Rail passengers travelling from Devon to the Midlands, northern England and Scotland over Christmas are being urged to plan ahead, with a five-day closure of Birmingham New Street set to affect CrossCountry services across the network.

No trains will run to or from Birmingham New Street from 24th to 28th December 2026 while Network Rail carries out essential upgrades to the station’s overhead power lines.

The closure will bring significant changes to CrossCountry services and timetables, with some journeys taking longer than usual. Rail replacement buses will operate for passengers whose journeys start or finish at Birmingham New Street.

CrossCountry operates direct long-distance services from Exeter St Davids towards the Midlands, northern England and Scotland, as well as south-westwards into Cornwall.

Mark Anderson, customer and commercial director at CrossCountry, said the company wanted to give passengers advance notice as they began making their Christmas travel arrangements.

He said: “We know customers will be starting to plan and book their Christmas travel over the coming weeks, so we’re sharing this information early to help people make informed decisions about their journeys.

“This vital engineering work at Birmingham New Street will mean changes for CrossCountry customers between 24 and 28 December, and journey times may be longer than normal.

“While Christmas still feels a long way off, we want customers to be aware of the work and factor it into their plans where appropriate.”

The engineering work is the first stage of a three-year programme to replace overhead line equipment in and around Birmingham New Street. Further work is planned during the Christmas periods of 2027 and 2028.

Martin Colmey, route director for Network Rail’s Central route, said the investment was needed to replace ageing infrastructure at one of the country’s busiest railway stations.

He said: “Birmingham New Street is at the heart of the rail network, supporting millions of local, regional and national journeys every year.

“Much of the overhead line equipment dates back to the 1960s and needs to be replaced.

“This £13m investment has been carefully planned to make the railway more reliable.

“There is never a good time for this type of work and we have done all we can to reduce its impact as much as possible.

“We want to make people aware as early as possible so they can plan ahead.”

Despite the closure, station facilities, including the assisted travel lounge and toilets, will remain open throughout the five-day period.

Full details of rail replacement services and timetable changes are expected to be published in the coming weeks.

Passengers travelling over Christmas are advised to check their journeys before setting off.

( Photo: CrossCountry Trains 📸 )

Farmers across the South West have been left frustrated after a £253m government farming support scheme ran out of money within hours of opening for applications.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) is intended to support farmers who take action to improve nature, soil and other public goods as part of the system introduced to replace the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy following Brexit.

But the latest application window closed after less than six hours, after the available funding was allocated.

The Wildlife Trust’s strategic lead for agriculture compared the rush for funding to the scramble for Oasis concert tickets.

The problems have prompted criticism from farming representatives and political figures in Devon, with concerns raised about the pressure placed on farmers already dealing with rising costs, changing support arrangements and difficult weather conditions.

Cllr Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for rural affairs and broadband, described the latest SFI round as an “absolute shambles”.

She said: “SFI26 has been an absolute shambles. The Government has got this badly wrong.

“Farmers and agents were trying to apply from 8.00am this morning. The scheme didn’t open until 10.00am but farmers weren’t even properly told.

“Then the system started failing. People applying were left staring at a spinning loading symbol for hours, desperately trying to get their applications to go through. I’m on a farming WhatsApp group and know farmers and agents have been in tears with the stress and frustration today.

“And while all this was happening, other farmers were still out silaging. Working. Farming. Hoping they could get back to their applications this evening or tomorrow morning which should be completely reasonable.

“Now they’re being told the entire funding pot has gone. Within a matter of hours, less than 6 hours, it was gone. Farmers are furious and with good reason.

“As a farmer myself, and as Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs at Devon County Council, I know exactly how much pressure farming families are already under.

“We’ve lost the Single Payment since leaving the EU. We’ve had huge changes and uncertainty in relation to farm support. We’ve faced severe drought this year and on top of this we’ve dealt with bluetongue. And of course we’ve had the stress and uncertainty around the family farm tax from this same government!

“Farmers should not have to race each other to hit an ‘apply’ button. They should not have to sit at a computer all day instead of farming. And they certainly should not be left in tears because a Government system isn’t working.

“We hear it time and time again from our politicians: “Food security is national security.” And I’ve said it before - I’m sick of hearing it! Government needs to live up to its own words. If food security really is national security, then support the farmers who produce our food.

“DEFRA knew farmers would want this support. They knew demand would be high.

“Yet somehow we have ended up with a system where the quickest person to get through the door gets the money, while thousands of others are left with nothing.

“Farmers are resilient. But Government should not keep pushing them to the limit and then expect them to simply get on with it.

“SFI26 needs urgent action and the Government needs to put this right.

“Farmers deserve better!”

Farming plays a significant role in the economy and landscape of the South West, supporting not only the production of food but also a much wider network of businesses and rural employment.

Farm businesses underpin local supply chains involving agricultural merchants, machinery companies, vets, hauliers, food processors and other rural enterprises. Farmers also play a role in managing much of the countryside, including soils, water, hedgerows, grassland and habitats.

That makes the way agricultural support is delivered particularly important in rural areas such as Devon and Cornwall, where farming remains closely connected to the wider rural economy and the character of many communities.

The Sustainable Farming Incentive was introduced as part of the government’s post-Brexit agricultural support system. Rather than basing payments primarily on the amount of land farmed, it provides payments for specified actions, including measures intended to improve soil health, support wildlife and protect the natural environment.

Farmers have to apply for agreements and meet the relevant requirements to receive funding.

The latest round was heavily oversubscribed, with applications submitted by farmers and agents as soon as the window opened.

The government has said additional money was made available because of the expected demand.

A Defra spokesperson said: “This year we ensured small farms and those new to SFI were prioritised – with an exclusive first window in the summer.

“In anticipation of high demand in the second window, Ministers decided to allocate an additional £20-million to the fund, on top of the £50-million announced by the Prime Minister in August, so that we could fund as many agreements as possible. We have therefore allocated a total of £310-million to new agreements under both windows.”

The latest funding allocation is part of wider changes to agricultural support since the UK’s departure from the EU.

For farmers, the issue is not simply about access to one funding round. The transition away from the former EU system has brought changes to how agricultural businesses receive financial support, while farmers continue to face pressures including weather extremes, disease outbreaks, input costs and uncertainty over future income.

In the South West, where agriculture remains an important part of the rural economy, the availability and accessibility of support is therefore closely watched by farming families and the businesses that depend on them.

The government has said the latest funding arrangements will allow it to support as many eligible agreements as possible, but the rapid closure of the application window has raised questions about how future funding rounds will be managed.

For farmers who were unable to secure funding, the immediate issue is what support will be available next and how they can plan their businesses with greater certainty.

( Photos: Unsplash / Getty Images 📸 )

Scientists investigating water pollution in Devon have found that sewage-linked E. coli can reach popular beaches and shellfish farms even when there has been little or no rain, raising questions about how effectively current pollution warnings protect the public.

Research by scientists at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) has tracked bacteria from rivers and sewage overflows through coastal waters to beaches and shellfish farms in Plymouth Sound and Lyme Bay.

The study found that rainfall alone is not a reliable indicator of where bacterial pollution will end up.

Instead, coastal currents, tides and wind direction and speed can determine how contamination is transported, potentially carrying bacteria considerable distances from its original source.

Researchers combined water sampling with a sophisticated ocean model and particle-tracking technology to investigate how E. coli moves through coastal waters.

One example came on 8 July 2024, when elevated levels of E. coli were detected at Plymouth beaches despite the day being dry and rainfall not occurring until later.

The levels were already above the threshold considered sufficient for bathing-water quality.

Researchers also examined 13 years of data from three Devon river catchments and found no significant relationship between rainfall and levels of E. coli.

