Update: Railway Touring Company says Dawlish train fire was 'just reflection from fire box'

September 17, 2014, 7:02 am

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THE company who chartered the train captured passing a Dawlish webcam reportedly on fire insist that it is just a trick of the light. CCTV captures 10ft flames leaping from the window of the driver's cab as smoke billows over the roof. But, the train charterers, The Railway Touring Company, insist the footage at Dawlish, Devon, is simply a 'trick of the light' - and no fire took place. A spokesman for West Coast Railway Company said: "It looks terribly exciting but nothing happened. "It is a trick of the light. It is some webcam that sits just above the railway at Dawlish. "It picked up the reflection of the fire box when the door was open reflecting off the steam above. "It was low light, and it is a trick of the light by the camera." The 27-second clip was captured by the Dawlish Beach Cam - which streams to a local website - on Sunday. The camera which captured the footage belongs to Neil Salter who set up the webcam website Dawlish Beach Cam in March. Neil, from Exeter, said: "I used to live in Dawlish and I set it up in a friend's garden so I could watch the rough seas when I moved to Exeter, but it has become popular for people watching the trains. "I was on my way back from London when the train on fire passed by on Sunday, but when I got home there were lots of comments on the Facebook page about what had happened. "It certainly looks like a big fire - it looked quite scary - but I gather the crew were ok." It is thought to be the Dartmouth Express, which leaves from Poole at dawn and is diesel-hauled westwards before being led by the steam-driven Tangmere on various routes. One of the Battle of Britain class locomotives, the Tangmere was completed in 1947 and named after a military airfield in Sussex before it was used by Southern Railway. It was used on both freight and passenger trains until it was withdrawn in November 1963 after covering almost 700,000 miles. Rescued from a scrapyard in 1980, the train was restored and returned to the railways in 2003. The train has three cylinders, six driving wheels and a firebox of almost 40 feet and while limited to 75 mph it is capable of a top speed around 100mph.

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Tiverton perfume maker says ex partner framed him

September 17, 2014, 7:26 am

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A perfume factory worker has denied trying to have sex with his ex partner and told a jury she set framed him. The 39-year-old said the woman stripped off and tried to initiate sex but then started screaming in an attempt to get him into trouble. He told Exeter Crown Court he had put his hand over her mouth because he did not want her to disturb their young daughter and at the time he did not realise that could amount to an assault. The father-of-one, from Tiverton, denies battery with intent to commit a sexual assault but has admitted the lesser charge of simple battery. The prosecution say he attacked her when she went into his bedroom to remonstrate with him over an incident in which she alleged he had tried to put three tablets into her food as she was cooking it. She alleged he had pinned her to the bed, pulled down her underwear, and rubbed himself against her before she screamed and escaped. The man said he had no intention of carrying out any sort of sexual assault and believed he had been deliberately set up. He said they were joint owners of the house in Tiverton but had broken up and had been living in different rooms for six months before the incident in November. He said he had put the tablets in her spaghetti sauce the night before as a prank and was surprised when she burst into his bedroom to complain about it. He said:"I did not intend to sexually assault her. I did not intend to rape her. I thought she wanted to do it and do not remember her saying no. "I did not want to have any more contact with her but she went in there so she could accuse me. She wanted to have something with which she could get at me." He said the woman had come into his room and started shouting at him and throwing things around but had then changed her attitude and stripped naked. He said:"I was a little bit shocked by that because she had just been telling me to get out of the house. The only way in which I assaulted her was putting my hand over her mouth to stop her screaming because I thought she would wake the child."

Police appeal after woman robbed by two men in Exmouth

September 17, 2014, 7:41 am

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Exmouth police are appealing for information after a woman was robbed by two men in the town. At approximately 8pm on Sunday 14th September, a woman was robbed by two men on Moorfield Road. During the incident one man attempted to grab a mobile phone from the victim's hand, whilst the other pulled her handbag from her shoulder. The suspects ran in the direction of Phear Park and Withycombe Village Road, Exmouth. One suspect is a white 5ft 10ins, has a slim muscular build, aged between 20 and 30 years old, shaven mousey hair with glasses. He was wearing a dark sweatshirt type jumper, light denim jeans, black trainers with white parts on the soles and black lightweight gloves. Suspect two is white, 5ft 10ins with short brown spiky gelled or waxed hair and of a thin build, aged between 20 and 30 years old. He was wearing a dark hoodie, dark jeans and very distinctive trainers, with luminous yellow soles and trim. Police are keen to speak to anybody who has any information, or may have witnessed the incident. Please call 101 quoting crime reference CR/106640/14 or call Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.

