Herald Express (Torbay, Brixham & South Hams Edition)

NORTHERN LIGHTS COME SOUTH TO PUT ON A SHOW!

⟫ Torbay was treated to a rare event as the Northern Lights put on a spectacular show on Monday night. Pictures of the phenomenon were taken by watchers across the county, with greens, pinks and reds dominating the sky. The Northern Lights, or aurora...

Prison doomed?

THERE is renewed uncertainty about the future of Dartmoor Prison after a new report revealed the amount of money being spent on the jail. Built in 1805 and reconstructed in the 1850s, it has been shut since 2024 due to safety concerns about high...

Turning up heat to switch gas back on

MORE than 100 gas engineers, some drafted in from elsewhere, are still working to try and reconnect gas supplies to the last affected homes in south Devon, an operation complicated by the difficulty in accessing second homes in some areas. The gas...

Call for action to prevent future gun deaths:

AFAILURE in police processes leading up to the death of a well-known Torbay farmer and councillor has been highlighted in an official coroner’s report. Richard Haddock was given back his guns despite fears for his and his wife’s safety, and the report...

Happy Christmas to all our readers

PAYING MOOR TO ENJOY GREAT OUTDOORS:

VISITORS will again have to pay more to enjoy Dartmoor with car parking charges at its most popular sites rising again, this time by 3.8%. Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) members agreed to the increase, which will add 20p to the cost for cars...

WINDOW TO LIFE INSIDE £2M MURAL:

BRIXHAM artist Emily Powell has transformed her terraced home into a lived-in artwork and is now putting it on the market with a guide price of £2 million. The five-bedroom property is hand painted floor to ceiling with every available surface – from...

WINNING IMAGE OF BRIXHAM IN ALL ITS GLORY

⟫A striking sunset captured from Breakwater Beach has seen a bay photographer take the top spot in a national contest. Daniel Mason won the inaugural Brixham in Images Photography Competition, organised by the English Riviera BID Company. His winning...

NEARLY TIME FOR PANTO ... OH YES IT IS!:

»STORYTELLER Vic Llewellyn brings No One Is Listening (A Ghost Story) – part séance, part stand-up, and part love letter to friendship – to villages around South Devon. When Llewellyn is challenged to perform his late friend’s final script – a...

Writing on the wall for ‘failed’ scrutiny kingpin

A“SHOCKED” Devon and Cornwall police and crime commissioner has questioned the reasoning behind Labour’s decision to abolish her role and give her oversight powers to local mayors and council leaders. The Government will abolish the PCC role in 2028...

BAY COMMUNITIES GATHER TO REMEMBER THE FALLEN

⟫Parades and services took place in Torquay, Paignton and Brixham as Remembrance Day events were held across the bay to honour the sacrifices made by members of the Armed Forces in both world wars and in many other conflicts around the globe. In...

Blame for failure laid squarely at feet of council

TORBAY Coast and Countryside Trust has blamed its liquidation on Torbay Council’s unwillingness to pay it enough to manage the bay’s green spaces despite repeated warnings that it was struggling financially. The trust looked after Torbay landscapes...

What will become of bay’s cherished green spaces?

»As guardian of 80% of much loved public areas enters liquidation with 70 roles affected, concerns raised over future of assets it cared for:

ROYAL VISIT AS BOATING CHARITY EXPANDS:

THOUSANDS more people with disabilities could soon enjoy barrier-free adventures on the water, as a national campaign to expand access to the sea gains royal backing. HRH The Princess Royal visited the English Riviera to mark a major milestone for the...

ZOO THANKS COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORT:

AWEEK after announcing it was seeking investment, the charity behind two of the South West’s most beloved zoos says it has been heartened by overwhelming community support and early investor interest. Wild Planet Trust, which operates Paignton Zoo and...

Give up on digital ID card, say MPs

GOVERNMENT plans to introduce digital identity cards have been dismissed as a “vanity project” that will leave people in rural communities out in the cold. Newton Abbot’s Liberal Democrat MP Martin Wrigley is demanding answers from the Government...

STEPPING OUT WITH SYMBOL OF HOPE:

AFRESH bid to redraw Devon’s local government map is ‘not the status quo’ and could lead to improved services, according to county leaders. Under a new proposal put forward by the county council, Devon’s 11 councils would become just three, with a...