The findings suggest that warnings based largely on rainfall could fail to identify some periods when coastal waters are affected by bacterial contamination.

Dr Gavin Tilstone, the study’s lead author, said: “Rainfall and river volume alone are not sufficient to forecast where E. coli contamination will end up, and coastal current direction is just as necessary.”

He added that the research had identified instances of poor water quality outside the official bathing season and during dry weather, when people may still be swimming.

The study also demonstrates how pollution from a river can be transported towards different parts of the coastline depending on conditions at sea.

Researchers found that bacteria originating in the River Plym could be funnelled eastwards towards Jenny Cliff, Bovisand and Wembury on some days.

Under different conditions, the same source could instead be carried towards the Breakwater and beaches further west.

The implications extend beyond recreational swimming.

In Lyme Bay, researchers investigated two contamination events affecting offshore mussel farms in May and October 2019.

Using the particle-tracking model, the scientists traced the events probabilistically to probable sewage discharges associated with combined sewer overflows on the Exe and Dart, more than 10 kilometres from the shellfish farms.

The contamination resulted in the shellfish safety classification being downgraded, with the affected businesses suffering losses running into thousands of pounds through lost revenue and reputational damage.

The research comes against a backdrop of continued concerns about sewage discharges into England’s rivers and coastal waters.

Environment Agency figures cited by PML show that storm overflows in England spilled 291,492 times during 2025, lasting a combined 1.87 million hours.

Across the South West, covering Cornwall, Devon and West Dorset, there were 46,164 recorded spills lasting 407,006 hours.

The scientists say current monitoring methods can also miss short-lived pollution events.

Routine water-quality testing relies on periodic spot samples, meaning a contamination spike can occur between scheduled sampling visits and go undetected.

According to the research, routine monitoring may record only around 5 per cent of exceedance events.

The issue is particularly relevant because the official bathing-water monitoring season runs from around mid-May to September, while people increasingly use coastal waters for swimming and other activities outside those months.

The study cites previous research suggesting that between 2.5 and 4 per cent of bathers may develop gastrointestinal illness even at beaches classified as having “excellent” water quality.

It also notes that coastal swimmers generally face higher risks of gastrointestinal, ear, eye and respiratory infections than people who do not swim in coastal waters.

The researchers are not suggesting that every instance of E. coli found in coastal water comes from sewage.

Agricultural runoff and faecal material from seabirds can also contribute to bacterial contamination, and the scientists say further work is required to assess these sources.

The modelling system itself is also probabilistic rather than a real-time detector of sewage pollution.

However, PML says hydrodynamic and particle-tracking models could be incorporated into early-warning systems alongside real-time sensors, satellite information and forecasts of currents and tides.

Dr Tilstone said: “The current monitoring approach, based on occasional spot sampling and rainfall alone, is not capturing the full picture.”

For Devon, the findings underline the complexity of monitoring a coastline where the same river, sewage discharge or pollution source can affect different beaches depending on conditions at sea.

They also highlight the potential economic consequences for shellfish producers when contamination travels considerable distances from its original source.

The researchers say further work is needed, but the study demonstrates that a dry day does not necessarily mean clean coastal water, and that knowing where pollution enters the sea may be only the beginning of understanding where it will eventually end up.

( Photos: Unsplash 📸 )

The South West is likely to have been one of the major beneficiaries of an extraordinary summer of sunshine and heat, as the UK heads towards what is expected to be its hottest summer on record.

Provisional figures from the Met Office are due to confirm whether June, July and August 2026 have produced the highest mean summer temperatures since records began in 1884. The figures are expected to show that the previous record, set only last year, has been broken again.

For tourism-dependent communities across Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset, the prolonged spell of warm and predominantly dry weather will have provided a significant opportunity, encouraging people to spend more time on beaches, along the coast and in the region’s outdoor attractions, while potentially giving a valuable boost to hospitality, leisure and visitor businesses during the crucial summer season.

The exceptional conditions have been particularly striking for their persistence rather than simply the peak temperatures. There have been five widespread heatwaves, while temperatures of 30C or above have been recorded on 40 separate days across the UK, exceeding the previous record of 34 days set in 1995.

Temperatures of at least 35C have been recorded on 10 days, twice the previous record of five days, set in 1976 and matched in 2020. Temperatures of 35C or above have also been recorded during four separate calendar months, May, June, July and August, compared with the previous record of two months.

The UK has also experienced three days when temperatures reached at least 37C, a new record. Of the nine occasions on which temperatures of 37C or above have been recorded anywhere in the UK, three have now occurred this year.

The highest temperature of the summer was 38.1C at Kew Gardens in London on 13 August. It was provisionally the UK’s fifth-hottest day on record in terms of maximum temperature, although it remained below the all-time record of 40.3C recorded at Coningsby in Lincolnshire in July 2022. The South West, with its extensive coastline, beaches, countryside and outdoor tourism economy, was particularly well placed to benefit from the long periods of settled weather. A sustained run of warm days can be especially valuable to attractions, accommodation providers, cafés, restaurants, pubs and other businesses reliant on summer visitors.

The weather also arrived during a period when tourism businesses were able to make the most of demand for outdoor activities, coastal trips and traditional seaside holidays. While precise economic figures for the South West’s summer season have yet to emerge, the exceptional conditions created what could prove to have been an important boost for the region’s visitor economy.

The weather was not without its problems, however.

For much of the summer, high pressure dominated the UK’s weather, with dry conditions and winds from continental Europe repeatedly pushing temperatures higher. Some areas experienced more than two months without measurable rainfall.

Drought was declared across all of Wales and more than two-thirds of England, while wildfires caused serious damage in parts of the country.

There was some respite towards the end of August, when cooler and wetter weather returned to many parts of the UK. Heavy rainfall also caused flash flooding in some areas. Sheffield received more than a month’s worth of rain during the week of 24th to 30th August, more than the city had received during the remainder of the season combined.

Despite the prolonged dry weather, the summer as a whole is not expected to set a UK-wide record for dryness.

The persistence of the heat is nevertheless expected to make summer 2026 a landmark year for Britain’s weather.

The UK’s mean temperature for the summer had reached 16.48C by 11th August, and the Met Office said at the time that only average conditions for the remainder of August would be required for a new seasonal record.

Although the second half of August was cooler and wetter, temperatures overall remained mostly around or above the seasonal average.

England and Wales are both expected to set new summer temperature records, while Northern Ireland is likely to come close. Scotland, however, is expected to fall short of its previous record.

The extraordinary summer follows a record-breaking period that began before the traditional summer season. A heatwave at the end of meteorological spring broke the UK’s May temperature record by more than 2C.

June then produced another monthly record, with Lingwood in Norfolk reaching 38.0C on 26th June. The previous June record was 35.6C, recorded during the historic summer of 1976.

Further heatwaves followed in July and August, including one which lasted for three weeks in some locations.

The pattern is consistent with a changing UK climate, with scientists warning that summers are becoming hotter and heatwaves more frequent and intense as a result of human-induced climate change.

All five of the UK’s hottest summers on record have occurred since 2000. Until last year, the four hottest summers were separated by only five hundredths of a degree, before the 2025 record increased by 0.34C.

Now, just one year later, that record is expected to be surpassed again.

The UK sits on the western edge of Europe, the fastest-warming continent on Earth, which is warming at roughly twice the global rate. Scientists point to a number of factors, including land heating faster than the oceans, the influence of a rapidly warming Arctic and changes in weather patterns that can favour more frequent and intense summer heatwaves.

The implications are increasingly significant for communities and businesses that depend upon the weather, including the South West’s substantial tourism economy.