Psychiatric nurse faces jail after being found guilty of fondling mental patient at ward

September 17, 2014, 7:55 am

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A psychiatric nurse has been warned he faces jail after he was found guilty of fondling a female mental patient on the ward where she was being treated. Carl Tinker became infatuated with the patient who he was supposed to be caring for and started inappropriate physical contact while accompanying her on a short walk to nearby shops. He went on to grope her while he was administering medication and to kiss and touch her when they were alone in her room at a Devon hospital. They exchanged mobile numbers before she was discharged and he saw her twice again and asked her to have sex with him on the last occasion they met. The offences happened in 2007 but the patient did not complain at the time. She went to police last year after she started a university course in which she learned what he had done was not only unethical but also illegal. Tinker was ordered to sign on the sex offenders' register and told he will never work as a nurse again after a jury at Exeter Crown Court found him guilty of sexual activity with a mental patient. Judge Phillip Wassall adjourned sentence and told him: "You have been convicted on evidence that was so completely overwhelming that at one stage I thought you might admit it in the witness box. "I saw this as a very specific situation arising out of what plainly was an infatuation with a single female patient. There is inevitably going to be a custodial sentence here. The only question is how long." Nursing assistant Tinker, aged 49, who now lives in Trinity Street, Huddersfield, denied three counts of sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder by a carer. He was found guilty and will be sentenced next month after the probation service prepare a pre sentence report. During a two day trial the jury heard how the woman, who was 30 at the time, was admitted to the hospital after a suicide attempt. Tinker was one of the nursing team caring for her but began a physical relationship during one of her first sorties away from the ward in which he accompanied her on a short visit to a town centre. He held her hand and kissed her on that occasion and they kissed, cuddled and fondled each other in two other incidents before she was discharged. He gave her a CD and asked her to listen to a romantic song on it called Because of You and visited her twice after she was discharged, touching her between the legs on one occasion. On the final meeting they drove to a beauty spot where he told her he wanted to make love before breaking off contact after realising it was inappropriate. The woman, from South Devon, told the court she had not reported the incidents until last year. She said: "I did not report it at the time because I felt I had encouraged it. I felt dirty and I was going through a really hard time in my life and I did not want to go through any more." Tinker said he found the woman attractive and contemplated the possibility of having a relationship once she was no longer a patient but stopped short of any sexual touching. He said:"A relationship of that sort is not the done thing. You don't do that. I did hold his hand and that is deemed inappropriate. The line became blurred. "I found her attractive. When I went to see her after she left hospital my aim was just to visit a friend. I was not planning a sexual relationship and did not go round there with any intention of sexual contact. It did not happen. "I did not have any sexual contact with her in the ward or at her house."

