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Devon & Cornwall PCSO jailed for seven years for having sex with four women while on duty

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A PCSO who put his "sexual appetite before public duty" to bed four women while on duty was jailed for seven years today.

Peter Bunyan, 40, used the police database as a "dating agency" to track down phone numbers and addresses of attractive women on his beat.

The father-of-two had affairs with four vulnerable women before and during his policing shift - sleeping with one lover up to ten times when he was on duty.

He even seduced one woman at a neighbourhood policing unit as he worked a late shift on a housing estate in Cornwall in 2009.

Bunyan admitted wasting police time but insisted he had not neglected his duty because he kept his radio on during the trysts while working for Devon and Cornwall police.

The former car park worker denied 12 charges of misconduct in a public office but was found guilty of eight counts following a three week trial at Taunton Crown Court in Somerset.

He was convicted of sleeping with four women and illegally accessing data relating to three lovers on the Criminal Information System.

Bunyan, who joined Devon and Cornwall police in 2003, was also found guilty of accessing the system to look up the details of a man without reason.

Today, his honour Judge Graham Hume Jones jailed Bunyan for seven years at Taunton Crown Court - telling the officer he had taken advantage of his profession.

The judge said: "You took advantage of your professional relationship and having heard that evidence I am satisfied that you targeted vulnerable women to indulge your own sexual appetite.

"You were even bold enough and arrogant enough to take a woman to a local police office and engage in sexual intercourse with her there.

"You conducted these relationships while on duty and you should have been available to take calls. There was evidence you deliberately chose to neglect calls on your radio.

"You also indulged in sexual texting while on duty, indicating that your attention was focuses on your sexual appetite rather than on your public duty.

"You contested this case and it is difficult to reconcile that with your present expression of remorse and apology.

"You put the witnesses through the indignity of speaking about these matters and being called liars.

"Misconduct by a member of the police force is very serious, whether they be a police officer or a PCSO.

"They are in a position of privacy and power and the public trust has to be upheld."

Bunyan, of Redruth, Cornwall, remained emotionless as his sentence was read out.

But Michael Melville-Shreeve, defending, said his client was apologetic and showed genuine remorse for his actions.

He said: "He is in the lowest public office that one can conceive of. He would never respond to 999 calls nor did he have the power of arrest.

"He has suffered utter public humiliation and disgrace and he has lost his job and his career.

"I accept all of those are his fault but he is not a man who has not suffered.

"In regards to the computer records, this gentleman was snooping, he was looking up things he shouldn't be looking up for his own purpose.

"Perhaps to get a telephone number but not for profit or money or drugs or to help criminals.

"He is utterly ashamed and utterly humiliated. He is apologetic for what he has done to himself, his family and to Devon and Cornwall Police."

During his trial Bunyan told the court his affairs never got in the way of his duty but admitted to sleeping with one lover up to 10 when he was supposed to be on patrol.

He said his beat would take him past the address of the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and he repeatedly called in to continue their affair.

Bunyan told the jury: "I tended to see her during the day time. I was on duty a lot of the time.

"I would have been in full uniform with my radio on, I was supposed to be on foot patrol. I was not taking advantage of my position, I don't feel I was doing that at all.

"I would not say I was abusing my position but I was not doing what I should have been doing.

"I admit was wasting police time and being negligent and not attending to my duty."

Bunyan admitted that over the course of the affairs, between 2006 and 2011, he failed to correctly fill in police notebooks and records - leaving some days blank.

The court heard how he researched his lovers using the Criminal Information System - one up to 17 times - to find out their mobile phone numbers and pasts.

Bunyan, who worked as a PCSO in Redruth and Camborne, even kept a secret mobile phone hidden at the police station, which he used to organise liaisons with lovers while on duty.

Judge Hume Jones jailed him for four years for his affairs and three years for the passing of information gained from a police database.

He was also given a three year sentence for the wrongful use of a computer and 18 months for sexual texting, both to be served concurrently.

Devon and Cornwall police suspended Bunyan when an investigation into his conduct was launched in 2011.

He is expected to be dismissed from the force on Thursday following a hearing.

Bunyan was disciplined in 2008, where he received a final written warning, after concerns were raised over his conduct with Redruth cadets and his failing to respond to his police radio.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is managing an investigation by the professional standards department.

