Express & Echo (Exeter UK) back issues from January 2008:
Pensioner trying hard to face up to reality of eviction from home
Jan 01, 2008 ... A carer set to be evicted from his Exeter home following thedeath of his mother says he is trying to accept the situation and"face facts". David Leaman, 66, has fought hard to keep his Shakespeare Roadhome of nearly three decades. The pensioner, who has lived in the Wonford ...
Crediton
Jan 01, 2008 ... Farewell Bruce BRUCE Carr, who was much involved with the community in Sandford30 years ago, has died at his home in Wales, aged 62. Bruce was the first chairman of Sandford Twinning Association andsigned the original charter with Demouville in Normandy in 1976. Healso served ...
Woollacott and Gundry on form at ideford arch
Jan 01, 2008 ... Daylight nearly ran out on Sunday's point-to-point meeting atIdeford Arch, near Chudleigh, when the large number of runners ledto the two divisions of the already divided Young Maiden race beingsplit again to give 10 races on the day. The recent rain had provided good ground and ...
Fringe players need more games, says fly-half yapp
Jan 01, 2008 ... Tony Yapp says his late call-up to the Chiefs' starting line-upat Rotherham shows the need for fringe players at Exeter to playmore matches. The 30-year-old was told at 10.30am on Saturday that he wouldstart in place of Danny Gray, who was struggling with an illness. But Yapp ...
Dartnall's lodge lane in the running for novices'
Jan 01, 2008 ... A superb card at Exeter today will ring in the New Year with aclassy looking novices' hurdles to kick off the seven-race card. Run over two miles three furlongs and sponsored by theThurlestone Hotel, 17 will go to post, headed by Victor Dartnall'shighly regarded Lodge ...
Newtown close the gap at the top as leaders Budleigh are held
Jan 01, 2008 ... In-form Newtown closed the gap on Senior 1 leaders BudleighSalterton with an outstanding 3-1 victory at promotion rivals CulmUnited. The Grace Road side went a goal down, Billy Ware on target forCulm, but Newtown's pacy attack was more than Culm could handle,with Corey O'Donaghue ...
Feniton fight back to smash Countess wear's unbeaten record
Jan 01, 2008 ... After being two goals down Feniton hit back to wreck the unbeatenrecord of runaway Intermediate 1 leaders Countess Wear Dynamoes witha 3-2 victory. It was an awesome performance, according to Fenny manager BrinEbdon, after the Dynamoes built a two-goal interval lead throughAdam ...
Bulley is confident yellows can continue to climb up the table
Jan 01, 2008 ... Tiverton Town striker Daniel Bulley says he is confident theYellows can prosper in their extended run of home games this month. Tivvy play four games in a row at Ladysmead, starting with theclash against Merthyr Tydfil today (3.0), before the former PlymouthArgyle trainee returns ...
Veal nets third in four games for city
Jan 01, 2008 ... Exeter City under-18s all but booked their place in the semi-final of the South West Counties Youth League Cup thanks to a narrow1-0 win over Bath City. The Grecians have now won five out of six games in the groupstages of the competition and look set to seal a place in the ...
'Harsh' red to inspire Exeter
Jan 01, 2008 ... Exeter City midfielder Andy Taylor sounded the battle cry aheadof today's Devon derby showdown with Torquay United by claiming: "Weare well and truly up for this game." Taylor admits the dismissal of Seaborne in the thrilling 4-3victory over the Gulls at St James's Park on Boxing ...
Shelves full of memories at steptoes
Jan 01, 2008 ... Nostalgia is just what is used to be and available off the shelfin Exeter. Just ask people like Mel Rycroft and Russell Hancock who work atSteptoes Market on Marsh Barton. Here old memories are lined up by the tonne and are yours for theasking, be it a three-piece suite like ...
Union gives credit where it is due
Jan 01, 2008 ... This is the time of year when people worry about how to pay theircredit bills. Well nothing changes, but fortunately Exeter has a bright band ofvolunteers who continue to do something practical about those kindof concerns. They make up the Exeter Credit Union, which came ...
