A SHY young Iraq veteran has won the first Victoria Cross given to a living soldier since 1969. Private Johnson Beharry, 25, an immigrant from the Caribbean island of Grenada, won his VC for saving the lives of his comrades in two incidents last May and June. Severely wounded in the second, he was given only a 50-50 chance of survival and is still on sick leave from the Princess of Wales's Royals. ...
In another busy weekend for Dawlish swimmers at Tiverton, the latest round of County Championships saw more medal successes, writes Phil Shute. Once more it was the season's brightest newcomer, Rebecca Squire, who was top of the rostrum. Nine year old Squire, having already scooped gold and silver medals this season, set a competition-best time in the 200m butterfly, comfortably winning another ...
A builder has put in new plans for a village suburb-style development on the outskirts of a Devon resort. Black Country Properties shelved a 163-home project for Dawlish 15 months ago after fierce local opposition. Now, it has drawn up a 175-house scheme which includes a foodstore, a medical centre and nursing home, and a range of businesses. It says the development could provide up to 700 full ...
Health Secretary John Reid has been asked to step into a row over minor injury services in south Devon. The Teignbridge Primary Care Trust wants to cut 24-hour services at Dawlish, Bovey Tracey and Ashburton in favour of daytime opening hours. But some locals have mounted a campaign against the move and have written to Dr Reid, asking him to order the suspension of the closure consultation.
Dawlish Town came from a goal down to win 4-1 away to promotion rivals Larkhall Athletic in what was effectively a fresh dawn to their season in Division One of the Screwfix Direct Western League on Saturday, writes Gordon Hines. Not only did former Dartington Sports Club boss Adam Kerswell make his dug-out debut as assistant-manager, but Sandy Lane player-manager Chris Myers introduced new ...
More than 1,400 petition letters have been given to health managers in south Devon in protest at changes to local minor injuries units' opening times. Teignbridge Primary Care Trust wants to cut back 24-hour cover at units in Dawlish, Bovey Tracey and Ashburton to between 8am and 8pm. Teignbridge Council said local people feared the worst about the changes.
The teenage son of a policeman rammed a patrol car in a blind panic after being caught joyriding in his mother's vehicle, a court was told. Learner driver Todd Smith, 18, managed to smash his way out of a cul-de-sac past the police car by narrowly missing an officer who tried to take the ignition keys from his vehicle. But when he abandoned the Vauxhall Astra he was driving and tried to escape on ...
A community project breathing new life into coastal and market towns in South Devon has won a prestigious award. The Market and Coastal Towns initiative, set up in 2000 and led by the South West of England Regional Development Agency and other key partners to encourage the economic, social and environmental regeneration of market towns, was given the award in the "Planning for Sustainable ...
A volunteer treasurer who fleeced a south Devon youth soccer club of £12,000 started an 18-month jail sentence on Saturday. The funds, raised by parents and children, were taken by accountant Anthony Kerr after he joined the club as volunteer treasurer in 2000. The 54-year-old told police that he had been taking money since June 2002. Kerr, of East Cliff Road, Dawlish, admitted obtaining money by ...
A Bideford man with Hollywood-sized ambition is hoping his first foray into films will make movie moguls sit up and take notice. Ray Smith has spent the past year writing the script for a short film and arranging the myriad details which even a modest production requires - in between odd jobs to pay the bills. Now all is ready, and shooting for Blunt - a black comedy in the British gangster genre ...