Ben Bradshaw's letter from Scotland: You can persuade Scots to vote No

September 17, 2014, 8:02 am

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UNTIL quite recently I was not very engaged with the Scottish referendum debate. Although I felt it would always be close, the polls showed consistent and clear leads for the No campaign and the Scots were surely too canny to trust Alex Salmond and risk a leap in the dark. I also felt there was little or nothing I, as an English MP, could do. This was a decision for the Scots and any interference from south of the border wouldn't help. Then the polls narrowed dramatically. Scottish colleagues appealed for help and assured us English MPs we'd be welcome. I cleared my diary and headed up. I have found nothing but kindness and welcome – from the toughest estates in Glasgow to the leafy suburbs of Edinburgh. Wavering voters in particular have expressed appreciation that we've bothered to come and say how much we want them to stay. We've also been a reminder that, contrary to the myth peddled by Salmond and the nationalists, not all the English are Tories. There's no doubt that the chance to rid themselves of Conservative governments is a strong factor motivating centre-left Scots to vote Yes. The irony is, without the greater capacity and support the United Kingdom offers, an independent Scotland would be less likely to be able to secure the social justice people here desire. A break-up would also be messy and destabilising. Families and friends here have been divided. But we English haven't had our say yet. Any independence negotiations would likely be hard fought, difficult and painful. All this can be avoided if Scotland votes No. We all have a lot to gain from the alternative plan to devolve more power across the UK. Alienation from Westminster is not confined to Scotland. We feel it in Exeter, in the Westcountry and across the English regions. A No vote in Scotland could help deliver the political and constitutional reforms many of us have long advocated. A Yes would mean years of ill-tempered wrangling and instability when we should be focussing on the huge domestic and global challenges we face. So, if like me, you don't want to wake up tomorrow to the break-up of Britain and wonder if there was something you could have done; and if you have friends, family or colleagues in Scotland – call, text or email them now. It's not too late to tell them you want them to stay. The polls close at 10pm. THE refusal by Devon County Council to assure us there won't be a repeat of this year's weeds fiasco next year is unacceptable. One of the prime duties of a local authority is to keep our streets and pavements in order. That's what we pay our council tax for. The message from all of Exeter needs to go out loud and clear to County Hall: Get your act together! If they won't, they should hand the money and the powers to do the job to Exeter City Council.

Five reasons to buy this week's Express and Echo

September 17, 2014, 8:17 am

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1: News – the latest plans to create a restaurant quarter at the Guildhall Shopping Centre, a mum who was hit by an out of control mobility scooter and the latest on the ongoing Exeter murder trial all feature prominently. 2: Sport – all the reaction from Exeter City's first win, the Chiefs defeat at the weekend, plus all the usual previews and local sport. Plus there's an interview with England's rugby international Jack Nowell. 4: Pictures: our photographer has snapped picture spreads on the colourful CLIC Sargent fundraising walk, St Thomas festival, charity church abseil and multi-cultural food festival, among others. 3: Echo2: Your complete pull-out guide to going out and staying in. If you want to know what's on and what to do in and around Exeter, it's all here. 5: Offers: We've got a £5 off voucher for a £20 spend on your pet.

Alex Nicholls eyes extension to his loan at Exeter City

September 18, 2014, 7:42 am

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Alex Nicholls says he has spoken to Exeter City boss Paul Tisdale about extending his loan deal at the club. The striker, who scored in the Grecians' 2-1 win over Cambridge United on Tuesday, is on a one-month loan deal from Northampton Town which runs out after City's game against Bury on September 27. He is attempting to get his match-sharpness back having spent 22 months out injured after suffering a broken leg playing for the Cobblers against Port Vale in October 2012. However, having played 180 minutes of football in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Oxford United and Tuesday night's win over Cambridge, his fitness levels appear to be at the required level and, as a result, he might be heading back to the Sixfields Stadium sooner than City would like. "It is a case of speaking to Northampton and seeing what they want to do," said Nicholls. "Obviously we have all got to come to an agreement and we will get to that stage when it comes. I have got another two games before my loan finishes so I'm just looking to the next game, which is Tranmere. "It has been nice just getting back and playing games, playing 90 minutes in the Football League again. That is a big thing for me. "Tis mentioned to me the other day that he wanted to extend the loan, but I'm not sure what is going to happen to be honest." Nicholls is enjoying his time at St James's Park though and described Tuesday night's win over Cambridge as one of the best games of football he has ever played in. "The way the team played on Tuesday night was incredible to be fair," he said. "It was a joy to be in that team, playing that type of football. I said to the lads in the dressing room afterwards that it was on of the most enjoyable games I have played in from a football perspective. "The way we moved the ball at times was brilliant and, when you think that going into the game we were joint-bottom of the league, to put a performance in like that was top drawer." Nicholls also seems to be building a bit of a partnership with Graham Cummins up front in the City line-up. Both strikers scored and provided an assist for each other in Tuesday night's win. Nicholls admits it was something they had worked on in training the day before having not quite linked up as they would have liked in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Oxford. "We were working on that in training on Monday," he said. "It was a thing that was flagged up from Saturday that we were getting in good positions, but just not making that killer pass and not capitalising on getting in good attacking positions. Thankfully on Tuesday night the work we put in on the training ground bared fruit and we got a good goal from it. "That is what happens when you play with someone up front, you get a little relationship going. Me and Graham have seemed to have done that over the last couple of games. "We will be looking as a team and individuals to kick-on now. Obviously we are still down near the bottom but, with the football that we have played over the last two games, if we can keep that up and keep the end product there, I'm sure we will climb the table no problem." Nicholls also added that the young side will have benefited from getting their first win of the season. "It is great to get that first win, because the longer you go without it the harder it is," he said. "We are a young bunch and I think that win on Tuesday will give everybody a lift and everybody will come to training on Thursday and Friday with their heads held higher and looking to kick-on."