Plan for major town centre regeneration given green light

A‘GAME-CHANGING’ multimillion-pound plan to revitalise Torquay town centre has been given the go-ahead despite its early design being described as ‘Stalinist.’ Dr Rodney Horder, on behalf of the Torquay Neighbourhood Forum, told a meeting of Torbay...

A foundation for success?

AMBITIOUS plans for a ‘oncein-a-generation’ transformation of Torquay’s town centre are likely to go ahead next week. Members of Torbay Council’s planning committee meet on Monday to decide on multi-millionpound proposals to knock down the Union...

WAVERLEY WOWS CROWDS IN TOR BAY

⟫The world’s last sea-going paddle steamer drew the crowds to Torquay’s Haldon Pier on Monday with her first visit to the resort since the 1980s. Bad weather meant her planned coastal explorer cruise started from Dartmouth instead of Plymouth, but she...

Future of fishing is under microscope

ASTUDY has been launched following a rise in octopus numbers in Tor Bay and along the South West coast, which fishermen say is “decimating” the county’s shellfish industry. The bloom of common octopus was first reported in May by local fishermen, who...

Boat sinks, others damaged in marina fire

A BOAT has sunk and two others have been damaged after a fire broke out in the early hours yesterday. A fire started around 4.40am in the marina at Kingswear. Three wooden boats were involved in the blaze. One sank during the fire and the other two...

Master plan reveals new look bay town

AVISION of Torquay’s future includes bustling residential areas where the ailing town centre is now, a restored Pavilion and homes in place of an underused multi-storey car park. The Torquay Town Centre Place Vision, to be presented to councillors...

Was cop boss given golden handshake?

DEVON and Cornwall Police is looking for its fifth chief constable in three years after the top officer suspended since July 2023 decided to retire. Will Kerr was suspended after the Police Ombudsman of Northern Ireland (PONI) confirmed it had begun a...

STUB THEM OUT!

FOUR shops caught repeatedly selling illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco in Torbay have been closed down. A closure order has been granted for one store in Torquay and three in Paignton after stashes of the illicit products were found by detection...

NEW SEASON, ONE GOAL – PROMOTION!

⟫Players have come and gone this offseason, but as Torquay United kicked off the new football year with a friendly at Buckland Athletic at the weekend, fans were already looking ahead, hoping this will be the year the Gulls win promotion back to the...

Harbour view

BOLD plans to transform Torquay’s tired harbourside have sparked a lively debate online. The plans, complete with spectacular ‘artist’s impression’ illustrations, have been published by Torbay Council and its development partners Willmott Dixon and...

VIEW COMES WITH ‘CRAZY’ PRICE TAG:

TORBAY Council has been criticised for attempting to charge £8,000 to replace a memorial bench in Brixham. Jennie Warren said the bench was installed in Brixham in 2003 after her brother Peter died at the age of 40 and then a plaque for her parents...

Couple riding high with £4m lotto win

⟫A Paignton husband and wife have put a Harley Davidson trike on top of their shopping list after scooping a lottery jackpot

»League of Friends’ state-of-the-art gift to cut hospital waits:

THOUSANDS of people in Torbay and South Devon will receive a faster diagnosis and treatment for conditions including cancer, heart disease and brain and bone problems, thanks to the generosity of Torbay Hospital League of Friends. The charity...

JOAN’S LIFE AND SOUL OF 105TH BIRTHDAY PARTY

FAMILY and friends turned out en masse to join one of Torbay’s oldest residents, Joan Nott, as she celebrated her 105th birthday. Daughters Linda, Celia and Hilary, and son-in-laws, grandchildren and great grandchildren all marked the occasion, on May...

UP, UP AND AWAY AS SHOW SCALES NEW HEIGHTS

THOUSANDS of people crowded Paignton sea front and every vantage point from miles around to enjoy the bay’s biggest free event, the English Riviera Airshow. With the event extended this year to include displays and fireworks on Friday night, aircraft...

GIVE PEOPLE MORE RIGHTS TO ROAM!:

CAMPAIGNERS and MPs have called for greater public freedom to wild camp across the UK after the Supreme Court ruled that the public has the right to camp on Dartmoor. Five justices unanimously ruled last week that the term “recreation” in the law...

