus is on Friday night."

Bath full-back Ollie Devoto, who is dual-registered with Cornish Pirates, is also in England's starting line-up.

England changed their team last night when centre Mark Jennings failed a late fitness test. Tom Stephenson will come in to take his place.

England Under-20 v Wales: Devoto (Bath), Watson (London Irish), Stephenson (Northampton), Hill (Exeter), Nowell (Exeter), Slade (Exeter), Braley (Bristol), L Cowan-Dickie (Exeter), Morris (Wasps), Sinckler (Harlequins), Stooke (Gloucester), Barrow (Leeds), Wells (Leicester), Sisi (London Irish), Clifford (Harlequins, capt). Replacements: Crumpton (Saracens), Purdie (Leicester), Hobbs-Awoyemi (Northampton), Herriott (Northampton), Jubb (Saracens), Jones (Wasps), Day (Northampton), Howard (Worcester).

The Western Morning News understands plans to improve sections of single carriageway on the A303 sit close to the top of a Whitehall list of priority road-building schemes.

A splurge on new highways could form the centrepiece of Chancellor George Osborne's financial statement on Wednesday.

From east to west, the A303, A358 and A30 route is a bane for tourists and business, and delays around Stonehenge in Wiltshire are notorious – especially when the main M5 arterial road is closed.

The scheme would come with a massive price-tag, and it remains unclear which sections could be backed.

Widening both carriageways from the M3 near Basingstoke in Hampshire to the M5 at Exeter has an estimated cost of £2 billion, and a two-mile tunnel under Stonehenge alone has an estimated £600 million cost. Dualling the A303-A30 between Ilminster and Honiton would cost £100 million.

Tim Jones, chairman of the Devon and Somerset Local Enterprise Partnership, the business-led group charged by the Government to boost jobs in the region, suspects ministers will launch a competition to find road-building schemes to back with state funds.

It follows conversations with ministers, and the postponement of a summit between Transport Minster Stephen Hammond and the region's business leaders over the project that was delayed "for the right reasons", Mr Jones said he was told.

Giving road schemes the go-ahead squares with speculation surrounding the annual financial statement. The Government is keen to press ahead with projects that provide instant construction jobs to boost the sluggish economy. At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, David Cameron said the Government should "spend more money on capital" and they should be "using the strength of the Government balance sheet to encourage private sector capital".

"We are investing in the country's infrastructure," the Prime Minister added. Last year, the Western Morning News reported the Department for Transport had committed civil servants to help pen an A303 business plan.

Mr Jones said: "Plans for the route have been in the top drawer for a long time. And at a time when the Government needs infrastructure projects that can be delivered in short order, this is relatively simple.

"There are bits of the road that have been done to death. If they are looking for 'shovel ready' projects, this is looking quite promising."

Parts of the A303 suffer from bottlenecks because they are single carriageway, such as around Stonehenge, and the number of roundabouts also causes logjams.

Business leaders say a faster route would benefit the region's economy by about £1.1 billion annually.

But environmentalists argue sensitive landscape and habitat on the Blackdown Hills on the Somerset-Devon border risks being destroyed, which could be the stumbling block to getting the green light next week.

A couple were beaten up on their way home from an awards ceremony by a night club drunk who took exception to their smart clothes.

Daniel Westaway, aged 25, argued with the pair before knocking the woman unconscious. CCTV camera captured her falling to the ground in her full length evening gown. Her partner intervened but he was punched and kicked by Westaway, who was easily recognisable from the security camera footage because he was wearing a body warmer while his victim was in his best suit.

Westaway, of Blenheim Close, Newton Abbot, admitted two offences of causing actual bodily harm and was jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay £750 compensation and £430 costs at Exeter Crown Court.

Mr David Bowen, prosecuting, said victims Carla Hunt and Ian Chalk had been to a business awards ceremony in Exeter and moved on to Torquay where they encountered Westaway, who had just left a harbourside club.

They chatted amicably for a while but he started making comments about their smart dress and when an argument started he headbutted Miss Hunt before punching and kicking Mr Chalk.

She was knocked unconscious and woke up on a stretcher on the way to hospital. He suffered a cut lip and bruising to his face and ribs.

Mr Barry White, defending, said Westaway had never been in trouble before and acted out of character. He has written to the victims to apologise and is able to pay compensation. He accepts what he did was unjustifiable and the probation pre-sentence report confirms he has no anti-social attitudes.

Exeter will host the largest rainbow flag parade the city has ever seen on Saturday as part of the biggest lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) celebration in the South West.

A 50 metre-long rainbow flag will be part of the Exeter Pride parade down Exeter High Street to Exeter Phoenix.

The Lord Mayor of Exeter, Councillor Rob Newby, will start the parade, which will gather at 12 noon and then leave the St Sidwell Centre at 1pm.

The parade will be lead by two fire engines provided by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.  Firefighters will also be marching in the parade, as will officers from Devon and Cornwall Police, students from the University of Exeter, unions and LGBT groups from across the South West.

Morris dancers and other musical entertainment will be in the parade.

Representatives from community groups, as well as individuals, will also be taking part in the parade.  A road closure will be in operation for the duration of the parade from just before 1pm to 2pm.

All the events and activities throughout the afternoon and evening at Exeter Phoenix (from 2pm) are free of charge and family-friendly.  There will be many information stalls and a range of workshops.

There will be drumming, same-sex ballroom dancing, Zumba, legal, trans and hate crime workshops, vocal harmony singing, face painting, knitting, penalty shoot out competition, pole dancing, a youth mock-tail bar and a ceilidh.

This year's panel discussion will include various topics including equal marriage and whether it is appropriate to have a drag queen beauty contest at a pride event.

There will be DJs playing and live bands throughout the afternoon and into the evening.

Evening events begin at 6pm, with acoustic singing in a marquee until late.

In addition, from 7pm to 11.45pm, there will be live music with bands, singers, musicians and tribute acts performing, free of charge, in the auditorium at Exeter Phoenix.   From midnight to 2am there will be a club night (admission by pride wristband only) with "Magic Hatstand".

Tonight, three events will take place at venues in the city including a Mardi Gras evening at The Old Firehouse, Pre-Pride Bop at the City Gate Hotel and a disco evening at The Vaults in Gandy Street. There will be events and activities held at the University of Exeter.

The Pride event will conclude with a candlelit vigil on the Sunday evening.

Alan Quick, chairman, Exeter Pride committee, said: "This will be Exeter's biggest pride event and we expect to attract hundreds of people to the city from around the South West and beyond.

"Last year more than 1,500 people took part in the parade down Exeter High Street and more than 2,000 people attended events held at Exeter Phoenix.

"Exeter Pride is a celebration of our lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities.  It is about us having pride in our contributions to a vibrant and diverse city and county, and the city and county having pride in us."

He added: "Exeter Pride is a volunteer led independent project run by a dedicated committee made up of trustees and volunteers.

"The event is totally dependent on grants, donations, fundraising and sponsorship and the committee would like to thank all those who are contributing to make the event possible, including not only those who have made financial contributions but also the volunteers who will be fulfilling a range of roles.

"It's going to be a terrific pride and we hope everybody comes along, not just members of the LGBT community."

Shaun Sawyer, Devon and Cornwall Police chief constable, said: "Devon and Cornwall Police are proud to support Exeter Pride as part of our commitment to service the LGB and T communities across Devon and Cornwall. We would also like to congratulate Exeter Pride on establishing this as a successful annual event."