Appeal after window smashed in attempted theft from Exmouth RNLI station

September 18, 2014, 8:11 am

≫ Next: Is Putts the world's oldest cat? Devon feline still alive at aged 25 and a half (that's 120 in human years)

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Exmouth RNLI and police are appealing for information after thieves attempted to break into Exmouth RNLI lifeboat station overnight on Tuesday (16 September). Nothing was taken in the attempted raid but the station suffered damage when a glass window was smashed. The station is urging anybody with information on the crime to contact the police. Kevin Riley, Exmouth RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, says: 'One of the crew's wives was out walking on Wednesday morning at about 7am when she noticed the damage and reported it to police. We're not sure exactly when it happened, but the station was secure on Tuesday night and we discovered this damage the following morning, so it must have been at some point over the course of the night. It appears the thieves broke the glass and were trying to get a collection box out, but fortunately they didn't manage to. 'It's extremely disappointing to think that somebody would want to cause damage to our lifeboat station building and attempt to steal money that has been donated by members of the public. The crew and local community are very upset about what's happened as it's not something we'd ever expect. The broken glass has been temporarily repaired and a new panel of glass is on its way, but this obviously costs and spending money on repairs is an added financial burden to the charity when we'd rather it was spent saving lives at sea. If anybody knows who may have committed this incident I'd urge you to contact the police.' Any information should be reported to the police, quoting police crime reference number CR/107249/14.

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Is Putts the world's oldest cat? Devon feline still alive at aged 25 and a half (that's 120 in human years)

September 18, 2014, 10:34 am

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She was born when Margaret Thatcher was running the country, days after George Bush Sr. succeeded Ronald Reagan as US President and several months before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Now, after 25 and a half years, Putts is celebrating being crowned the world's 'oldest' cat at aged 120 in human years. She is six months older than Corduroy – the Guinness World Record holder for 'oldest cat living' – who lives in the United States. But unfortunately her owners, David and Joyce Willey from Sidmouth, have no official record of her true age. "Putts is definitely 25 and a half, but I've got no proof of it," said David, 64. "It's a mystery to us how she's survived so long." Putts (formerly called Springer) was born in January 1989 as one a litter of three to mother Daisy. She originally belonged to another family member before David and Joyce, 66, took ownership of her nine years ago. Although she was once a lively feline, these days she spends most of her time curled-up asleep. Putts is known as a tortoiseshell cat, because her coat combines two colours other than white – black and ginger. She enjoys eating fish and chicken, but weighs just 2kgs and needs a lot of medication every day to stay alive. Joyce added: "She's probably living on borrowed time. Sadly we can't keep her going forever."

AUDIO: Steve Perryman on Rob Edwards, Tranmere and the possibility of extending Alex Nicholls' loan deal

September 18, 2014, 2:06 pm

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In the absence of Paul Tisdale from the weekly press conference, director of football Steve Perryman talks to the media. He discusses going up against former Exeter City assistant manager Rob Edwards in this weekend's match with Tranmere Rovers, the confidence City will have gained from Tuesday's win over Cambridge United and the possibility of extending Alex Nicholls' loan deal from Northampton Town for another month. Listen to his thoughts above.

