Dawlish News' Posts

Three Devon hospitals have been criticised by the health watchdog, following unannounced inspections. Whipton Hospital in Exeter, Langdon Hospital in Dawlish and Penhayes House Hospital in Kenton care for patients with learning disabilities. Following the inspections late last year, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) found there was often a "lack of patient-centered care". The hospitals' said they ...

Meet the man who has one of Britain's most unusual job combinations – piano tuner to the stars and fearless firefighter. Robert Porch is a professional piano tuner who is regularly being called on for top musicians such as Elton John, Matt Bellamy of rockers Muse, Shirley Bassey and Chris de Burgh. But uniquely, he is also a retained firefighter attending an average four call-outs a week in his ...

Dawlish-based Teignmouth Maritime Services Ltd will attempt to recover one of Teignmouth's best-known trawlers after she ran aground and capsized in waters off her home port. A rescue operation is continuing to refloat the Girl Rona which overturned after hitting a sandbank at the mouth of the River Teign. Her five-man crew — including the owner — were rescued unharmed in the sea drama. Rescue ...

Police have issued an urgent appeal for help in tracing a man who may have information about alleged incidents of deception thefts. South Devon detectives want to speak to a man after two pensioners fell victim to a doorstep conman. Police are probing two incidents where a man convinced elderly people to part with their money and bank cards after spinning a story about not having any money and ...

Five Exmouth Harriers took part in the Dawlish Coasters’ organised ‘Oh my obelisk!’ race, writes Dev Eveleigh. The event follows a tough, hilly and off-road 11 mile course that takes runners up out of Dawlish to the obelisk that can usually be picked out at the left hand end of Haldon Forest when viewed from the Wast. Relatively dry conditions made for some very fast times, winner, Michael Ronison ...

Colaton Raleigh were edged out by the odd goal in five at Dawlish United In a game dominated by the windy conditions, Raleigh trailed 3-0 at half-time. It was a very different story after the break with Raleigh having the benefit of the elements. Goals from Adrian Parr and Jake Boyland set them up for a grandstand finish. With five minutes to play a Tony Cox cross was dummied by player boss Riki ...

A dog owner was rescued by a passer-by after jumping into the sea to save his pet. The man leapt into the sea at Dawlish, Devon, at about 12:30 GMT to save his springer spaniel. But he was soon struggling in the rough water and was pulled out by a passer-by who had thrown him a life ring. The dog was recovered but was pronounced dead at the scene and the dog's owner was unhurt said Brixham ...

A fake dentist who conned elderly patients into paying up to £1,400 for wonky sets of false teeth has been condemned as a charlatan by a judge. Stephen Sickelmore, 52, posed as a qualified professional when he visited patients all over Devon and Cornwall and took impressions of their mouths. But the only impression he left was a bad one as he conned £200,000 out of unsuspecting clients - money ...

Upottery slipped to a 3-0 defeat at Division Three leaders Dawlish United. Villagers boss Dan Prettejohn was clear as to why his side had produced a below–par performance. He said: “It was out first game since late November and that’s almost like starting the season again after such along lay-off! The players gave their all, but collectively it wasn’t good enough to get the better of a useful side ...

One of the widest reaching consultations in Teignbridge District Council history reaches its next stage this week as the council seeks public views on the latest version of its 20 year plan for the area. The existing plan is now 15 years old and needs urgent updating if local communities are to avoid ‘planning by appeal’. Known as the ‘Preferred Options Core Strategy’, the draft plan shows where ...

A watchdog committee set up by Teignbridge Council has recommended that the Leisure Centre at Sandy Lane could benefit from a rethink about how its internal spaces are used. Cllr Alan Connett said "There is an opportunity to improve and encourage more users to the centre" If it gets the go ahead a gym could be in place within the next six months.

The Gollywhoppers, from Dawlish, will be appearing in a special concert to celebrate one of most enduring combination of instruments the fiddle and the banjo on Friday, January 20th 2012. It will feature a great triple bill of Stompin’ Dave & Edward Bennett, Kate Lisauer and The Gollywhoppers. For the full story see: ...

More than £400,000 is being spent on repairing flood defences which protect homes along a Devon estuary. A 200m stretch of defences is being repaired at Dawlish Warren by the Environment Agency. Rock-filled baskets along the sand dunes act as the "backbone" to protect the warren from the sea, a spokesman said. The work will last three months. The money will replace the baskets which have been ...