IPCC Commissioner Rachel Cerfontyne said: "This man completely abused the position of trust he was in and is a disgrace to the police service.

"These were criminal actions and he has rightly been found guilty.

"We will be receiving a full report from Devon and Cornwall Constabulary and will details the investigation findings and any learning in due course."

Devon & Cornwall PCSO jailed for seven years for having sex with four women while on duty


Cowley Bridge flooding 'can not be stopped' but 'services can be recovered much quicker' says Network Rail boss

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Network Rail bosses have said they can not stop the Cowley Bridge line flooding but can work on the recovery time of services once floods have subsided. A transport conference was held at the County Hall today to discuss the measures, which include making changes to culverts and drainage systems, and raising signalling equipment off the ground so that it's not affected by flood water. Track owner Network Rail said it planned to improve line resilience to allow flooding to be cleared and services resume as quickly as possible. Mike Gallop, from Network Rail, said: "The flooding was a very serious event which caused a significant disruption to the travelling public. "What we are looking at how is how we can improve network resilience between Taunton and Cowley Bridge. "That's not prevention - we do not believe we can stop it flooding. "Our proposition is that, once floods have subsided, we can start to recover services much quicker and more effectively than we did at Christmas. "We're looking at improving tracks, improving embankments, and improving their draining. "We're also looking at making the signalling system more robust by raising it, so it doesn't get damaged by water." Campaign group Rail Future had suggested culverts at the bridge being increased to stop flooding of the line. Network Rail said it was working with the Environment Agency and the government on the situation and a report would give its findings at the end of March. Disruptions caused by extreme weather to the region's road and rail network are said to have cost Westcountry businesses £167 million. A full report on improvement proposals is due at the end of March. There will be a public exhibition in Exeter's Guildhall shopping centre this week of plans to reduce the city's flood risk. Organised by the Environment Agency, Exeter City Council and Devon County Council, the exhibition will be held on Friday, March 22, from 10am to 6pm, and Saturday, March 23, from 10am to noon. Video: Engineering work at Cowley Bridge. Video by Mike Yearworth.

Cowley Bridge flooding 'can not be stopped' but 'services can be recovered much quicker' says Network Rail boss

Media arrives in Exeter to get a glimpse of Joss Stone as she gives evidence at trial of men accused of plotting to kill her

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Exeter was the centre of media attention today as Joss Stone arrived to give evidence at her trial. VIDEO - Joss Stone leaves court by car with members of her family

Media arrives in Exeter to get a glimpse of Joss Stone as she gives evidence at trial of men accused of plotting to kill her

Pictured: The kitten who survived shocking shooting spree in Exeter

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The owner of this cute kitten called Sonja hopes these pictures will make someone come forward with information about the people who deliberately shot her with an airgun.
It is thought the same people are responsible for shooting dead Sonja's mum Missy in an attack in Exwick. 
Exeter cat owners are being warned to take extra care of the two pets were shot.
The loss has devastated Zoe Butterworth, 25, of Farm Hill, and her young children.
Four-year-old Missy was shot at close range in Guinness Lane, Exwick, the airgun pellet piercing her spine and leaving her paralysed.
She was taken to a vet but the injury was too grave and Missy had to be put down.
Mother-of-three Zoe only  found out when she phoned around vet surgeries after Missy went missing.
Now Missy's kitten Sonja has also been shot, again by an airgun. This time the lead pellet pierced her collar and lodged itself in her neck. The four-month old cat was rushed to a vets and the pellet removed.
Mrs Butterworth said: "It is absolutely terrible that someone should be going around doing this. Missy would not go near people so we think someone must have grabbed her to shoot her like they did at such close range.
"They then left her paralysed and in terrible pain in the lane."
She added: "Who could do such a cruel thing? Somebody must know who is doing this and we have heard that other cats have gone missing in the area.
"We knew something was wrong with Sonja when she limped home and luckily the vet could save her but it has cost us £200 and she was not insured."
Mrs Butterworth said her two older children, Tylor, correct  seven, and Faith, four, missed Missy a great deal. "Faith is particularly upset because Missy would sleep on her bed. Tylor has special needs and he is also very upset by it all.
"Luckily my two-year-old daughter Grace does not really know what has happened and can play with Sonja and our other cats, Ying and Yang. Cat owners need to take care. I won't let the cats out any more after the shootings."
Mrs Butterworth has informed police and the RSPCA, who are both investigating.
Call Crimestoppers with information on 0800 555111.