Mr colclough's mini adventure
Jan 01, 2008 ... Do you remember the Exeter car dealer P Pike and Co? If you do then you could help Julian Colclough, who is the proudowner of a 1959 Mini distributed by Pikes - and reputed to be thefirst Mini sold in Cornwall. Mr Colclough tells me he had been in contact with some of ...
Will called up into GB squad
Jan 01, 2008 ... Exeter Waterpolo Club is celebrating after one of its under-15smembers was selected to be part of the Great Britian youth squadwith a view to forming the team for the 2012 Olympics. Will Bottrell, 14, converted to the sport of waterpolo in 2005after spending two years with Exeter ...
Farewell to Phil, who helped shape Exeter
Jan 01, 2008 ... One of Exeter's best-known builders, Philip Woodman, the manbehind the city's Civic Centre, St George's Hall and theuniversity's Amory Building, has died aged 92. Mr Woodman was chairman and managing director of Woodman and SonLtd and the great-grandson of the company's founder, ...
Sparkling anniversary for Heavitree pair
Jan 01, 2008 ... Diamond wedding couple Dennis and Kathleen Leaman werecelebrating this week. The couple, both 81, were married at St Michael's Church,Heavitree, and first lived in Rifford Road before moving to CarlyonGardens, ...
Teenager naomi rewrites record books in Bristol
Jan 01, 2008 ... Seaton teenager Naomi Speake rewrote the history books with asuperb performance in the annual Bristol Downs handicap on Sunday. The 14-year-old Colyton Grammar School student not only smashedHannah Curnock's 1991 mark of 17mins 36secs for the under-15s girls'age group with a ...
The first family of chatsworth returns
Jan 01, 2008 ... The scenes of scrapping teenagers trying to bring each other updespite the indifference of their careless parents must be afamiliar sight to writer Paul Abbott. Abbott was 11 when his father left him and his nine siblings tofend for themselves, two years after their mother fled the ...
Get your hooks into Peter Pan
Jan 01, 2008 ... Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Wendy and the Lost Boys take flight oncemore at the Theatre Royal in Plymouth tomorrow. JM Barrie's delightful tale of the boy who never grew up isbrought magically to life by the fabulous cast, stunning sets andcostumes. There's something here for everyone ...
Comedy camel will steal show
Jan 01, 2008 ... Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves will be at the Barnfield Theatre at1.30pm and 5.30pm today. The Exeter Little Theatre Company guarantees audienceparticipation and slapstick fun at the family Christmas pantomime asthe good (but not very clever) Ali Baba, his many friends and a ...
Cinderella is having a ball
Jan 01, 2008 ... Exeter Northcott is staging its pantomime production Cinderellain a matinee performance today. Lucy Johnson plays the kitchen slave turned princess, while SteveBennett, Exeter's favourite panto dame, and Noel White crack thewhip as the ugly sisters. Under the direction of Ben ...
Smith's the stuff of legend
Jan 01, 2008 ... I Am Legend (Exeter Odeon and Vue) is a post-apocalypticthriller about the last survivor of a man-made catastrophe. Virologist Robert Neville (Will Smith) lives in the ruins of theBig ...
Predictable chipmunks lack laughs
Jan 01, 2008 ... Alvin And The Chipmunks (Exeter Vue and Odeon) treats itsaudience like fools, keeping dialogue to a minimum as the linearplot unfolds at a crawl with yawnsome ...
Gulls boss Buckle insists points are all that matter
Jan 01, 2008 ... Paul Buckle has moved to dilute the frenzied anticipationsurrounding today's derby rematch, reminding his players: "Threepoints are at stake and nothing else." Buckle's side bounced back from their 4-3 defeat at the hands oftheir Devon rivals with a 1-0 win at Woking at the ...
Tisdale hopes city stars heed his 'no fear'message
Jan 01, 2008 ... Paul Tisdale has given strict instructions to his players aheadof today's derby showdown with Torquay United: "Play with no fear." The Grecians claimed the local bragging rights following theirthrilling 4-3 win over Paul Buckle's men in a Boxing Day barnstormerat St James's ...
