Devon

Prolonged sunshine and the hottest summer for seven years (according to the Met Office) kept RNLI teams across the south west busy this summer.

Provisional statistics released by the charity for the period June, July and August show a 24% increase in incidents for RNLI lifeguards, and lifeboat crews attending 652 rescues.

RNLI lifeguards dealt with 10,615 incidents across the...

Devon churches now have 15 new clergy after a special ordination service was held at Exeter Cathedral.

The Rt Rev John Ford, Bishop of Plymouth conducted the ceremony which saw 15 men and women being ordained as deacons in the Church of England.

The new clergy come from all walks of life - from the army to teaching - to serve in Devon’s villages and cities. They are listed...

Police report that a Plymouth man missing since last Thursday (12 September) has not yet been found.

Police are growing increasingly concerned for the welfare of Desmond White who was last seen in the Ernesettle Lane area, Ernesettle, Plymouth, near to the Vi-Spring factory on the morning of Thursday 12 September 2013.

Desmond is described as male, white, aged 45 years, 5’8”...

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has today launched a guide to help small businesses take better control of their finances through managing their property assets differently.

Property costs – such as business rates and rent – are one of the most significant expenses incurred by SMEs and failure to take professional advice as to how to manage them could costs businesses...

Police are growing increasingly concerned for the welfare of Desmond White.

Desmond is described as male, white, aged 45 years, 5’8” tall, of slim build and usually wears jeans and a T-shirt.

Desmond was last seen in the Ernesettle Lane area, Ernesettle, Plymouth, near to the Vi-Spring factory on the morning of Thursday 12 September 2013.

Any person with any information...

A group of 21 Devon and Cornwall Police officers will be cycling from Exeter to London in aid of a local cancer charity this weekend.

The men will be start their challenge from police headquarters in Exeter at 4am on Sunday 15 September and should reach their destination by tea time.

The 170 mile ride is expected to take around 12 hours with a few stops on the way.

The...

Plymouth University has invested in a new state-of-the-art sonar system that will enable students to map the underwater world and visualise in detail features such as shipwrecks.

The Multi-Beam Echo Sounder (MBES) will be used on board the University’s teaching and research vessels and has already been tested off the coast of Devon and Cornwall over wrecks such as HMS Scylla and the SS...

16 members of staff from leading Devon law firm Kitsons faced the challenge of a lifetime this weekend when they tackled the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales to raise money for Children’s Hospice South West.

Three teams of walkers left the comfort of their desks to don walking boots and waterproofs and undertake the gruelling 10,000 feet ascent across uneven terrain...

Following thousands of votes and over 1,432 nominations and applications, the Devon Business Women Awards announced the 2013 winners at the University of Exeter's Great Hall on 5 September 2013, hosted by Celia Delaney and Tara Howard.

Plymouth had its share of finalists, and two - Glynis Lidster of Welcome Hall Ltd and Jacqui Batterbee of Batterbee Thompson & Co Ltd - walked away...

Devon Hotels & Restaurants Association has reported a substantial rise in bookings this summer, with many members seeing record numbers of visitors throughout the holidays and sell out July and August months.

James Sharp, chair of Devon Hotels said: “We have seen an increase in overseas visitors but one of the main growth areas has been holidaymakers choosing to ‘staycation’ in...