22 year-old Jordon Clark who subjected his partner to a sadistic attack has been jailed for three years. Clark, of Piermont Place, Dawlish pushed his way into mother-of-three Carla Ryding's home at 4am and subjected her to a terrifying ordeal. He punched her in the face, headbutted her, broke her nose and held a knife to her throat. Former soldier Clark was supposed to be attending a probation-run ...

Mother-of-two Charlotte O'Brien from Second Avenue, Dawlish has been spared jail and sent home for Christmas with her children. O'Brien made a full confession to cocaine dealing and revealed how she had done it to pay off debts run up from her own addiction to amphetamines. Halfway through a police interview O'Brien decided to turn her back on drugs and devote herself to being a loving mother. Her ...

THE Military Wives are set to march to the top of the Christmas charts this weekend — and their single has been flying off the shelves of South Devon. The song features reluctant star Michelle Van Crugton. Her husband, Lee, was born in Dawlish and her family still live there, as well as in Newton Abbot. They have been eagerly watching Michelle's rise to fame with The Military Wives Choir, who ...

The body of a man in his 40's has been found by a member of the public in a car at Dawlish Warren. Police Officers arrived at the scene and the man was confirmed dead. The body is understood to be that of a man who has been reported missing from Wales. The death is not been treated as suspicious. Update 23/12/2011 The man, a divorced fitter called George Tappin, 45, of George Street, Newport, was ...

In a £17,000 burglary at a detached house in Mamhead, near Dawlish, more than 40 items of jewellery were taken, including sentimental inherited pieces. A window was forced and the burglars made a very untidy search of all the rooms, including the nursery which was ransacked. Other items stolen included an Onkyo home theatre surround system and a Canon camera. For the full article see: ...

A Dawlish man appearing at Exeter Crown Court today for carrying out illegal dentistry practices has been warned he could face a possible prison sentence. Following an investigation by Devon County Council’s Trading Standards Service, Mr Stephen Sickelmore, 52, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to three offences under the Consumer Protection From Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 - illegally ...

PLANS are under way to make Teignbridge a premier cycling destination. Major players got together in an innovative new cycling forum aimed at promoting the district as the place to be for cyclists. The forum, led by Teignbridge Council, has been declared a success and more discussions are set to take place. The forum comes amid grand plans and cycling network developments within Teignbridge. Read ...

Bank United were edged out by the odd goal in three by Black Swan, Dawlish in an eventful Sunday League game. Bank made the perfect start when a move begun by James Armstrong saw Phil Sanders set off on a mazy ruin that ended with him crossing for Dan Jones to fire his side ahead. The home side then began to lose their discipline and there was a flurry of yellow cards handed out. Read More: ...

A DRAFT plan for the future of Teignbridge looks set to be published for public consultation in January following approval by Teignbridge District Council’s Executive. Known as the ‘Preferred Options Core Strategy’, the draft plan shows where new jobs, green spaces and other improvements could be located in the district, as well as the new homes needed. It is based on four years of careful ...

Gould, 28, of Parkham Road, Brixham, admitted affray and attempted wounding and was made subject to a hospital order by Judge Phillip Wassall. The judge told him: "It was a truly murderous and sustained attack. You were intent on stabbing him. It was a frenzied attack which was only unsuccessful because of the sheer extent of the fight PC Moore put up. The paranoid schizophrenic was sent to a ...

SHE was labelled the mother-in-law from hell after a vitriolic email she wrote about her son's "uncouth and ill-mannered" bride was sent around the world and became an internet sensation. But yesterday the couple went ahead and tied the knot without upper-crust Carolyn Bourne, who had castigated their big day as "brash, celebrity-style behaviour". Read more: ...

£2million will be invested in Lady's Mile Holiday Park. A planning application has been submitted to Teignbridge Council to erect 200 solar panels at the park. 45 luxury lodges and a new childrens splash park will also be added. The first of 45 new lodges are due for delivery in January. Tesco wanted to build a store on the Lady's Mile site but following a protracted legal battle with planners, ...