Stimson lines up fleetwood
Jan 01, 2008 ... Gillingham boss Mark Stimson has launched a second bid to prisehighly-rated striker Stuart Fleetwood away from Forest Green Rovers. The former Grays and Stevenage manager has already swooped tosecure the services of Dennis Oli, Stuart Thurgood, John Nutter andAdam Miller from his ...
Nurses praised for their care
Jan 01, 2008 ... A grieving daughter has hit out at critics of the Royal Devon &Exeter Hospital and heaped praise on the staff there who cared forher father in his last days. Ann Browne's father, Fred Batchelor, died at the hospital inDecember aged 82 following a long illness. Mrs Browne ...
Teachers and parents praised as school is rated among the best
Jan 01, 2008 ... Children flourish in an outstanding East Devon school thanks tothe dedication of talented teachers, according to inspectors. Colyton Grammar School has again been ranked as one of the bestin the country by Ofsted, the fourth time it has been labelledoutstanding. Anthony ...
Farmers urged to bid for cash
Jan 01, 2008 ... Westcountry farmers may be eligible for financial assistance tohelp them promote their goods in non-EU countries. Products such as beef, veal and pork, table wines and spirits,and fruits and vegetables with geographical indicators could beeligible for EU funding. MEP Neil ...
Napoli's presence is much diminished
Jan 01, 2008 ... The stern section of the MSC Napoli is slowly disappearing fromthe Devon coast as the mammoth task of breaking up the hullcontinues. Bad weather delayed progress in November, but a salvage crew isnow at work again, cutting up the container ship's remaining aftsection. The ...
Experts devise formula for fire risk map
Jan 01, 2008 ... Experts at the University of Exeter have devised a formula toshow the level of fire risk for households. Academics at the university produced a map for Devon & SomersetFire & Rescue Service to indicate which areas were most at riskfrom house fires. To carry out the work, ...
Man jailed after twice assaulting partner in Christmas arguments
Jan 01, 2008 ... A man has been jailed for four months after pleading guilty totwo counts of assaulting his partner after she told him that hecouldn't have his Christmas presents. Exeter Magistrates' Court heard yesterday that Martin Roy Aldis,26, of Mackenzie Way, Tiverton, got into an argument ...
Wanted - a far cuter name for spock, the new kid on the block
Jan 01, 2008 ... Say hello to Spock, one of the newest arrivals at an East Devontheme park. Undeniably cuter than her half-human, half-Vulcan namesake, theloveable baby goat was born at Crealy Great Adventure Park over theChristmas holidays. She is sure to melt the hearts of visitors to the ...
Councillor slams 'totally inadequate' elderly care
Jan 01, 2008 ... Residential care for the elderly in the Crediton area has beenbranded "totally inadequate" by a leading councillor. David Nation, the leader of the Liberal Democrats on Mid DevonDistrict Council, was speaking out in response to the experience ofa 95-year-old woman from Crediton who ...
Cycle advice to apply early
Jan 01, 2008 ... Devon cyclists are being urged to apply early for this year's Dartmoor Classic cycle challenge. The event, on Sunday, May 11, is a mass participation challengefor cyclists over demanding terrain, where riders can choose a 100-mile or 100-kilometre route. Devon County Council ...
Patient raises a hearty sum
Jan 01, 2008 ... An Exbourne agricultural engineer donated pounds600 to acardiology ward at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital as a thank youfor the care he received as a patient. Former patient Tony West and friend Roy Jury organised aploughing competition with more than 40 entrants from Cornwall ...
Carols cash
Jan 01, 2008 ... A total of pounds106 was raised at a carol service held at theUnited Reformed ...
Homeless man had lock-knife
Jan 01, 2008 ... A man was given a conditional discharge yesterday after pleadingguilty to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place. Exeter magistrates heard that Jamie Knapman, 31, formerly ofBarton Close, Okehampton, was arrested in the town's Fore Streetafter being stopped by police ...