For visitors, 2026 may be remembered as a summer of long, hot days and exceptional sunshine. For the South West’s tourism industry, it may also prove to have been a particularly valuable summer, providing ideal conditions for the region’s beaches, coastal attractions, outdoor activities and hospitality businesses at one of the most important points in the tourism calendar.

But the same conditions that can attract visitors also underline the challenges facing the region. Water resources, agriculture, wildfire risk and the resilience of infrastructure will all come under increasing pressure if hotter and more persistent summer conditions become more commonplace.

( Photos: Pixabay Library / Pulman's Weekly News 📸 )

People across the South West are being urged to become “One in a Million” by joining the NHS Organ Donor Register, amid growing concern that fewer families are giving consent for organ donation at the time of a loved one’s death.

NHS Blood and Transplant has launched a national campaign aiming to encourage an additional one million adults to register their donation decision by the start of 2027.

Nearly 29 million people across the UK have already recorded their wishes, including around 2.9 million people in the South West.

The appeal comes as new figures reveal family consent for organ donation has fallen sharply over the past five years. Across the UK, consent or authorisation rates have dropped from 69 per cent in 2020/21 to 57 per cent in 2025/26.

Health leaders say the decline is particularly worrying at a time when more people than ever are waiting for life-saving transplants.

Evidence shows that when a person has recorded their wishes on the NHS Organ Donor Register, families support donation in almost 90 per cent of cases. However, when relatives are unsure of their loved one’s wishes, support falls to below 50 per cent.

Anthony Clarkson, Director of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “Family support for organ donation has been in steady decline over the last few years, and we need to reverse that trend.

“We understand that when families are approached about organ donation, they may be expected to make difficult decisions at an already tragic time. That’s why we are asking people in the South West to be ‘One in a Million’ and drive up the number of people on the NHS Organ Donor Register to 30 million by the start of 2027. It gives your family that certainty that you want donation to go ahead and it’s expected that they honour that decision.

“For many families though, even when their loved one has expressed a wish to donate, they still override that decision for whatever reason, meaning hundreds of potential organ transplant opportunities being lost each year.

“I would urge people who haven’t already done so to express your decision to donate via the Organ Donor Register and for families to remember that decision and honour it should the time come. It’s the final act you can do for them to honour their memory and leave a lasting legacy to be proud of.”

The figures show that while organ donation and transplantation increased slightly across the UK last year, the South West experienced a small decline.

A total of 237 people in the region donated organs after death during 2025/26, down from 244 the previous year. The number of people receiving transplants also fell, from 369 to 342.

At the same time, 612 patients in the South West are currently waiting for a transplant.

Across the UK, 8,296 patients, including 241 children, were on the active transplant waiting list as of 31 March 2026, the highest number ever recorded.

Last year, 1,428 people donated organs after death across the UK, helping 4,666 patients receive life-saving transplants. Living organ donation also increased, with 1,017 living donors accounting for 42 per cent of all organ donors.

Despite these gains, the need remains acute. NHS figures show 434 patients died while waiting for a transplant last year, including 35 people in the South West. A further 899 patients were removed from waiting lists because their health deteriorated to the point where transplantation was no longer possible.

For Bath resident Harriett Bremner, the importance of recording a donation decision became deeply personal after the sudden death of her husband Grant.

Grant, a father of three, collapsed at home in June 2025 following a brain haemorrhage. He was taken to Southmead Hospital but never regained consciousness. Shortly before his death, he had renewed his driving licence and signed up to the NHS Organ Donor Register.

Harriett said: “When we were in the hospital with him, there was never any doubt in my mind that organ donation was the right thing to do. It was the perfect reflection of Grant, because he was such a generous person in so many ways.

“It was just part of his story because it reflected who he was. I didn’t even have to decide really, because he was on the register through his driving licence that was recently renewed.”

Grant’s kidneys and heart valves were donated, helping other patients and potentially saving lives.

Reflecting on the experience, Harriett said: “In a split second he was here, and then he was gone. So you have to feel happy that you’re making the right decision, which is why signing the Organ Donor Register is so vital.

“I was sitting waiting in the room with Grant, thinking, there’s another family somewhere. I don’t know where they are and I don’t know who they are, but they are sitting in a hospital room too.

“It did help to think about another similar hospital room somewhere, and that Grant would be helping that family.”

NHS Blood and Transplant says increasing the number of people who formally record their wishes and discuss them with loved ones could help save hundreds more lives each year.

The organisation is urging people across Devon, Somerset and the wider South West to register their decision and ensure their families are aware of their wishes, helping to bridge the gap between public support for organ donation and the number of transplants that can actually take place.

( Photos: Unsplash 📸 )

The names of Devon’s four new councils have been confirmed as part of the Government’s sweeping reorganisation of local government, with more than 150 councillor positions set to disappear across the county.

Under the plans, Devon’s existing county and district council structure will be replaced by four unitary authorities responsible for delivering all local services within their areas. The new councils will be known as Exeter Council, Greater Plymouth Council, Torbay and South Devon Council, and Devon Council.

The changes form part of the Government’s wider programme of local government reorganisation and are expected to come into effect in April 2028, following elections to the new authorities in May 2027.

The overhaul will see the abolition of Devon County Council and the county’s district councils, replacing the current two-tier system under which responsibilities are shared between county and district authorities. At present, Devon County Council oversees services such as highways, education and social care, while district councils are responsible for areas including waste collection and planning.

Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council already operate as unitary authorities, meaning they currently manage all local government services within their boundaries.

A significant reduction in elected representatives is also planned. The number of councillors across Devon’s 11 existing councils will fall from 481 to 321, a reduction of around one-third.

Under the proposals, Devon Council, covering the county’s predominantly rural and coastal areas, will have 103 councillors. Exeter Council will have 86 councillors, Greater Plymouth Council 68, and Torbay and South Devon Council 64.

The Government has also allocated £900,000 to each new authority to support the transition, amounting to £3.6 million across Devon. An additional £150,000 per council could be made available to help manage changes to children’s and adult social care services.

In a letter sent to the chief executives of Devon’s councils, ministers outlined plans for joint committees to oversee the transition process. Devon Council’s committee will comprise seven district council representatives and seven county council representatives. Exeter Council’s committee will include two members from Exeter City Council, one representative from each of the three district councils helping to form the new authority, and five representatives from Devon County Council.

Similar arrangements are expected for Greater Plymouth Council and Torbay and South Devon Council.

The Government has requested further information from Devon’s councils by 17 August to help prepare a Structural Change Order, the legal mechanism required to establish the new authorities.

The letter states that, once finalised, the order will undergo scrutiny by parliamentary committees before being formally laid before Parliament. Ministers expect the legislation to come into force during 2027.

The plans are progressing despite the possibility of a judicial review challenge from Devon County Council.

Any formal legal action would need to be launched by mid-October.

Boundary changes will also accompany the reorganisation. Exeter Council is expected to incorporate 15 parishes from Teignbridge, 28 from East Devon and six from Mid Devon. Torbay and South Devon Council will include 16 parishes from Teignbridge and five from South Hams, while Greater Plymouth Council will absorb 13 parishes from South Hams. The remaining areas will form the new Devon Council.

Although the names announced by ministers will be the authorities’ official legal titles when they are established, each council will have the option of applying to change its name in the future.

If approved by Parliament, the changes will mark the most significant restructuring of local government in Devon for decades, fundamentally reshaping how services are delivered to residents across the county.

( Images: Unsplash 📸 )

Rail passengers in East Devon are facing significant disruption after a temporary timetable was introduced on the West of England line due to safety concerns linked to prolonged hot and dry weather.

South Western Railway (SWR) and Network Rail Wessex have implemented the revised timetable between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids following concerns about the stability of railway infrastructure affected by recent weather conditions.