Pictured: The kitten who survived shocking shooting spree in Exeter

Open day planned at Exeter tennis club

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Anyone living in and around Exeter can take part in an open session at Victoria Park Tennis Club, Lyndhurst Road. The club is throwing open its doors to Mini Red players (eight years & under) from 2-3pm and for players nine & over between 3pm and 4pm. Adults are also welcome to come and play on the free courts and meet members of the club. The coaches, from Exeter Tennis Centre who run the coaching programme at the club, will be on hand to run coaching sessions and games with a real emphasis on fun. Victoria Park currently offers its members all year round coaching and playing opportunities. It has sessions for all players and abilities starting at four years of age through to an adult section. Will McNally, director of Tennis at Exeter Tennis Centre said: "We hope to attract children and adults of all abilities to either try the game for the first time or to see what this welcoming and proactive tennis club has to offer." Anyone interested in playing, contact 01392 723699 to reserve your place.

Open day planned at Exeter tennis club

Eagle 'attack' in Topsham and other images spotted on Exeter Google street view

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Some of the most weird and wonderful views of Exeter have been sent in after Google's recent update of their Street View map. Images sent in to the Echo include an eagle 'attack' in Topsham, a blurred colonel and a cyclist heading the wrong way on a street in Exeter. Flick through the images above to see the latest photos. If you spot any images worth mentioning on Google Street view let us know by commenting in the box below or emailing echonews@expressandecho.co.uk. Google employees have so far trawled more than five million miles across the planet, with a tripod-mounted camera capturing a 360 of its environment as the driver keeps his eyes on the road. Google said it wanted to "magically transport you to some of the world's picturesque and culturally significant landmarks". Adding: "We hope you enjoy taking a virtual stroll around some of the world's beautiful places, and stay tuned for more Street View updates"

Eagle 'attack' in Topsham and other images spotted on Exeter Google street view

Heavy downpours cause traffic problems on A38 near Exeter

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Hazardous driving conditions due to heavy downpours of hail and rain have led to two crashes on the A38 this afternoon. The first incident was at 1:45pm after three vehicles were involved in a collision on the A38 at Bickington. A silver VW Polo spun and hit the barrier leaving one lane blocked. A Mercedes and a lorry were also involved, say police. A female driver was injured and one lane blocked. The second collision occurred at 1:45pm on the A38 at Ashburton during heavy hail. A Vauxhall Corsa spun and hit spun off the road leaving the female driver with fairly minor injuries. The road is passable with care. Three HGVs are reportedly stuck outside Stover School due to the weather conditions.

Heavy downpours cause traffic problems on A38 near Exeter

Budget 2013 Live with Exeter reaction and expert analysis

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Follow The Budget 2013 live with Exeter reaction and analysis as Chancellor George Osborne delivers his news. The panel below will bring you the latest updates, reaction and analysis as they happen from our reporter at the House of Commons, our Business Editor in Exeter and from George Osborne himself - after he created his new twitter account this morning. We would like to hear from local businesses from what they would like from the budget or how the budget will affect them. Send you opinion in to echonews@expressandecho.co.uk Alan Wills, who runs Remedies Laser, Skin, Health Clinic and Beauty Salon in Topsham, has sent in what he would like from the budget. He said: "The government has repeatedly stated that the lifeblood of the British economy are the small businesses. So, if we need Growth to get us out of the stagnant demise the country finds itself in then small businesses must be able to grow too. Therefore, in addition to the government making it more simple to do business e.g. reduced bureaucracy and employment legislation, owners need to have an incentive to build their businesses by reducing Corporation Tax to allow re-investment, mandate Banks to lend some of the vast amounts of capital they now have, especially those banks the british Tax Payers virtually own !!! Business owners themselves would also be more enthusiastic themselves to grow their businesses if maybe tax on their Dividends were reduced along with less Capital Gains tax liability when/if they sell their business after years of hard work." Let us know what you think.