First great Western fare increase unfair, rail watchdogs insist
Jan 01, 2008 ... Passengers and rail watchdogs have condemned an "unfair andunacceptable" hike in fares which will be introduced tomorrow. Rail user groups Passenger Focus and TravelWatch SouthWest haveboth spoken out against the increases announced by First GreatWestern. They claim fares ...
Planes, trains and automobiles: A comparison
Jan 01, 2008 ... The cheapest TRAIN ticket available for Exeter to Norwichtravelling on the same day costs pounds103 return. The standard openreturn ticket, where people can just turn up and travel, will costpounds249 from January 2. This journey takes five-and-a-half hourseach way and passengers need to ...
Council plans for recycling
Jan 01, 2008 ... Devon County Council has set out how it intends to improveservices at its recycling centres. A public survey of the council's 20 recycling centres showed that85 per cent of users were satisfied with the service, slightly belowits target of 87 per cent. The survey showed areas ...
First showing of mystery ad
Jan 01, 2008 ... A tv advert for a mystery product, which was shot in Exeter, willbe shown on television for the first time today The commercial was filmed outside AH Moda, in Roman Walk,Princesshay, at the beginning of ...
Unwanted gifts could save lives
Jan 01, 2008 ... We would like to thank all those readers in the South West whohave supported Oxfam's campaigns and appeals in 2007. Three years after the Indian Ocean tsunami, Oxfam has spent morethan pounds109m, helping over 2.3m people in seven countries. But huge challenges remain for ...
Help our heroes if you possibly can
Jan 01, 2008 ... Over the past few years, British service personnel have madeenormous sacrifices for our country. Whatever our views on their mission objectives, there can be nodoubt they are the finest troops in the world. As we celebrate in the festive season, please spare a thought ...
Don't be conned by bogus sales offers
Jan 01, 2008 ... I was concerned to read in Friday night's E&E about the personwho was going home to add up how much he had saved in the sales. Farbetter if he went home to reflect on how he had been conned. While there are undoubtedly some genuine bargains, many storesuse very devious means to ...
Let's be grateful for what we've got
Jan 01, 2008 ... The words of a 91-year-old woman, as expressed on the radio onChristmas Eve, were so fitting. Most of the phone-in programme seemed taken up with moans andgroans about the Government's proposal to up their salary by 10 percent, disgusting toilets, and the coming of the dreaded ...
Festive bouquets and brickbats
Jan 01, 2008 ... First the bouquets. On behalf of the Heavitree CommunityAssociation, I send our grateful thanks to all the people whodonated to our charity collections on December 15 and 22. Theirgenerosity enabled us to raise pounds504 which will be dividedbetween Lord Mayor's charity, NCH Action for ...
I can't afford to be loyal any longer
Jan 01, 2008 ... According to national and local news, energy bills are expectedto soar by 10 to 15 per cent in the new year, as the price of gas onthe wholesale market carries on rising. This is despite an apparent glut. Gas is abundant, and there isno scarcity or shortage, so we are ...
Play Rangers city sessions
Jan 01, 2008 ... Exeter's new Play Rangers scheme is holding special sessions overthe holidays. The Play Ranger initiative was launched in October and is fundedby the Big Lottery fund for the next three years. Exeter has a team of three play rangers, who organise and runfree outdoor play ...
Park plans pounds7.5m green lodges for year-round visits
Jan 01, 2008 ... A multi-million pound eco expansion at Crealy Great AdventurePark could be given the green light before Easter. The tourist attraction, near Clyst St Mary, has applied forplanning consent for 30 eco-lodges for visitors to stay in whenthey're at the park. If it gets the ...
Avid reader Hannah wins booktrack gold
Jan 01, 2008 ... Hannah Guest is the latest Exeter youngster to reach gold in areading award scheme. She has stacks of books in her bedroom and has read 100 toofficially achieve a gold award in the Booktrack award scheme. The Booktrack initiative is organised by the Devon LibraryService and ...
City pizza firm delivers dough
Jan 01, 2008 ... A pizza maker in Exeter has delivered some much-needed dough inaid of local athletes. The Domino's pizza takeaway has raised pounds565.75 for SpecialOlympics athletes, with the help of the local community. Local Special Olympics athlete Katy Johns and representativeRosemary ...