Under the temporary arrangements, trains between Yeovil Junction and Exeter St Davids will run only once every two hours. Most journeys from London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids are expected to take up to 24 minutes longer than usual, while services from Exeter St Davids to London Waterloo could take up to 27 minutes longer.

The changes have been introduced because unstable clay embankments between Salisbury and Exeter have dried out during the prolonged period of hot weather, affecting track stability.

To maintain passenger safety, speed restrictions have been imposed between Tisbury and Honiton, a 60-mile section of largely single-track railway with only six passing loops. The restrictions significantly reduce the number of trains that can operate along the route.

Lawrence Bowman, managing director of South Western Railway and Network Rail Wessex, said: “The record-breaking heat of the last few months has had a significant impact on railways across the UK, and parts of our route are particularly vulnerable.

“Extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common, and this is the second year in a row that prolonged hot, dry weather has affected our network.

“We are sorry for the disruption these changes may cause.

“We will restore the regular timetable as soon as conditions allow.”

Services between London Waterloo and Salisbury will continue to operate every 30 minutes, with one train per hour running to Yeovil Junction. Every other hour, that service will continue through to Exeter St Davids.

The disruption follows similar problems experienced on the line last summer, which prompted investment to strengthen the route against future weather-related issues.

Since then, SWR and Network Rail Wessex have monitored more than 30 sites between Salisbury and Exeter, installed 5,000 tonnes of new ballast, carried out extensive tamping work and removed more than 200 dead and diseased trees from embankments.

The two organisations are also working with the University of Southampton to develop longer-term solutions aimed at improving the resilience of the West of England line to extreme weather and climate change.

Passengers are being advised to check their journeys before travelling and allow extra time for their journeys while the temporary timetable remains in place.

( Photo: Pulman's Weekly News & Advertiser Series 📸 )

Families across Devon are being invited to enjoy a unique theatre experience this summer as an award-winning bilingual production tours seven libraries across the county.

The Librarians will visit libraries between 28th and 31st July, combining British Sign Language (BSL) and spoken English to create an inclusive performance for Deaf and hearing children aged between four and nine, along with their families.

Supported by Arts Council England as part of the National Year of Reading, the show has been created by touring theatre company HelenandJohn with performer Alex Nowak.

The story follows the adventures of the eccentric Miss Book and Mr Page, using visual theatre, physical comedy and storytelling to celebrate books, imagination and the enjoyment of reading.

Alex Kittow, Chief Executive of Libraries Unlimited, said: “At Libraries Unlimited, we believe everyone should be able to experience the joy of stories. The Librarians is a brilliant example of how creativity can bring people together, offering a truly inclusive award-winning theatre experience for Deaf and hearing children and their families.

“We are delighted to welcome the show to libraries across Devon, creating opportunities for families to enjoy high-quality cultural experiences in welcoming, accessible spaces where everyone feels like they belong. We hope it inspires a lifelong love of reading, imagination and creativity for all.”

Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Libraries, added: “Our libraries are places where everyone should feel welcome. This wonderful show brings stories to life in a way that can be enjoyed by Deaf and hearing children together.

“It’s a great example of how libraries can inspire imagination, bring communities together and help more children discover a love of reading.”

The performances will take place at Cullompton, Sidmouth, Exmouth, Combe Martin, Braunton, Newton Abbot and Paignton libraries.

Performance dates and times are:

• Tuesday, 28th July – 2.00pm, Cullompton Library

• Wednesday, 29th July – 10.00am, Sidmouth Library

• Wednesday, 29th July – 2.00pm, Exmouth Library

• Thursday, 30th July – 11.00am, Combe Martin Library

• Thursday, 30th July – 2.30pm, Braunton Library

• Friday, 31st July – 10.00am, Newton Abbot Library

• Friday, 31st July – 2.00pm, Paignton Library

Families can find out more about the performances, book tickets and watch a trailer by visiting www.librariesunlimited.org.uk

( Photos: Libraries Unlimited / YouTube 📸 )

Communities across the South West are being encouraged to take a fresh look at their relationship with alcohol as a national campaign highlights the everyday role drinking can play in people’s lives.

Alcohol Awareness Week 2026, running from 6th to 12th July, is inviting people to reflect on the theme “Alcohol and me” - encouraging honest conversations about drinking habits, the pressures people face and the support available.

Supported by public health teams across the region, including Public Health Devon and Somerset Council’s Public Health team, the campaign aims to remind residents that checking in with their alcohol intake is just as much a part of looking after their health as monitoring other aspects of wellbeing.

For many people, alcohol is closely linked with everyday experiences - from birthdays and barbecues to socialising with friends, watching sport or unwinding after a busy day. But campaign organisers say these connections can sometimes make it difficult to step back and consider whether drinking habits are having an impact.

The message behind Alcohol Awareness Week is not about judgement, but about awareness, choice and making sure people know where they can find help if they need it.

Nationally, around 10 million people regularly drink alcohol in ways that could harm their health and wellbeing.

Excessive drinking can contribute to a range of issues, including poor sleep, anxiety, low mood and longer-term health conditions such as heart disease, liver disease and some cancers.

Health professionals recommend that adults follow lower-risk drinking guidance, with men and women advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units a week, spread across three or more days.

Across Devon, residents are being encouraged to use the free and confidential DrinkCoach Alcohol Test to better understand their drinking patterns and consider whether making changes could benefit their health.

The online tool allows people to reflect on their alcohol use, identify potential risks and explore possible next steps. Those who feel they would benefit from further support can access up to six free online coaching sessions with an experienced DrinkCoach.

Steve Brown, Director of Public Health and Communities, said: “Alcohol is often presented as the backdrop for celebrations, socialising or relaxing after a stressful day, which makes it difficult to step back and ask ourselves what role does alcohol really play in our life – and are we happy about that?

“We want to create space for more conversations about alcohol and encourage people to take a few minutes to check in with their drinking. For some people that might mean finding out more about their relationship with alcohol, cutting back a little, or getting some more support.”

In Somerset, the campaign is also being supported by Somerset Council and Somerset Drug & Alcohol Service (SDAS), with teams offering free, confidential advice and support to residents who may have concerns about their drinking.

Councillor Evie Potts-Jones, Somerset Council’s lead for SEND, Public Health and Qualities & Diversity, said: “Alcohol can play different roles in people’s lives, but understanding its impacts is essential.

“Alcohol Awareness Week is a chance to reflect on our drinking habits, support those who may be struggling and ensure people know where to find help if they need it.”

Joy Gamlin, Senior Operations Manager at SDAS, said alcohol can often be overlooked because it is so widely accepted in everyday life.

“When people think about substance use, they maybe don’t think about alcohol as it is so normalised; however, we are regularly approached by people who are seeking support for drinking and they come from all walks of life, it’s indiscriminate.

“In Somerset, we’re committed to supporting people to make healthier choices. Whether it’s a conversation with a colleague, a visit to an information stand, or reaching out to SDAS for advice, we want local people to know help is available and judgement-free.”

The campaign encourages people across the South West to take small steps that could make a positive difference - whether that means tracking drinking habits, cutting back, speaking to someone about concerns or simply finding out more.

Residents in Devon can access DrinkCoach resources and support options, while people living in Somerset can contact SDAS for free and confidential advice.

Communities are also being encouraged to share their experiences and activities throughout the week using #AlcoholAwarenessWeek.

( Photo: Unsplash 📸 )

A new Minor Injuries Service has opened at Seaton and Colyton Medical Practice, offering residents across Seaton and surrounding Devon villages faster access to treatment for recent, non-life-threatening injuries.