Budget 2013 Live with Exeter reaction and expert analysis


Pickles dismisses prospect of fresh Exeter unitary bid

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Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has moved to scotch indications the Government had softened its stance on Exeter's blocked bid for home-rule. It came after the publication of Whitehall's response to a report by former Tory Cabinet Minister Michael Heseltine who had called for a bar on 'unitary' councils to be lifted. While rejecting a wholesale move to scrap two-tier local government, ministers said they would not "stand in the way" of areas wanting to "voluntarily pursue unitary status". However, they would rather local authorities look at coming together to share back-office functions. But when tackled at a Westminster lunch with journalists, the Secretary of State rejected that this now gave the green light for Exeter to seek to go it alone. In his blueprint for boosting economic growth published last year, Lord Heseltine argued legislation introduced by Mr Pickles to block Exeter's unitary bid was 'redundant' and should be repealed. Although he implied this would be more to pave the way for authorities to come together to form unitary 'super' councils, and sweep away two-tier local government, which the Tory peer argued led to "duplication and inefficiencies" and made it more difficult to "exploit economic opportunities fully". In its response to his review, the Government said: "Lord Heseltine saw the pursuit of unitary status as being a significant step towards the future he wanted. "While the Government will not stand in the way of areas that would like to voluntarily adopt this approach where this would unambiguously result in greater efficiencies, the Government believes it would be preferable for authorities not to be distracted by structural change but to focus on coming together to share their operations both across frontline service delivery and back office." Quizzed whether this opened the way for Exeter to go unitary, Mr Pickles gave a firm: "No." He has previously argued the city was "too small" and "lacked critical mass" to go it alone. The Cabinet Minister has also highlighted the warnings issued at the time by one of the most high ranking civil servants in the country over Labour's proposals for the city to break away from Devon. The then Permanent Secretary Peter Housden was so concerned about the unitary plans on both financial and feasibility grounds, that he demanded a written instruction from the cabinet minister, absolving civil servants from any legal action resulting from the decision. The controversy was subsequently reignited after Lord Heseltine called for legislation barring unitary authorities to be torn up.

Pickles dismisses prospect of fresh Exeter unitary bid

Picture of the day: Queen of birds, by Colin Mann

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Why not post your own pictures of Exeter and the surrounding area on This is Exeter? You just need to register with the site and follow the links.

To upload your own picture simply register to the site by clicking register in the top right hand corner of the homepage.

Once registered you can upload your pictures by clicking on the 'upload pictures' button under Get Involved.

Picture of the day: Queen of birds, by Colin Mann

Exeter Chiefs game against Leicester is a sell-out

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Exeter Chiefs officials have announced that Saturday's game against Leicester is a sell-out.
The final tickets for the 5pm kick-off were sold this morning as the Sandy Park outfit return to action in the Aviva Premiership.
Chief executive Tony Rowe said: "Games between ourselves and Leicester are always hugely entertaining affairs and we expect this one to be no different.
"The fact that both sides are pushing hard at the top end of the table, I think it means this game has all the makings for another top quality encounter."
Tickets for Exeter's final two home games against London Irish (April 13) and Gloucester (May 4) are also said to be selling fast, with supporters advised to purchase their tickets early to avoid disappointment.