SIX OF THE BAY’S BEST BEACHES WIN BLUE FLAGS:

SIX beaches across Torbay have been awarded Blue Flag status for 2025 with another getting a Seaside Award. They are Breakwater Beach in Brixham; Broadsands and Preston beaches in Paignton and Meadfoot, Oddicombe and Torre Abbey Sands in Torquay. Blue...

REMEMBERING SACRIFICES OF 80 YEARS AGO:

APEACE Parade led by Scottish pipers was one of the main events in Brixham to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. The VE Day procession, on Thursday, of ex-servicemen, dignitaries and people who lived during the Second World War wound...

College places 65 roles under threat amid ‘increased financial pressures’

SOUTH Devon College in Torbay has announced 65 potential staff redundancies as it faces funding challenges and increased competition. In a statement last week, the college said the restructuring is essential in securing its long-term financial...

COME ON GULLS! JUST TWO GAMES TO GO TO WIN PROMOTION

ONE of the most significant and emotional moments of Torquay United’s trip to Hemel Hempstead on Saturday happened a little while after the final whistle, and many departing fans may have missed it. The Focus Community Arena in Vauxhall Road is a...

DOWN TO THE WIRE WITH TITLE (AND AUTOMATIC PROMOTION) WITHIN REACH:

TORQUAY United beat Weymouth 3-0 on the penultimate day of the National League South season – to set up what is looking set to be a dramatic last day. In front of 5,500 fans, the Gulls tried hard to get enough goals to creep in front of Truro, but...

Novel twist to unite two bay icons

ARESTORED Torquay Pavilion could become a visitor centre showcasing the life and work of the seaside town’s most famous former resident, Agatha Christie. The iconic building is being considered as a home for The Agatha Christie Research and Visitor...

BAY’S HOME GROWN ELVIS ALL SHOOK UP ABOUT GIGGING AT GRACELAND:

A12-YEAR-OLD Elvis impersonator from Paignton has been invited to go all the way to Graceland and perform a show. Presley fan Cooper Worthington is thought to be Britain’s youngest Elvis tribute act. He’s been entertaining tourists in the seaside town...

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DARTMOOR COULD CHARGE VISITORS:

PEOPLE may have to pay to go onto Dartmoor in future unless the Government comes up with a new way of funding national parks. That’s one of the options suggested by the Dartmoor National Park Authority’s chief executive, as it faces a potential 9% cut...

BIG THUMBS UP AS 1,100 TACKLE BAY’S BIG WALK:

IN a remarkable show of support for Rowcroft Hospice, 1,090 participants took to the streets of Torbay for The Big Tackle on Saturday, making it the biggest and most successful in its history. Smashing previous records, the eight-mile charity walk...

Is it end of the line for station eyesore?

PLANS have been submitted to demolish a once beautiful building opposite Paignton railway station that has been branded a ‘hideous’ eyesore and a safety hazard. Property development company Solanki Holdings Ltd is seeking to flatten 62 to 70 Victoria...

PAVILION LOOKING FOR A LITTLE LOVE TO RESTORE FADED GLAMOUR:

FASCINATING new pictures show how Torquay’s iconic Pavilion has still got what it takes to rise again as it steps out of the shadows for the first time in years. The Grade II-listed local treasure is now back under the control of Torbay Council –...

STORM DAMAGE SORTED ... WITH A LITTLE HELP:

CHILDREN at Bidwell Brook School in Dartington can once again enjoy their cherished outdoor learning space, thanks to help from housebuilder Baker Estates. After torrential rain left the area flooded and unsafe, Baker Estates stepped in to restore it,...

PRINCE’S PAL BUYS SLICE OF PARADISE:

ASEASIDE estate in the South Hams that formerly belonged to a friend of former Prime Minister David Cameron has been bought by a new owner who also has friends in high places. Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, 42, is one of the Prince of Wales’s closest friends,...

PROJECT TO LEARN ABOUT LOCAL HERITAGE:

EXPLORING the history of Ellacombe in Torquay is a new project being funded by Historic England as part of its heritage grants programme. The everyday heritage programme aims to celebrate working class histories and £10,000 has been awarded to the...

PUB TO LEARN FATE IN REVIEW OVER LICENCE:

the licensing team found the double doors of the pub open at 10pm while a singer was performing inside. And there were problems too with the pub’s lack of enforcement of smoking laws, with customers lighting up in the outdoor enclosed bar. In response...