The service is available to all local residents, including those who are not registered with the practice, and is designed to provide a more convenient option for urgent but minor injuries within the community.

It will treat injuries sustained within the past 48 hours and is not intended for illnesses, long-term conditions, or routine medical concerns, which should continue to be managed through standard GP services or other healthcare routes.

As the facility does not include X-ray equipment, patients with suspected fractures or more serious injuries are being advised to attend Minor Injury Units in Honiton or, where appropriate, emergency services in Exeter.

The service operates during normal weekday practice hours and is not available at weekends or on Bank Holidays. Patients are encouraged to telephone ahead where possible, as it will run alongside existing GP appointments and clinical duties carried out by GPs, an Advanced Clinical Practitioner, and an Advanced Nurse Practitioner. As a result, some waiting times may occur.

The introduction of the service follows a three-year effort by Seaton and Colyton Medical Practice to improve access to urgent care locally. Progress was initially delayed due to a lack of suitable space within the building, but approval was eventually secured following discussions with the Integrated Care Board (ICB) to deliver the service from the practice premises.

To make the project possible, back-office space was converted into a clinical treatment room, supported by additional funding and grants linked to the practice’s role in medical training.

Local businesses also played a key role in supporting the development. Howdens Joinery supplied kitchen units and materials at no cost to create a fully equipped clinical preparation and storage area, while Clinch Plumbing, JKS Flooring, Hancock Construction, and Inside Out contributed time, services, and discounted work.

A spokesperson for Seaton and Colyton Medical Practice said they were “delighted” to launch the service, describing it as “a valuable step forward in improving access to urgent care” for residents across Seaton and the wider Devon area.

( Photo: Unsplash 📸 )

Across Britain, interest in witchcraft and modern Pagan spirituality has become increasingly visible. Once relegated to folklore, Halloween imagery and historical myth, it now sits within a broader, more complex religious landscape in which traditional Christianity coexists with a growing range of alternative spiritual expressions.

While the trend is evident nationally, it is particularly noticeable in parts of Britain with a strong Celtic heritage, where landscape, folklore and a deep sense of place continue to shape cultural identity. In such areas, nature-based spirituality has become increasingly visible within wellbeing culture, online communities and public discussions about faith. What was once regarded as a fringe interest now enjoys a degree of cultural legitimacy that would have seemed unlikely a generation ago.

Modern witchcraft is not a single organised belief system. It ranges from structured Pagan religions such as Wicca to highly individual, informal practices often described as eclectic or “green” witchcraft. Wicca itself emerged in Britain during the twentieth century and draws upon ritual practice, seasonal symbolism and reconstructed elements of pre-Christian tradition. Alongside it sit more fluid forms of spirituality that emphasise personal ritual, herbal knowledge, meditation and symbolic engagement with nature.

For most practitioners, these traditions are not experienced as theatrical or superficial. They are understood as sincere forms of spirituality, often framed less in terms of supernatural claims and more as ways of cultivating meaning, mindfulness and connection to the natural world. This distinction is important, particularly given the way witchcraft is frequently represented in popular culture.

The reasons behind the increased visibility of such practices are closely linked to wider shifts in British religious identity. Church attendance has declined over several decades, while the proportion of people identifying as having no religion has risen significantly. Yet the decline of organised religion has not necessarily extinguished spiritual curiosity. Instead, many people appear to be searching for meaning outside traditional institutions.

For some, witchcraft and Pagan practice offer a sense of autonomy. There is no requirement for formal membership, clerical authority or adherence to a fixed creed. Spiritual practice is shaped by personal experience, reflection and engagement with nature and seasonal cycles. This flexibility appeals in a culture that increasingly values individual choice and self-expression.

The emphasis on nature is particularly significant. Much modern Pagan and witchcraft practice is closely tied to the changing seasons, environmental awareness and the symbolism of landscape. In a society increasingly dominated by screens, schedules and urban living, many people find themselves drawn to spiritualities that encourage a renewed attentiveness to the rhythms of the natural world.

One of the clearest examples of this can be seen each year at the Summer Solstice. Thousands gather before dawn at Stonehenge to witness the sunrise on the longest day of the year. Among them are Pagans, Druids, Wiccans, New Age spiritual seekers, tourists and the simply curious. What was once a relatively niche observance has become a significant cultural event, attracting widespread media coverage and growing public interest.

For committed Pagans and Wiccan practitioners, the Summer Solstice occupies an important place within the ritual calendar, marking the height of the sun’s power and celebrating the cycles of nature. Yet many who attend would not describe themselves as followers of any particular spiritual path. Rather, they are drawn by a desire for connection, community and participation in something that feels older and larger than themselves.

The popularity of such gatherings raises an important question. Is this growing fascination with solstice celebrations and nature spirituality a genuine threat to Christianity?

The answer is probably more complex than either critics or enthusiasts would like to admit.

Numerically, modern Paganism remains a small minority faith in Britain. The vast majority of those attending events such as the Summer Solstice are not dedicated practitioners of Wicca or Pagan religion. Many are visitors, day-trippers or people attracted by the atmosphere and symbolism rather than any deeply held theological conviction.

Yet it would be mistaken for Christians to dismiss the phenomenon as little more than a colourful gathering or an excuse for a midsummer party. The crowds assembling at Stonehenge each June point towards something deeper within British society. They reveal a continuing appetite for ritual, transcendence and communal experiences of the sacred.

In many respects, the success of modern Pagan spirituality tells us less about Paganism itself than about the spiritual condition of contemporary Britain. The longing that draws people to ancient monuments, seasonal festivals and nature-based rituals is often the same longing that has historically drawn people towards religion more generally: the search for meaning, belonging and a sense of connection with something beyond the self.

This is where the challenge for the Church becomes particularly significant.

Many people continue to hunger for wonder and transcendence, but increasingly seek them outside traditional Christian structures. Some perceive the Church as distant, institutional or disconnected from everyday experience. Others struggle to see how ancient doctrines relate to modern concerns about identity, wellbeing, community and the environment.

The rise of alternative spirituality therefore raises uncomfortable but necessary questions. Have churches become less effective at communicating the beauty and mystery of the Christian faith? Have they underestimated the human need for ritual, symbolism and sacred space? Have they failed to articulate a compelling Christian vision of creation at a time when environmental concern is becoming central to public life?

Historically, Christianity has never lacked resources to answer these questions. The biblical narrative begins in a garden and ends with the renewal of creation. The Christian tradition contains rich understandings of stewardship, pilgrimage, contemplation and humanity’s relationship with the natural world. Throughout history, believers have encountered God not only in churches and cathedrals but also in deserts, forests, mountains and remote places of prayer.

The challenge may therefore be less about competing with Paganism and more about recovering confidence in Christianity’s own spiritual inheritance.

What is emerging across Britain is not a wholesale return to pre-Christian religion. Nor is it evidence that large numbers of people are abandoning Christianity in favour of Wicca or Paganism. The reality is both less dramatic and more revealing.

The growing visibility of witchcraft, solstice celebrations and nature-based spirituality suggests that, despite decades of secularisation, the desire for transcendence remains remarkably resilient. People continue to seek ritual, meaning, community and a sense of connection with something larger than themselves. The decline of traditional religious observance has not extinguished those impulses; it has simply changed the ways in which they are expressed.

For Christians, the most important observation may not be why some people are drawn to Pagan spirituality at all, but why so many are searching elsewhere for experiences of wonder, belonging and the sacred. The crowds gathering at Stonehenge before sunrise each June are unlikely to herald a Pagan revival. They do, however, offer a reminder that Britain remains a nation in spiritual search. How the Church responds to that search may prove far more significant than the growth of witchcraft itself.

