Devon

Please act responsibly when using public rights of way

With more people using Devon’s public rights of way and multi-use trails for their daily exercise during lockdown, Devon County Council has also received anecdotal evidence of increasing complaints about livestock being disturbed by dogs.

Dog owners are reminded to act responsibly and keep their dogs under close control. When walking your dog in areas used by other people it is...

Reduced services running through Woking due to signal failure

There is currently a severely reduced South Western Railway service running between Woking and Surbiton, due to a power surge in the track circuit system earlier today. As a result SWR services are subject to significant delay, cancellation and disruption, with ticket acceptance and replacement buses in place.

Until further notice the following alterations have had to be made to the...

Snowdrop Festival

UK's First Virtual Snowdrop Festival launched in Devon to help garden lovers in lockdown

The Garden House in Devon is to offer snowdrop lovers across the UK a chance to enjoy one of nature’s most spectacular displays of snowdrops at their first ever Virtual Snowdrop Festival - providing daily treat and a welcome relief from lockdown.

Following the increasing severity of the pandemic, the team had been forced to cancel the world famous Snowdrop Festival, allowing only the...

Local dance school keeps children learning with free lockdown online classes for all

Tiny Toes Ballet, which holds children’s dance classes in Cornwall and Tavistock, is offering all children free online classes to help support parents and teachers who are home schooling due to lockdown. Its eight-week course of classes combines drama, dance, cookery and more, and is aimed at children aged seven and under.

The Free Lockdown Programme provides online weekly activities...

Early success for new homes in Barnstaple as Elan extends stamp duty savings

THREE eager buyers have snapped up new homes at a just launched development in Barnstaple, where Elan Homes has extended the Stamp Duty holiday. Featuring 57 homes in the first phase, Pickards at Larkbear is part of the wider 820-home new neighbourhood taking shape off Old Torrington Road.

Elan released a small number of homes for sale “off plan” in early January and has already...

University Hospitals Plymouth, Covid, vaccine

Global first for University Hospitals Plymouth in recruitment for Covid-19 vaccine trial

University Hospitals Plymouth (UHP) has become the first research site in the world to successfully recruit more than 500 volunteers to ENSEMBLE 2, an international Covid-19 vaccine trial, and remains top of the leader board.

The study, which launched in November last year, seeks to recruit up to 30,000 people worldwide in order to test the safety and effectiveness of a new vaccine,...

Urban Jungle

Devon man reaches final of national competition

A man from Devon has reached the final in a national competition to find young adults who have helped in their communities during the 2020 pandemic.

Tom Perkins, 24, was nominated for the Urban Jungle's Heroes 2020 competition by Maddie Burton, who has been friends with Tom since they were at school together.

Maddie said: "My hero is Tom. During 2020, he went above and...

storm christoph

Storm Christoph could cause flooding issues

Take extra care on the county’s roads – that’s the message from Devon County Council with Storm Christoph set to hit tomorrow (Wednesday 20 January).

A Yellow Severe Weather Warning has been issued by the Met Office, with heavy persistent rain forecast from the early hours of Wednesday until around midday on Thursday.

Higher ground across the county is most likely to be...

Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust

Charity’s urgent plea to help protect the future of Dartmoor’s iconic ponies

Dartmoor has become a draw for thousands seeking outdoors spaces for their health and well-being during the pandemic, with the much-loved iconic Dartmoor pony a huge draw. But a leading charity has warned their future is at risk unless additional funding is found.

The Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust (DPHT) is a charity which works to protect the future of true Dartmoor ponies in their...

Specsavers

Opticians report increase in cases of ‘coronavision’ eye strain on the rise in latest lockdown

People across Devon are being urged to look after their sight, with new research showing that eye strain and other sight-related issues have increased significantly since the first pandemic lockdown.

The research finds that 42% of people have noticed their sight deteriorate since March 2020 - almost double the number of people noticing sight deterioration during the first lockdown (...

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