New lease of life for ‘lost’ youth centre

ANEGLECTED Paignton community hub built with millions of pounds of National Lottery money is to be brought back to life as part of a new strategy for local children with special needs. Mayfield School – Torbay’s flagship school for children with...

Hospital rebuild hopes dashed

PAIGNTON Academy is a school transformed, earning praise for its strong personal development programmes, a “broad and ambitious” curriculum and a culture of calm, purposeful learning following an Ofsted inspection. The academy was praised for its...

Explorer is up for new challenge – tackling isolation

ASTROKE survivor from Kingsbridge has made history by becoming the first person with a disability to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole. Just 52 people have ever successfully skied to the South Pole without support and Jonny Huntington, who...

Room for parking?

ANGER is mounting in Paignton over plans to demolish a sea front pub and replace it with a car park. Objectors say the landmark Inn on The Green is a historic feature, and Torbay MP Steve Darling says it would be a shame to see it flattened. “There...

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WRAPPED UP FOR CHRISTMAS: VOLUNTEERS SPREAD FESTIVE CHEER TO HOMELESS:

THREE volunteers at the Leonard Stocks homeless hostel in Factory Row, Torquay, celebrated 70 years of service between them this week. Long-standing Friends of Factory Row, Heather Reed, Grace Hackeson and Viv Westmoreland, all now in their 80s,...

Cash SOS to pay another top cop

DEVON and Cornwall Police has asked the home office for emergency funding so it can pay the salaries of three chief constables, each earning around £180,000 a year, a bill ultimately footed by the taxpayers. The Devon and Cornwall police and crime...

CHRISTMAS MAGIC SPRINKLED OVER REFUGEE FAMILIES

⟫The Torbay Sunrise Rotary Club brought the magic of Christmas to life for 36 local refugee families in the bay and their children by inviting them to its Alice in Wonderland-themed grotto where Santa gave each child a gift and families received a...

Residents protest against hate and racism

A GROUP of Torbay residents have come together in a show of unity against hate and racism in the bay. About 100 people rallied outside Torquay Town Hall with placards and chants in response to a call by far-right supporters who were organising their...

Suggestion hospital will still get funding promised for rebuild

A GOVERNMENT minister has given the clearest indication yet that the long-awaited revamp of Torbay Hospital is still on the cards. There had been fears the hospital’s massive makeover, part of the “40 new hospitals” pledge made by Boris Johnson in the...

GOING LOCO TRACKING RAIL RARITIES:

A RAIL enthusiast has shared his photographs of rare trains he has spotted travelling through different railway stations across the county over the past four months. On November 9, Thomas Mills, from Dawlish, took pictures of a DCR class 60 on the...

Countdown to new harbourside reveal

WORK to breathe new life into Torquay’s harbourside is nearly complete – and these images give an early glimpse of what the finished project will look like. The scheme to transform the Strand into a wide boulevard for visitors has been described as...

Navy college won’t be axed, says MoD

THE Ministry of Defence says there are no plans to close Britannia Royal Naval College and that Dartmouth remains the home of officer training. It comes after speculation surfaced about its future in light of a Government defence review. Reports have...

£200m regeneration of bay set out

WORK will begin in the new year on a £200 millionplus “once-in-a-generation” project to transform Torbay’s tired town centres. Landmark buildings will be demolished and plans put forward for the biggest transformation of the bay for decades....

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CAR, HOME DESTROYED IN SEPARATE FIRES

⟫Firefighters scrambled to the scene of the burning vehicle at 9.30pm on Friday in St Mary’s Square, Brixham. Crews arrived to flames as smoke filled the air as the fire rapidly spread. Also in the town a home was destroyed by a late night blaze,...

LIGHTING UP ACHIEVEMENTS OF RNLI:

ASPECTACULAR light installation celebrating the 200th anniversary of the RNLI has been switched on in the South Hams. The Salcombe Field of Lights consists of 20,000 fibre-optic bulbs on stems set across 35,000 square metres of fields at East...

Fears bay will not get ‘new’ hospital

CONDITIONS at Torbay Hospital are so bad that a member of staff caught tuberculosis from a body in the mortuary. That, along with a sewage leak that forced an entire department to close, is among the reasons why Torbay Hospital must keep its promised...