( Photos: Unsplash 📸 )

People across the UK are set to enjoy the longest day of the year this weekend as the summer solstice marks the start of astronomical summer, with forecasters predicting warm and largely sunny conditions in many areas.

The solstice falls on Sunday 21st June, when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted most directly towards the Sun, bringing the greatest amount of daylight and the shortest night of the year.

This year, the exact moment of the solstice occurs at 9.24am BST. However, for most people it will be experienced simply as a day of extended daylight rather than a single moment in time.

It means more daylight than on any other day of 2026, with the opportunity for long evenings and warm weather making it a highlight of the summer calendar.

Forecasters are expecting generally dry and bright conditions across much of the UK, with temperatures reaching into the high 20s and possibly above 30C in some areas.

The South West is expected to be particularly warm, with hot conditions likely to draw people outdoors to make the most of the sunshine.

The summer solstice occurs because the Earth is tilted on its axis by around 23.4 degrees. As it orbits the Sun, this tilt changes the amount of daylight different parts of the world receive throughout the year.

On the solstice, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted most directly towards the Sun, resulting in the longest period of daylight. At this point, the Sun appears directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer.

The word “solstice” comes from the Latin sol, meaning sun, and sistere, meaning to stand still, a reference to the Sun appearing to pause briefly in its path across the sky before changing direction.

Despite being known as the longest day of the year, the solstice does not bring the earliest sunrise or the latest sunset. These occur on different dates due to the way the Earth’s orbit and rotation interact.

The timing of the solstice can also vary slightly, falling on 20th, 21st or 22nd June depending on the year, as the Earth takes just over 365 days to orbit the Sun.

While meteorological summer begins on 1st June, the solstice remains the traditional marker of midsummer in the astronomical calendar.

( Photo: Pixabay Library 📸 )

Health officials have issued a heat health alert as temperatures across parts of England are forecast to climb towards 30C later this week.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued yellow heat health alerts covering the East of England, East Midlands, London and the South East from 3.00pm on Wednesday until 8.00pm on Monday.

The alert comes amid forecasts of a significant rise in temperatures, with some areas expected to experience very warm and humid conditions as hot air moves north from continental Europe.

The UKHSA warned that the heat could pose an increased risk to vulnerable people, particularly older adults and those with existing health conditions. Officials said the warmer weather could lead to greater pressure on healthcare services and an increased risk of heat-related illness.

The agency also highlighted potential water-related dangers, warning that the warmer conditions could increase the risk of drowning and cold-water shock as more people head to beaches, rivers and lakes to cool off.

Temperatures are expected to rise steadily through the week, with some areas of southern England potentially reaching 30C by Friday.

The Met Office said high pressure is beginning to build across parts of the country and there is a “warm plume moving up through continental Europe”, with southeastern areas expected to become “very warm and humid” from Wednesday onwards.

While much of southern and eastern England is set to enjoy summer-like conditions, the weather picture will be markedly different elsewhere. Northern and western parts of the UK are expected to remain more unsettled, with spells of heavy rain possible on Thursday and Friday.

The combination of high temperatures and humidity is expected to create challenging conditions for some people, particularly those who are elderly, have underlying health conditions or are spending extended periods outdoors.

Health officials are encouraging people to take sensible precautions during the warm spell, including staying hydrated, avoiding prolonged exposure to the midday sun and checking on vulnerable relatives, friends and neighbours.

The latest forecasts suggest many areas could experience the warmest weather of the year so far, although authorities are urging people to remain aware of the health risks that can accompany periods of unusually hot weather.

( Photo: Pixabay Library 📸 )

Thousands of people across the South West are expected to take part in Pride celebrations over the coming weeks as towns and cities host parades, festivals, exhibitions and community events marking Pride Month.

Held annually throughout June, Pride Month celebrates LGBTQ+ communities while recognising the ongoing fight for equality, inclusion and human rights. Events across Devon, Somerset and Dorset are expected to bring together residents, visitors, community groups and performers in a series of celebrations highlighting diversity and acceptance.

The origins of Pride Month are widely linked to the Stonewall Uprising in New York City on 28th June 1969, when members of the LGBTQ+ community resisted a police raid at the Stonewall Inn. The protests that followed are widely regarded as a turning point in the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement and helped inspire the first Pride marches a year later.

More than five decades on, Pride events are now held across the world, combining celebration with activism and visibility for LGBTQ+ communities.

In Devon, one of the first major events will be Torbay Pride on Saturday 13th June at Torre Abbey Meadows in Torquay. A Pride march will begin at Princess Gardens before heading to the main festival site, with organisers promising live music, food stalls and community-led activities.

Exmouth Pride will follow on Saturday 20th June in Manor Gardens, featuring a march from Sideshore, live performances, family-friendly activities and local organisations showcasing support services.

On Saturday 27th June, Dartmouth Pride will return for its sixth year, centred around Royal Avenue Gardens, with town-wide decorations, entertainment and community stalls.

The South West’s largest Pride gathering is expected in Plymouth on Saturday 11th July, when Plymouth Pride will see a parade march from the Theatre Royal to Plymouth Hoe, followed by a large-scale celebration on the Hoe.

In Somerset, the Taunton Brewhouse is hosting a month-long Pride exhibition throughout June alongside theatre, queer cinema and comedy events aimed at showcasing LGBTQ+ stories and creativity.

Martock Pride will also take place on Saturday 20th June, featuring cabaret performances under the banner “Y’all Means All”, with drag artists and live entertainment at the Parish Hall.

In Dorset, Sherborne Pride returns on Sunday 28th June for its second year, with live performances and family-friendly activities in Pageant Gardens.

Local political leaders have also highlighted the importance of Pride Month. Plymouth MP Luke Pollard ( seen pictured here with with partner ) said Pride continues to play a vital role in promoting equality and visibility.

Speaking about the significance of the month, he said: “June is Pride Month. I am really proud to be Plymouth’s first openly gay MP, and I have always been proud to campaign for better LGBT+ rights.”

He added that equality remained central to his work, saying he has “always tried to use [his] platform to highlight issues that make life difficult for folks that are part of the community.”

Reflecting on the challenges still faced by LGBTQ+ people, he said: “There is still a long way to go until every LGBT+ person can live openly, safely and love who they want. Which is why Pride Month matters so much.”

He also encouraged people to take part in local celebrations, highlighting that Plymouth Pride will take place on Saturday 11th July, and pointing residents towards Love Army HQ in Plymouth Market for information about Pride activities.

Organisers across the region say Pride events continue to offer not only celebration, but also a space for reflection on progress made and the work still needed to achieve full equality.

While attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people have changed significantly in recent decades, campaigners say issues such as discrimination, hate crime and mental health inequalities remain.

For many, Pride provides an opportunity to connect with others, celebrate identity and feel part of a wider community. Studies have consistently shown that visibility, acceptance and social support can have a positive impact on wellbeing, particularly for LGBTQ+ young people.

As more rainbow flags begin appearing across the South West, organisers hope this year’s events will continue to strengthen inclusion and understanding within local communities, while celebrating the diversity of those taking part.

( Photos: Pixabay Library / Luke Pollard MP / Threads 📸 )

A heat health alert has been issued across the South West as forecasters warn temperatures could climb to 29C over the bank holiday weekend and into next week.

The yellow alert, issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), came into force on Friday afternoon and remains in place until Wednesday evening. It covers Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Bristol and Gloucestershire.

The warning comes as beaches, parks and beauty spots throughout the South West region are expected to attract large crowds during the bank holiday break, with temperatures forecast to remain well above average for late May.

The UKHSA said “significant impacts” are possible across health and social care services during the alert period. Officials also warned there may be a rise in deaths among vulnerable groups, “particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions”, although younger people may also be affected by the prolonged heat.