Cartoon HD back? - But not on iOS 8

September 18, 2014, 4:00 pm

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Cartoon HD is continuing to drive streaming fans mad amid rumours the app is back. There was much wringing of hands when the streaming site app stopped working earlier this year. But this week it started working again, only to go offline soon afterwards. The app allows people to watch new cartoon and movie releases for free on their mobile devices - or that's what it's supposed to do. Over the summer the popular app Cartoon HD was still working with beta versions of iOS on the iPhone. And it appears to have stayed that way with many people saying the iOS 8 update has stopped the app from working. Many now say that the app will only work on iOS 7.0.

Link to download Cartoon HD http://t.co/fbFYTMZROt

— Wasim (@ManLikeMario) September 18, 2014

Cartoon HD is back!!! pic.twitter.com/ezqeeyn9g6

— Ash (@ashhalii) September 18, 2014

Oh cartoon HD how I've missed you

— Ben Ibrahim (@BenIbro) September 18, 2014

Cartoon HD: Five things you should know before downloading it Cartoon HD offers users free streaming of both cartoons and movie releases. The App could be found on Apple's App Store over Christmas, but then was pulled. Users are now downloading it via a website Downloads are said to include latest releases from the cinema, including ones currently being shown in movie theatres Cartoon HD remains free, the creative industries are worth £8million an hour to the British economy. The main internet providers in the UK have said they will letters to people who download copyrighted films without paying for it. Under the new code bodies will monitor IP addresses of downloaders. The first letters will sent from next year and it is thought that at first they will have an educational tone, rather than be penalty led.

PODCAST: ECFC Talk discuss the first win, Alex Nicholls and the chances against Tranmere

September 18, 2014, 4:01 pm

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ECFC Talk is back for episode six of the new season. On this week's show the panel, Nick Powers and Stuart James, discuss Exeter City's first win of the new season, Alex Nicholls and the chances against Tranmere Rovers. Listen to the show above.

Video: Tax disc changes - What you need to know

September 18, 2014, 4:01 pm

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Next month's ending of the need to display a car tax disc could lead to tax evasion costing the economy £167 million a year, according to the RAC. It said it feared that the number of tax-dodgers could equal the number who try to avoid paying motor insurance. RAC chief engineer David Bizley said: "We could be looking at around £167 million of lost revenues to the Treasury, far exceeding the £10 million that will be saved by no longer having to print tax discs and post them to vehicle owners." From October 1, motorists will no longer need to display a tax disc on their vehicle windscreen. They will still need to pay their vehicle excise duty car tax, with records being monitored electronically. An RAC survey of more than 2,000 drivers showed that 36% were unaware of the scrapping of the paper disc, while 47% did not know when the change was due to take effect. The poll also showed that 63% feared there would be a rise in the number of untaxed cars on the road, while 44% reckoned the change would actually encourage people to break the law. From October 1 vehicle tax will no longer be transferred when a vehicle is sold, with buyers of used vehicles having to renew the tax when they make a purchase. Mr Bizley said: "There is clearly concern among motorists over the issue of enforcement. Most of the changes make sense and will benefit the motorist, but too many motorists are unaware of the detail. "The big question has to be whether enforcement using only cameras and automatic number plate recognition will be sufficiently effective." Paper car tax discs are being abolished from October 1, 2014. Some answers to common questions being asked: Q. Will I be fined if I display a tax disc after October 1, 2014? A. No. There will be no legal requirement to display a disc from October 1 onwards but if your disc is still in date, there is no need to remove it. If you sell your car, you need to inform the DVLA immediately as otherwise you could face a fine. The DVLA will cancel your tax disc and refund any duty remaining. Q.How will I know if a vehicle is taxed? A.Any person may check the tax status of any vehicle by using DVLA's Vehicle Enquiry System. The vehicle enquiry system can be accessed by visiting gov.uk. Q. How do I register my car for tax? A. If your vehicle is taxed then you won't need to do anything at all until your tax is due to expire. You will still receive a V11 reminder from the DVLA and you can still pay for your disc at Post Office branches by cash, cheque, debit or credit card, or online at www.gov.uk/tax-disc. The only difference is you won't be issued with a disc. Q. What do I need to be able to tax my vehicle? A. Your vehicle must be insured and either have a valid MOT certificate or be exempt from requiring one. If you're renewing at the Post Office, you will only need your V11 tax reminder form or your V5C registration document (log book) to be able to renew your tax. Q. I've just bought a car, what do I do? A. Your new car will need to be taxed before you can drive it. You can do this at the Post Office with either the V5C registration document, or the V5C part 2 New Keepers Supplement. Further information about registering a newly purchased vehicle is also available at www.gov.uk/vehicle-registration. Q.The tax disc is part of our motoring heritage. Why destroy it now? A.This is part of the Government's plan to Modernise Motoring Services. In December 2012 the Department for Transport (DfT) launched a public consultation "Motoring Services Strategy". The majority of respondents agreed for the paper tax disc to be abolished. Displaying a paper tax disc is now considered an outdated way to identify untaxed vehicles as technology is available. DVLA VIDEO:Vehicle tax changes explained:

Dawlish Air Show 2015: Date announced

September 18, 2014, 4:01 pm

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Organisers of Dawilsh Air Show have announced that next year it will take place on August 22. The DAS committee took the decision to move the air show away from the bank holiday weekend for various reasons. One being it would clash with Dartmouth Regatta. "Additionally, Dawlish Air Show will 'share' Saturday 22 August with Bournemouth Air Festival, an event it has coincided and shared display participants with previously, meaning that the tens of thousands of people who visit the town for the event should be confident that they will get to see all the exciting aircraft for which Dawlish Air Show is now synonymous," organisers say on the DAS website. There were also concerns about the tide, which is scheduled at 3pm. This swill help resolve issues experienced this year which resulted in a lack of room on the beach for spectators.

Storm warning as Devon in line for hail, rain and thunder throughout today

September 18, 2014, 4:02 pm

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A warning of heavy rain and possible hail as well as thunderstorms in Devon has been issued by the Met Office. Forecasters have issued a yellow warning of heavy showers and storms in the region today. The warning is valid throughout the day from 12.15am. A Met Office spokesman said: "Heavy showers and thunderstorms are likely to spread from the south across some southern and western parts of England, and also Wales, on Thursday night - the risk then continuing through much of Friday. "Many places will miss these but the public should be aware of the potential for isolated disruption due to surface water flooding, lightning strikes and hail. "A warm and humid airmass covers southern Britain at present. This is already becoming increasingly unstable and producing a few thunderstorms through Thursday, but these are expected to become more widespread overnight into Friday and extend further north into the Midlands and Wales." 20-30mm rain may fall in a short time, leading to some surface water flooding, whilst lightning and hail may be additional hazards.

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Perfume factory man cleared of sex attack

September 19, 2014, 3:25 am

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A worker has been cleared of a sex attack on his ex partner after telling a jury she had invented her story to try to get him out of the house which they shared. The 40-year-old had been in a relationship with the woman for about nine years and they had a daughter together but had split up five months before the incident last year. They had bought and set up a home together despite him speaking only a few words of English and her speaking no Polish but their unusual arrangement ended in violence and recrimination. The police had already been called to the house in Tiverton four times in the weeks before the woman alleged her ex boyfriend had tried to sexually assault her. The couple had not been talking for months and she had moved into her daughter's bedroom while he slept in the main one which they had previously shared together. She went to a solicitor to try to get him evicted but was told it was impossible because they were joint owners and he had just as much right to live there as he did. The final confrontation followed a bizarre incident the night before in which he put three pills in a pot of spaghetti bolognese which she was cooking. She thought he was trying to poison her and removed them, wrapped them in kitchen paper and put them in her handbag with the intention of taking them to the police the next day. The man, who claimed the pills were a harmless cold remedy, realised what she was planning. He found them in her bag and flushed them down the toilet. She discovered they were missing the next day and went to his bedroom to confront him. At this point they gave completely different accounts of what happened. She said he grabbed her, forced her onto the bed, pulled down her knickers, and sexually assaulted her by rubbing himself against her from behind. He said she shouted at him, threw items around the room in a fury, then suddenly changed her attitude and took all her clothes off. She then started screaming and he put his hand over her mouth to stop her waking their daughter. He told a jury at Exeter Crown Crown Court he believed she had set him up with the intention of getting him arrested and banned from returning to the house, which is exactly what happened. The father-of-one, from Tiverton, denied battery with intent to commit a sexual assault and was found not guilty. He admitted the lesser charge of simple battery which related to him putting his hand over her mouth, leaving scratches on her face. He was conditionally discharged by Judge Erik Salomonsen. He told him:"You say you put your hand over the victim's mouth to stop her screaming and waking your daughter. "Whether that was or was not the reason does not affect the sentence, which is determined by the minor nature of the injuries she sustained and the bad blood there had been between you, which had resulted in the police being called three times by her and once by you. "In view of your good character and guilty plea and the fact that the house has now been sold and other than your daughter there is no reason for contact between you, I shall impose a conditional discharge." The Judge urged the man to seek legal advice about how to arrange visits to his daughter. During the case the defendant, who needed a Polish interpreter, said he worked at a perfume factory in Tiverton and had been in a relationship with the victim for almost a decade. He said:"I did not intend to sexually assault her. I did not intend to rape her. I thought she wanted to do it and do not remember her saying no. "I did not want to have any more contact with her but she went in there so she could accuse me. She wanted to have something with which she could get at me."