Exeter Chiefs game against Leicester is a sell-out

New Exmouth hotel will "attract 21,000 guests" to town every year

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THE company behind plans to create a new hotel on Exmouth seafront says it hopes it will bring 21,000 guests to the town every year. East Devon District Council has received an application from Whitbread to redevelop the Elizabeth Hall site into a 60-bed Premier Inn. It is part of the Exmouth Town Centre and Seafront Masterplan and Whitbread has said it feels its proposal fits in with the aim of using the site to "kickstart and act as a catalyst for further regeneration along the seafront". It will have a restaurant and Whitbread hopes it will create 50 full and part-time jobs. CGI has been created showing how it could look. The district council has been inviting residents to give their views on the scheme and, to date, 13 have been received with 12 objecting and one letter of support, with the author stating the hotel is needed in Exeter. But Robin Fuller wrote: "The demolition of the Elizabeth Hall and its replacement with a high-rise modern hotel will do nothing to help the regeneration of Exmouth. People don't visit East Devon because it has a selection of modern hotels owned by national chains. They come for the historic coastline and rural charm. This is an ill-conceived project that flies in the face of public opinion." And Ron Roberts, chairman of the Exmouth Resident and Trader Association, wrote: "This development, if allowed, will cause a loss of amenity for the public who have enjoyed access to the green lawns at the front and side of the hall for more than 35 years. The artist impression lacks imagination and will be a blot on the landscape for an eternity." Axiom Architects produced the designs for the hotel for Whitbread and a spokesman said: "While Exmouth has a building stock dominated by Victorian or Edwardian houses, this site presents an opportunity for an alternative architectural approach. "We envisage it will appear as an isolated structure in the tradition of Art Deco seafront buildings from the 1920s and 1930s." Whitbread says it received more than 290 consultation responses from the public to its initial consultation, and, as a result, made some changes to its ideas. A spokesman for Whitbread said: "The proposed hotel will create approximately 50 full and part-time jobs and we would expect those roles to be largely filled by those living in the local community. Whitbread will work with Job Centre Plus to seek recruits. "In addition to the benefits of creating employment, the Premier Inn will create additional trade for restaurants, public houses and other businesses in the vicinity. Across the Premier Inn estate, approximately one third of guests dine off site at other establishments. "We estimate that this hotel will attract approximately 21,000 gusts to the seafront in Exmouth each year and we are keen to ensure that the Exmouth economy benefits during construction. Whitbread's contractor will liaise with East Devon District Council to identify opportunities for the local supply of construction materials where feasible." The application is open for consultation and people can comment online at http://planning.eastdevon.gov.uk under application reference 13/0494/MFUL. The consultation closes on Tuesday, April 9 and the application will be determined at a meeting of the council's development management committee, the date of which will be confirmed shortly

New Exmouth hotel will

East Devon teenager "incited children to be involved in pornography", Exeter court hears

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A TEENAGER has appeared before Exeter magistrates charged with inciting children to become involved in pornography. Christopher Fabry, 19, of Kennedy Way, Dunkeswell, faces three charges. The court heard he is accused of inciting a girl between May 17, 2011 and May 20, 2011, whom he did not reasonable believe to be aged 18 or over to be involved in pornography in any part of the world. There is a second similar charge relating to a younger girl between the same dates, and a third charge that he made four indecent photographs of children between October 1, 2011 and November 30, 2011. He was released on unconditional bail and the case was adjourned until May 14.

East Devon teenager

Young woman beaten by stranger in Exeter street; police seek witnesses

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Exeter police are seeking information about an assault in St James Road. DC Emily Sheppard said: "A female in her mid 20s left The Well Street Tavern in Well Street at around 5.40pm on Sunday, March 17 and started to walk up St James' Road when she was attacked by a white male aged in his 40s. "She was left with significant bruising and swelling to her face after she was forced to the floor and kicked in the face. "The attack was completely unprovoked and I would urge anyone who saw this incident to get in touch so that we can identify the offender and prosecute him. "I would ask anyone who saw this incident to ring 101 quoting DE/13/2503 or anonymous information can be passed to crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