Forecasters at the Met Office said temperatures across the South West could reach 29C over the weekend and into next week, with heatwave conditions becoming increasingly likely.

A heatwave is officially defined as at least three consecutive days in which temperatures meet or exceed a set threshold for a particular area.

The Met Office said: “As the bank holiday weekend progresses, these conditions are expected to become more widespread, as temperatures remain well above average.”

Health officials are urging people to take precautions during the hot spell by staying hydrated, avoiding excessive alcohol and limiting strenuous outdoor activity during the hottest part of the day between 11.00am and 3.00pm.

Residents are also being advised to keep homes cool by closing curtains and windows exposed to direct sunlight, while those spending time outdoors should wear suitable clothing, seek shade where possible and apply sunscreen regularly.

Dog walkers and people exercising outdoors are being encouraged to plan activities for cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or evening.

The alert has been given a medium impact rating on the UKHSA risk matrix, with authorities warning the spell of hot weather could place additional strain on services if temperatures remain high over several days.

If forecasts hold, it could become one of the warmest periods of the year so far across the South West.

( Photo: Pixabay Library 📸 )

Hundreds of motorists in Devon and Cornwall are being caught speeding each year because of a little-known rule affecting caravans, motorhomes and vehicles towing trailers.

New DVLA figures reveal the two counties recorded more SP20 speeding endorsements than almost anywhere else in Britain between 2022 and 2025 - despite accounting for a relatively small proportion of the population.

The SP20 offence applies when drivers exceed speed limits set specifically for larger or towing vehicles, rather than standard car limits.

In total, 806 drivers from Devon and 598 from Cornwall received the endorsements over the four-year period. Together, the counties accounted for 1,404 offences - more than one in five of the British total.

The figures were obtained through a Freedom of Information request submitted by Select Car Leasing.

Many motorists appear unaware that caravans and motorhomes are subject to lower national speed limits under the Highway Code. Vehicles towing trailers or caravans are restricted to 50mph on single carriageways and 60mph on dual carriageways, compared with 60mph and 70mph for ordinary cars.

The South West as a whole recorded 1,883 SP20 endorsements between 2022 and 2025 - almost 30 per cent of all offences issued nationwide.

Industry experts believe holiday traffic and rural roads may be contributing to the high numbers across Devon and Cornwall, particularly during the busy tourist season.

Graham Conway, managing director of Select Car Leasing, said many drivers simply do not realise the rules change once a caravan is attached or a motorhome is hired.

“Devon and Cornwall have exactly the kind of long, open roads where it is easy to drift above 50mph without thinking,” he said.

“These figures suggest thousands of drivers are doing exactly that.”

Nationally, SP20 endorsements rose sharply during the period covered by the data, increasing from 1,103 in 2022 to 1,999 in 2024 before dropping back to 1,489 in 2025.

The statistics also showed men accounted for around 95 per cent of offences, while drivers aged between 35 and 44 formed the largest group penalised.

Mr Conway said the figures suggested many experienced motorists were being caught out by regulations that are not widely understood.

“These are experienced motorists, the kind of people who have held a licence for decades and consider themselves perfectly safe behind the wheel,” he said.

“But the rules around towing and specialist vehicles are not well publicised and that is when endorsements happen.”

The DVLA said it does not hold detailed data showing which types of vehicles were involved in individual SP20 offences.

( Photos: Unsplash 📸 )

The Devon County Show is set to return next week, bringing with it a packed programme of farming, food, countryside traditions and rural debate - with a Royal visit among the highlights.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh will attend this year’s show, continuing a long tradition of Royal involvement in one of the South West’s biggest annual events. In previous years, the show has welcomed members of the Royal Family, including Anne, Princess Royal, who visited in 2025.

Running from Thursday, 21st May to Saturday, 23rd May at Westpoint Arena, Exeter, the show will once again feature livestock competitions, countryside displays, food producers and family attractions, with gates opening daily from 10.00am.

One of the standout attractions this year will be the Heavy Horse Festival, which returns in association with Whistlefish and will be officially opened by actor and countryside advocate Martin Clunes.

A passionate supporter of traditional heavy horse breeds, Clunes said working with the animals has become a central part of his life.

“Heavy horses have been part of my life for many years now, and I’m endlessly moved by their gentleness, their intelligence, and the sheer presence they always bring to an occasion,” he said.

“To see these magnificent breeds celebrated here at the Devon County Show - and to meet the people who care for them with such passion - is a real privilege.”

Visitors will be able to get up close to some of the UK’s rarest working horse breeds, including Shires, Clydesdales, Suffolks and Percherons. The festival will include expert demonstrations, dray-pulling displays and working exhibits showcasing traditional rural skills.

Show Secretary Lisa Moore said the Heavy Horse Festival has become a firm favourite with visitors.

“We are thrilled to welcome Martin Clunes back to open the Heavy Horse Festival for the second year running,” she said. “His genuine love for heavy horses and his advocacy for their preservation makes him the perfect figurehead.”

Alongside the celebrations of rural heritage, this year’s event will also honour long-time visitor Malcolm Batten, 94, whose lifelong connection with the show spans back to childhood evacuation during the Second World War.

Organisers say Mr Batten has attended around 80 shows over his lifetime and will be recognised during the Duchess of Edinburgh’s visit on Thursday, 21st May.

He will be presented with a specially made cake shaped like his restored RAF jeep, a vehicle he rebuilt using skills learned during his service as an RAF mechanic. He will also take a ceremonial lap of the Main Ring in a vintage tractor following the traditional parade.

His enduring enthusiasm for both modern and historic machinery has made him a familiar face at the show, with organisers describing him as embodying its spirit of “heritage and progress”.

Elsewhere, John Lee OBE DL has been announced as President of the Devon County Show for 2026. A respected figure in British agriculture, he has deep family roots in Devon farming and said he felt honoured to take on the role.

“Having been involved with the Devon County Show for so long there can be no greater honour than being elected President,” he said. “The Show is powered by an incredible team of volunteers and staff, and I look forward to supporting them as we showcase all that is best in Devonshire food, farming and rural life.”

Looking ahead, a major rural policy discussion will take place on Friday, 22nd May, when the Devon County Agricultural Association hosts “Rural Matters: Question Time”. The debate, held in the President’s Pavilion, will bring together leaders from farming, finance and food sectors, with topics expected to include agricultural policy, rural crime and economic pressures facing the countryside.

The Devon County Show runs from 21st – 23rd May. Tickets are available via - www.devoncountyshow.co.uk

( Photos courtesy of Devon County Show 📸 )

Politicians and community leaders in Devon are pressing the government to deliver a long-term rural broadband strategy, warning that thousands of homes could otherwise be left behind when current support schemes end.

A joint letter signed by Devon MPs and senior figures from organisations across the county urges ministers to put plans in place for hard-to-reach rural areas once existing funding programmes come to a close.

The letter was written by Devon County Council’s cabinet member for rural affairs and broadband, Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin (Liberal Democrat, Torrington Rural), and South Devon MP Caroline Voaden (Liberal Democrat).

They warn that although the Gigabit Project Voucher Scheme has been relaunched, it is due to end in early 2028. They say that after this point “there will be no national programme supporting rural connectivity in rural areas, leaving many hard-to-reach premises with no hope of improved connectivity”.

They added: “At a time when the national target of 99 per cent gigabit connectivity is reached, there will be a higher percentage of properties falling into the remaining 1 per cent in Devon, where we estimate this will be closer to 7 per cent, or roughly 44,000 homes.”

The Gigabit Project Voucher Scheme was originally due to finish last year but has since been extended. It offers grants towards the cost of faster broadband connections in areas where commercial providers are unlikely to invest.