Update: Lightning strikes spark Honiton house fire and damages Exeter police mast

September 19, 2014, 3:36 am

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Lightning strikes across Exeter and East Devon caused havoc this morning as fire crews were called out to Honiton to deal with a roof fire started by the extreme weather. Crews from Sidmouth and Honiton were called to Stout in Honiton after reports of a roof on fire at 07:57am. On arrival crews confirmed smoke was issuing from the roof and quickly located the fire in the roof space of the two storey semi-detached house. Crews used hose reel jets and breathing apparatus to extinguish the fire. TRhe fire service confirmed the cause of the fire was a lightning strike on the property. In Exeter a lightning strike on Devon and Cornwall Police's headquarters are affecting 999 calls this morning. A mast at the force's Exeter HQ was damaged meaning all calls are being routed through Plymouth. Police said emergency calls would be answered as "a priority" but urged the public only to dial 999 in an emergency. A spokesman said: "Due to extreme weather conditions this morning a lightning strike has damaged a mast at Police HQ Middlemoor. "This has caused significant disruption to telephony services within the Control Room at Police HQ. "As a result in order to keep disruption to a minimum all telephone calls to police will be diverted to the Plymouth control room where they will be answered. "All 999 calls will be answered as a priority. "It is requested however that the public keep telephone contact to a minimum and that non urgent contact is made through the Force internet service until normal service is resumed. "With public assistance we are confident that these measures will result in minimal disruption to the public and service provision."

Amazing lightning storm over East Devon this morning - nice view from #haytor, #Dartmoor@dartmoornpa@activedartmoorpic.twitter.com/SYQXvbOrjx

— Richard Fox (@FoxyRider) September 19, 2014

In Dawlish firefighters were called after heavy rain caused flooding in Dawlish early on Friday morning. The alarm was raised at 5.50am. The fire service received half a dozen calls to reports of flooding. One fire engine from Dawlish and one from Teignmouth were sent to deal with the incidents. Several flats were involved in the flooding. Crews assisted in removal of the water. A weather warning remains in place throughout the day with heavy showers and more thunderstorms expected. First Great Western and Southeastern railways have warned commuters of cancelled services after lightning strikes damaged equipment in the early hours of this morning. A Met Office warning said the bad weather is set to continue, with thunderstorms expected to move towards the Midlands and Wales. Forecaster Nicola Willis said there had been between 0.4 and 0.8ins (10 and 20mm) of rainfall over a four-hour period this morning. "That is quite a significant amount of rainfall," she said. "There have also been quite a few lightning strikes over that period." Motorists have also been warned of the risk of surface water after the heavy downpours. First Great Western said it had requested replacement road transport for trains between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads, and Penzance via Chippenham, with disruption likely to continue until at least 7am. Southeastern said there had been a complete loss of signalling between Otford and Eynsford, affecting services between Ashford International and London Victoria via Maidstone East.