Young woman beaten by stranger in Exeter street; police seek witnesses

Exeter Chiefs quartet in England U18 squad

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Four Exeter Chiefs academy players have been named in the England under-18 squad for the 2013 FIRA/AER European Championship.
Scrum-half Stuart Townsend and forwards Charlie Hewitt, Matt Bolwell and Luke Chapman are in the squad for the competition in Grenoble, France.
Defending champions England face Portugal in their first game on Friday (6pm) before a potential semi-final and final.   
Head coach John Fletcher said: "We've got a good squad for this tournament but we know that it will be a challenge. Our aim is to build on the recent performances against Scotland and Wales and improve through the three games"
England under-18 squad, forwards: Andrew Boyce (Worcester Warriors & Kings Worcester), Andrew Hughes (Sale Sharks & Hartpury College), Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby & Bryanston School), Charlie Hewitt (Exeter Chiefs & Ivybridge College), Lewis Boyce (Leeds Carnegie & Prince Henry's Grammar), Jack Walker (Leeds Carnegie & Prince Henry's Grammar), James Chisholm (Harlequins & Brighton College), Jordan Onjoaife (Northampton Saints & Stowe School), Josh Peters (Northampton Saints & Oundle School), Matt Bolwell (Exeter Chiefs & Truro College), Luke Chapman (Exeter Chiefs & Truro College), Neale Farthing (Leicester Tigers  & Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth College), Paul Hill (Leeds Carnegie & Prince Henry's Grammar), Sam James (Saracens & Bishops Stortford). Backs: George Perkins (Saracens & Oaklands College), Howard Packman (Northampton Saints & Moulton College), James Mitchell (Sale Sharks & Lymm School), Josh Sharp (Saracens & Oaklands College), Josh Skelcey (Northampton Saints & Moulton College), Louis Clayton-Molloy (London Wasps & Harrow School), Nick Tompkins (Saracens & Oaklands College), Stuart Townsend (Exeter Chiefs & Ivybridge College), Tom Fowlie (London Irish & St Pauls Catholic College), Tom Howe (London Wasps & Shiplake College), Lucas Slowik (Bristol Rugby & Filton College), Rory Jennings (Bath Rugby & Bryanston School)

Exeter Chiefs quartet in England U18 squad


Police helicopter called to "woman screaming" in Exeter University grounds; turns out to be a fox

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The police helicopter was in action in the early hours of Friday morning after reports of a woman screaming for help in Exeter. Devon and Cornwall police received a call from a member of the public claiming they could hear a woman screaming in the grounds of Exeter University. The air operation unit responded just before 1:30am however it was soon discovered the scream was actually coming from something far less sinister. The helicopter was called out to help search for the 'victim' but it was confirmed by police on the ground that the woman's screams were in fact that of a fox. The noise was heard in the area between the Lemon Grove and the tennis courts on Exeter University campus. A vixen's scream is usually a mating call or a marking out of territory and often gets confused for a human voice. A representative of Devon and Cornwall Police said: "The helicopter was called out to reports of a woman screaming in the Horseguards area of Exeter just before 1:30am on Friday morning, however a unit on the ground confirmed the screaming was in fact a fox and the helicopter returned soon after." The yellow and blue police helicopter has become a familiar sight in the skies over Exeter recently. It offers 24/7 support to all operational units, quickly reaching remote or dangerous destinations and giving access to areas which may be dangerous to terrestrial units.Video: Scream of the red fox

Police helicopter called to

Koona t'chuta Solo? Greedo will see you in Honiton

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GREEDO, the man who delivered the immortal line "Koona t'chuta, Solo? (translates as Going somewhere, Solo?) is coming to Devon. The bounty hunter with a funny nose was working for the slug-like crime lord Jabba the Hutt in the original 1977 Star Wars film and found Solo in a pub, the Mos Eisley Cantina. Happily Solo was able to shoot the unpleasant Greedo under the table firing first or second, depending on which version you watch. Now Greedo, Earth name Paul Blake, is heading west for a quieter pub and an afternoon with Greedo at the Heathfield Inn, Honiton on Sunday, March 24 at 2.30pm. He will be signing autographs and talking about his career including his time in Star Wars. The actor is the guest of the local Exewing Fundraisers who are based in Honiton and have raised over £50,000 for various charities by organising sci- fi days.

Koona t'chuta Solo? Greedo will see you in Honiton

The fight against speeding in Exwick continues

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Back in November students from St Peter's C of E High School joined PCs and PCSOs in Exwick Road, which is a 20mph zone, to check on car speeds. Now two speed matrix boxes have been installed in the ward. These flash when drivers go above the speed limit. One has been positioned on the lamppost in Exwick Road by Exwick Villas and the other in Gloucester Road. PCSO Will Malcolm said: "Hopefully by installing these two devices it will make drivers aware of the 20mph speed limit." Rob Hannaford, county councillor for the ward, said: "As local residents are aware, speeding traffic and dangerous driving continue to be a persistent problem in many parts of Exwick. "In particular it occurs along Exwick Road, Exwick Villas and Gloucester Road. "After many years of work and lobbying the Highways Department about this, with the police, Neighbourhood Watch Committees and others, I am very pleased that we now have two interactive speed signs in place at these hot-spot locations. "I have used some of my community funding to install these, and I hope they will help matters. "I also understand that this will be further backed up in the future with some more random police checks and enforcement work."