Cllr Cottle-Hunkin and Ms Voaden also argued that rural communities often have a greater need for reliable digital access, particularly as banks and Post Office branches continue to close and more services move online.

They said current national investment was widening the gap between well-served and poorly served areas.

“In Devon, the reality is that the vast majority of Project Gigabit funding is uplifting premises with reasonable connectivity to gigabit speeds at the expense of more rural premises with the slowest speeds and the greatest need,” the letter states.

“Specifically, 90 per cent of Project Gigabit delivery in Devon will cover premises already at superfast speeds, with only 10 per cent addressing those below 30 megabits per second (Mbps).

“This national investment is therefore widening the rural digital divide, not closing it.”

The letter adds that around 35,000 homes and businesses in Devon currently have speeds below 30 Mbps with “no commercial solution or investment from Project Gigabit”.

It continues: “At present, Building Digital UK has no mandate to even begin to address this challenge since it is a delivery body, charged with delivering against government policy.

“In the continuing absence of any government policy on the Very Hard to Reach Premises, there can be no budgetary allocation and thus no delivery plan.”

The pair have requested a meeting with ministers to discuss the creation of a national strategy for the hardest-to-reach properties.

They have also proposed Devon as a “national location to test, trial or pilot solutions, technologies and models for delivery of rural broadband solutions”.

Among those signing the letter were Edwina Bradshaw, independent chair of Citizens Advice Devon, Andrea Davis, chair of Exmoor National Park, and Will Dracup, chairman of Dartmoor National Park.

Six other Devon MPs also backed the call, including Liberal Democrat MPs Richard Foord (Honiton and Sidmouth) and Rachel Gilmour (Tiverton and Minehead), along with Conservative South West Devon MP Rebecca Smith.

( Photo: Pixabay Library 📸 )

Thousands of homes and businesses across the South West are now better protected from flooding, as major investment in defences begins to show results ahead of what experts warn will be a wetter, more unpredictable future.

New figures released by the Environment Agency reveal that 4,916 properties in the region have benefited from improved flood protection over the past two years, including communities in coastal and low-lying areas such as parts of East Devon. Among the most significant schemes is the £120 million Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area (ASEA) project, which has delivered 17 kilometres of new flood defences.

The scale of the Avonmouth scheme is not only reducing flood risk to 2,500 homes and businesses, but is also expected to help unlock up to 12,000 new jobs across the West of England.

Meanwhile in Somerset, the £9.7 million refurbishment of the Dunball Sluice has extended the structure’s operational life by at least 25 years. The upgrade has already proved its worth, allowing all eight gates to operate at full capacity when conditions allow, helping to efficiently drain floodwaters from the Somerset Levels and Moors.

The improvements come as part of a wider national programme that has exceeded expectations. Across England, 61,898 homes and businesses have been better protected from flooding since 2024 - nearly 10,000 more than originally planned.

The Government says its £2.65 billion investment in flood defences is beginning to pay off, with more than 250 projects completed and an estimated £10 billion in future damage prevented.

Caroline Douglass, Executive Director of Floods and Coastal Risk Management at the Environment Agency, said the milestone reflects a sustained national effort.

“Flooding has a devastating impact on communities and will only worsen as our climate changes,” she said.

“Exceeding our target by nearly 10,000 properties reflects the tireless work of our teams and partners across the country to protect the communities they live in.

“With more than 600 projects being taken forward in the coming year, we will continue working to ensure vulnerable towns and cities get the protection they need.”

Floods Minister Emma Hardy described the impact of flooding as “life-changing”, adding that investment was reversing years of underperformance.

“Flooding is life-changing - destroying homes, shutting down businesses and leaving communities facing months of heartbreak,” she said.

“This Government has invested a record £2.65 billion to repair flood defences and build new ones. After we inherited defences left in tatters, our investment is paying off, with almost 62,000 homes and businesses better protected from flooding and a further 840,000 properties on course to benefit by 2036.”

The urgency of these improvements was underlined earlier this year, when exceptionally wet weather hit parts of the country. While several hundred properties were flooded, Environment Agency teams successfully protected more than 24,000 others - demonstrating the value of strengthened defences.

With more than six million properties in England considered at risk from flooding, and climate change expected to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, officials say continued investment remains critical.

Every £1 spent on flood defences is estimated to prevent around £8 in economic damage, offering significant long-term savings for households, businesses and the wider economy.

Looking ahead, a further £1.4 billion has been committed for the coming year alone, funding more than 600 projects nationwide. By 2036, the Government aims for its wider £10.5 billion programme to better protect around 840,000 properties.

( Photo: Pulman's Weekly News 📸 )

Churches in rural communities are increasingly at risk from crime, with new figures revealing an average of ten offences a day targeting places of worship across the UK.

Data compiled by the Countryside Alliance recorded 3,809 crimes against church properties in 2025, including theft, burglary, vandalism and assault.

Of these, 1,619 incidents involved theft or burglary – including 58 cases of lead and metal theft – while 1,018 were linked to criminal damage such as vandalism and arson. A further 1,000 cases involved violence.

The figures, based on Freedom of Information requests to 45 territorial police forces, are likely to underestimate the true scale of the problem, as only 37 forces provided data.

The Countryside Alliance said the findings highlight a growing threat to churches, particularly those in smaller towns and villages, where buildings are often more isolated.

Mo Metcalf-Fisher, Director of External Affairs at the Countryside Alliance, said: “Across the country, churches and places of worship continue to suffer, as vandals, thieves and other criminals treat them as easy targets.

“We cannot allow this to continue. Churches and places of worship are focal points for local communities, particularly in rural towns and villages where they play a crucial role in combatting isolation. It is vital that the public keep a watchful eye and report any issues to the police.”

He also warned that financial pressures are compounding the issue. “At the same time as it appears crime is going up, funding is going down. The government has this year imposed VAT on church repairs, increasing costs for hard-pressed and vulnerable churches while at the same time refusing to increase funding in line with inflation. It is vital that the government drastically increases funding for churches, so that we can keep these hugely important community assets open and in use.”

The data includes incidents that underline both the financial and cultural impact of such crimes, including the theft of £25,000 worth of historic silverware from a parish church and the destruction of historic stained glass, leaving repair bills running into thousands of pounds.

The National Churches Trust said the figures demonstrate the growing strain on those responsible for maintaining historic places of worship.

Ben Sims, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the trust, said, “The National Churches Trust welcomes this new report by the Countryside Alliance, which shows that a shocking ten crimes a day were committed at UK churches last year. If volunteers are not supported, and if funding is not easily accessible, this is just one of many sad outcomes.

“Already this year the government has imposed VAT on 21,000 historic places of worship. By further demoralising volunteers, and causing chaos for ongoing restoration projects, this leads to churches becoming more vulnerable. We should be helping those who wish to safeguard our national heritage, not making their lives more difficult.”

Police leaders have also stressed the impact on communities, particularly where churches form a central part of local life. Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Nolan, heritage crime lead for the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said: “As the policing lead for heritage crime, I’m acutely aware of the impact it can have on communities. Crime and anti social behaviour targeting our heritage can be targeted or simply thoughtless, but the harm can still be significant. Crimes impacting churches are one of the most common reports impacting our heritage.”

She added, “I would encourage anyone to report suspicious activity, no matter how minor it may seem, whether that’s around churches themselves, which are often in isolated locations, or around unusual metal or stone that may have come from church or heritage sites.”

The findings raise fresh concerns about the vulnerability of rural churches, where isolation, limited resources and rising costs are leaving vital community spaces increasingly exposed to crime.

( Picture: Pulman's Weekly News 📸 )