Exeter park named as best in the South West as city scoops Britain in Bloom awards

September 19, 2014, 3:56 am

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Exeter is celebrating after winning a number of major awards at the RHS Britain in Bloom South West Awards. Pride of place went to Northernhay Gardens, which was named Best Park in the South West. A group of 30 community volunteers, City Council Parks staff and the Lord Mayor, Cllr Percy Prowse travelled up to Trowbridge in Wiltshire yesterday to see if their hard work had paid off. It was the first time in over ten years that Exeter as a city had entered the famous competition. The city was one of the foundation members of South West in Bloom, which this year celebrates its Golden Anniversary. At the award ceremony, Exeter emerged with trophies for winner of the South West Tourism Cup and Best Park in the South West (Northernhay). Stoke Hill School won The Viridor School Composting Trophy. In the 'Village' category, awards went to Pennsylvania (Bronze), St James (Silver), St Thomas (Silver) and St David's (Silver-Gilt). A further 20 'It's Your Neighbourhood' Certificates were presented to the community groups by Jim Buttress (seen recently as the judge in the BBC Allotment Challenge Programme). Cllr Keith Owen, Lead Councillor for Environment, Health and Wellbeing, said: "What can I say - I am absolutely delighted with the results. This is just reward for all the hard work put in by our excellent parks staff and the dedication and passion from Exeter Parks Watch, local communities and the University of Exeter who have devoted so much time and effort." Sue Lawrence, Chair of Exeter Parks Watch, said: "This is the result of Exeter pulling together and working as a team for the better of the city. I am so proud of everyone who has helped achieve these fabulous results." Iain Park, Director of Grounds at the University of Exeter said: "We have been happy to work in partnership with the local authority to promote the quality of open space in Exeter." The Lord Mayor will be hosting a reception for the five RHS SW in Bloom judges and Exeter's participating groups at the Guildhall next Wednesday to thank them for their contribution to the city's success.

Devon care homes closures halted because of legal challenge

September 19, 2014, 4:37 am

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Devon County Council's plans to close care homes, including those in Exeter and Exmouth, have been put on hold because of a legal challenge, the council says. In June, the council announced its decision to shut 20 of its 22 care homes, affecting around 260 elderly residents, in a bid to make budget reductions of £110m from its expenditure by 2017 – £28m in this financial year. In total, 771 employees would be affected by the move, an equivalent of 486 full time positions, but not all will be made redundant, as may be redeployed instead. The council said it had been "asked by the court to temporarily suspend the closure programme until this challenge has been resolved". It said: "We have submitted an appeal against this decision which will be heard as soon as possible. "We are therefore pausing all resident assessments and staff notice meetings pending further legal advice and will continue to provide appropriate care to all residents living in our homes." The council has said it had appealed against the challenge.

Students ridicule 'shut up' pavement messages on Exeter streets

September 19, 2014, 5:14 am

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A campaign designed to minimise nighttime noise in the city's residential areas has been criticised by students. Brightly coloured messages were recently sprayed on street pavements in Exeter in a bid to encourage students to be quiet when passing through suburban areas after dark. The project, involving Devon and Cornwall Police and Exeter City Council, was intended to politely remind students to be considerate of those sleeping in neighbourhood areas of the city. But in an article on the student website 'Exeter Tab', the campaign was branded as 'futile'. Police were also accused of "defacing pavements" in an effort to "shut students up". Olivia Ponton said: "I haven't actually seen the messages, so they're really not that effective." Sophie Davidson said: "I don't really get what it means. They're quite silly." Pheobe Wood added: "One must question the thought process behind appealing through words to students who are too blind-drunk to read them." The chalk stencils read 'Neighbours Sleeping. Thank You' and include the image of a 'Silent' symbol from a mobile phone. Other pavement messages mark Alcohol Control Zones, in which police officers are able to confiscate alcohol products being consumed on the street. They are all designed to wear off over time. Around 7,000 new university students arrived in the city last weekend for the start of the annual Freshers' Week. A 'Welcome Team' of 180 student volunteers are in place to help and look after the new students.