The fight against speeding in Exwick continues

Animal lovers rush to send in pictures for Pets' Corner

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PET owners have been busy sending pictures of their furry friends to the Express & Echo, in anticipation of a new feature.
Pets' Corner, a page featuring photos of the finest animals the area has to offer, is due to appear in the paper from Thursday, March 28.
And dog lovers, cat canoodlers, budgie buddies and snake snoggers have been quick to propose it should be their best pal who takes pride of place in print.
Laura Moxey (@LauMox) of Exeter sent a picture of her beagle puppy Aggy playing with a soft toy via Twitter, while Exeter City fan Ryan Greenaway (@ryangreenaway) provided an image of his beagle Dot and pug Squidge chilling out after a walk on Dartmoor.
Meanwhile Steve Stewart of Topsham contributed a picture of his beloved springer spaniel Roxy.
If you think your pet should appear in Pets' Corner email a picture with your name and address to echonews@expressandecho.co.uk, or tweet @expressandecho. Alternatively, register on thisisexeter.co.uk and upload your images directly.

Animal lovers rush to send in pictures for Pets' Corner

New £8.2million extra care housing development in Newton Abbot

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Planning permission has been granted for an £8.2million extra care housing development in Newton Abbot. The new development, on part of the old hospital site in the town centre, will provide 50 self contained flats, ten of which will be specifically for people with dementia. The scheme will help meet the care needs of people over the age of 55 in the area. Construction is due to start next month with the first flats available the autumn of 2014. The scheme is being developed in partnership with Teignbridge District Council, Aster Housing Group and construction firm Galliford Try Partnerships. Of the 50 flats, 28 will be one bed, and 22 will be two bed. Six flats will be for sale on the open market and eight flats available for low cost home ownership. Thirty six flats will be for affordable rent, including all the dementia flats. In addition the scheme will also provide communal areas including a dining room, lounge, activity rooms, a hair salon, beauty treatment room and gardens Most significantly, the housing comes with an on-site care and support team. The care is available to residents 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, providing as much or as little support as they need, when they need it. The County Council has invested £1.3m in the new development, with Teignbridge investing £500,000. The remaining funding will come from the Homes and Communities Agency and Aster Housing Group. Councillor Stuart Barker, the Council's Cabinet Member responsible for social care said: "Extra care housing is a real alternative to residential care which allows people to live independently for as long as possible. I have been very keen to see much more provision of this model of care. We are committed to providing up to 950 units across Devon and have put £10m into our budget to support schemes. "Most people say that they would rather, given the opportunity, have care services available to them in their own homes, when they want it. Extra care housing lets people move into their own smaller, more manageable home to live independently and to enjoy the personal choice associated with living in your own home." Councillor Philip Vogel, Teignbridge spokesman for planning and housing said: "We are pleased to be working with Devon County Council and other partners to help to provide homes where there is a proven need. We are sure these extra-care homes in Newton Abbot will be popular choice as they so conveniently located close to the town centre". Demography and an increasing number of people living longer with complex conditions such as dementia and chronic illness is one of the key factors influencing the way that health and social care is provided in future. Devon already has one of the oldest populations when compared with most counties in the UK, and the number of people aged over 65 – currently 167,600 – is expected to increase by nearly 40% by 2021. In response, Devon County Council plans to develop 19 extra care housing schemes before 2020, creating around 950 flats across the county. So far three schemes are operating in Okehampton, Ivybridge and Newton Ferrers. Local County Councillor Gordon Hook said: "I am pleased to see this development on a brown field site taking shape, and I particularly welcome the additional affordable housing units. These will be a major benefit to local people". David Luke, Regional Development Director for Aster said 'It is exciting to see another new Extra Care scheme under construction. The striking modern building will be a key element of the redevelopment of the old hospital site but more importantly it will provide independence, safety and security making a difference to the lives of the people who live there". Paul Munro of Galliford Try Partnerships said "We are delighted to have facilitated and to be involved in the construction of this prestigious scheme on behalf of Aster Housing Group".

New £8.2million extra care housing development in Newton Abbot

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