Net sessions in close season
Jan 01, 2008 ... Topsham St James Cricket Club is holding a series of winter netsessions at Exeter School in the new year. The sports hall there will be open to those wanting to keep theireye in on January 11 and 25, February 8 and 22, March 7 and 21, andApril ...
Crackdown on teen boozers
Jan 01, 2008 ... Police confiscated hundreds of litres of alcohol from underagedrinkers in Devon and Cornwall as part of a nationwide crackdown. Figures just released reveal that a total of 546 litres of beer,31 litres of cider and 53 litres of spirits were seized from peopleaged under 18 in the ...
Tomorrow's the last chance to go skating at temporary ice rink
Jan 01, 2008 ... Anyone who still hasn't tried out Exeter's open air ice rink hadbetter get their skates on, as the temporary attraction closestomorrow. More than 10,000 tickets have been sold for sessions on the rink,which has proved popular with people of all ages and has drawnvisitors to the ...
Panto tickets
Jan 01, 2008 ... Tickets are still available for the pantomime The Ice Castle tobe staged in the America Hall, Pinhoe, ...
Neigbours tripping the light fantastic
Jan 01, 2008 ... Here are the final two contenders in the Echo's competition tofind the city's most festive home. Dave Scott and his son Robert, six, got into the Christmas spiritby staging a display at their house in Butts Court, Heavitree,Exeter. Meanwhile, two homes in Stafford Road, Exeter, are ...
Murderer who fled ex-offenders' home in city found in Italy
Jan 01, 2008 ... A convicted murderer who went missing from a home for ex-offenders in Exeter after being released from prison on licence hasbeen arrested in Italy. Simon Wastall, 47, was given a life sentence in 1994 for stabbinghis estranged partner, Catherine Carey, to death while their ...
Pay a penny to cross the river
Jan 01, 2008 ... People will be able to cross the River Exe on the Topsham PassageFoot Ferry today for the original fare of one old penny, or bymaking a donation. All proceeds will go to the Lord Mayor's charities, BrambleChildren's Ward and the neo-natal unit at the Royal Devon & ...
Guided walk in nature reserve
Jan 01, 2008 ... If you have resolved to do more exercise this year, the Exeter-based Devon Wildlife Trust has just the ticket. The trust has organised a Sunday walk at Dunsford Nature Reserve,on the Exeter side of Dartmoor. The reserve covers 57 hectares and is part of the Teign Valley ...
Architect draws on all his luck to avoid jail for cheque fraud
Jan 01, 2008 ... A devon architect who went on a cheque-forging spree across thecounty has been spared immediate custody because of chronicovercrowding in jails. At Exeter Crown Court, Judge Jeremy Griggs told 37-year-old SeanBannocks, who has committed more than 450 offences: "I have no ...
Ballet stars to return to city
Jan 01, 2008 ... A leading international ballet company has confirmed it willreturn to Exeter early this year. After a successful visit at the end of last year with SleepingBeauty at Exeter Corn Exchange, Moscow Ballet has included theExeter City Council-managed venue in its spring tour and ...
Candidate calls for Britain to be seen as fair
Jan 01, 2008 ... Exeter's Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate hascalled for 2008 to be the year where Britain is seen to beprincipled and fair. Graham Oakes said: "It is important that people inside andoutside Britain view us to be a fair and principled nation. "Britain needs ...
New year will soon turn cold
Jan 01, 2008 ... Christmas might not have produced any festive snow but weatherexperts are predicting a chilly start to the new year. Predicted temperatures for the next few days could reach as lowas one degree Centigrade in some parts of the country, with sleetand snow likely for some areas of the ...
Youngsters learn body-popping moves
Jan 01, 2008 ... Youngsters in Exeter kept out of mischief and worked off somemince pies when they attended a dance day organised by the police. Professional dancers showed the children some moves in break-dancing, body-popping and street dance. The youngsters then had achance to perform and show ...