A DOG was rescued after a large team of firefighters were called to West Cliff, Dawlish last night. The incident, in which the dog fell six feet down the cliff, happened at 7.10pm. Read More: http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/Dog-rescued-Dawlish-cliff-fall/story-13798609-detail/story.html

Police are appealing for information about an assault that took place on Saturday, October 22 at around 9.15pm in the Dawlish Delights takeaway in the resort's Brunswick Place. During what police described as an unprovoked assault, a 27-year-old local man suffered a suspected broken nose after he was punched in the face by an unknown man. The suspect is described as a white man about 6’3” to 6’4” ...

A Dawlish man who carried out illegal dentistry practices has pleaded guilty. Stephen Sickelmore ran an illegal denture fitting and supply business from his home on Old Gatehouse Road in Dawlish. Devon County Council's Trading Standards Service carried out a long and detailed investigation into Mr Sickelmore's activities following complaints from customers. The case was adjourned to a later date ...

THE latest section of the Exe Estuary Trail will be officially opened by Devon County Council on Friday. The £460,000 stretch of the Trail covers one mile between Cockwood and Dawlish Warren. It includes 500 metres of shared footway and cycleway alongside Warren Road and one kilometre of Bridleway within fields parallel to Warren Road. Read more: ...

PEOPLE in Dawlish have a chance to help shape the latest designs for the future of The Strand later this month. Following the public consultation last year, Devon County Council has used the feedback to develop two alternative schemes as part of a £1.5million regeneration of the town. Read the full article here: ...

PEOPLE heading to the three of Teignbridge's main towns will now be able to enjoy free parking on Sundays. Newton Abbot, Teignmouth and Dawlish will have free Sunday parking in their council-run car parks. The trio are joining rural areas in offering free Sunday parking as part of a Teignbridge District Council pilot scheme aimed at boosting local trade and cutting costs to motorists. Read the ...

Former Dawlish Carnival Committee member Kenneth Harry aged 54 has been sentenced to eight years in prison charged with five counts of indecent assault.

A warning has been given by The Environment Agency that floods are possible along the South Devon coast. The areas affected are Beesands, Slapton, Torcross, Torbay and Dawlish.

A crucial new plan which could radically change the face of Teignbridge for generations to come is set to be unveiled to residents. Major proposals to build thousands of new homes, create hundreds of jobs and build new roads and community facilities are outlined in the South Devon district's draft planning blueprint for the next 20 years. The authority said: "We need to preserve what's great about ...

A babysitter has denied sexually abusing two little girls he looked after and claimed he is the victim of a conspiracy. Former Dawlish Carnival committee member Kenneth Harry told a jury at Exeter Crown Court the allegations had been concocted to ruin him. Harry, 54, dismissed claims he had raped one girl and touched a second by saying: “It did not happen. I don’t know why they have done this to ...

MAGISTRATES COURT REGISTER Thursday, October 6 Charlotte Anne Conington O’BRIEN, Second Avenue, Dawlish, Age: 40. Between 1/10/10 and 31/12/10 at Dawlish were concerned in the supplying of a quantity of cocaine, a controlled drug of class A. On 26/05/2011 at Dawlish had possession of 6.79g of amphetamine, a controlled drug of class B. Between 01/01/2011 and 31/03/2011 at Dawlish were concerned in ...

They started the ball rolling with a 55-32 victory over Shaldon and followed it up with a 56-52 success over Pinces Gardens and then rattled up a 79-27 victory over Dawlish. In the national triples, Christine Macaulay Liz Smerdon and Sue Harriott had a comfortable win against B Woods team from North Devon Read the full article: ...

The 500th location sign in a network which coastguards believe will save people's lives has been installed on the Devon coast. The signs contain the place name and a map reference which people can give coastguards when reporting an incident. The South West Coast Path Team is installing 2,500 signs along the 630-mile (1,014 km) route. Read the bbc article here: ...

A speeding car crashed through a stone wall along the Exeter Road last night. The car then hit an electric pylon bringing down live cables. The car ended up on its roof but the driver managed to climb out through a window and leave the scene of the accident.

Teignbridge District Council will be joining forces with other public services for a ‘Stay Safe, Stay Warm’ roadshow on Tuesday October 25th. Council staff will be giving advice on housing issues, energy efficiency and more. They will also be providing free energy saving devices like ‘Powerdown’ plugs, which automatically switch of electrical appliances like computers and TVs at the wall when not ...