Western Morning News, The

Archive Room Reopens After Improvement Programme ; an Ancient Dartmoor Village Is Reopening Its Archive Room Following Improvement Work Costing Several Thousand Pounds.

An ancient Dartmoor village is reopening its archive room following improvement work costing several thousand pounds. The Lustleigh Archives Room will reopen on Saturday, April 25 following a programme of work funded by a pounds13,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and added support from the Dartmoor National Park Authority and fundraising in the village.

Gardeners Offered Advice On Looking After Hostas ; One Hundred Varieties of a Popular Garden Plant Will Be On Display at a Garden Centre This Month in One of the Largest Collections of Hostas in the Country.

One hundred varieties of a popular garden plant will be on display at a garden centre this month in one of the largest collections of hostas in the country. Jack's Patch Nursery and Garden Centre, near Bishopsteignton, Teignmouth, South Devon, is hosting a "hosta festival" on April 25 and 26 where gardeners can find out how to care for hostas.

Green Countryside Creeping Into Grey of Concrete Jungle ; Nowhere Is the Natural Landscape Less Apparent Than Within the Confines of a City, so You Could Argue a Large Urban Conurbation has No Part in This Series. In Large Towns and Cities the Contest for the Landscape Might Appear to Be Over. The Score Seems to Stand at a Perpetual: Nature 0 - Mankind 1.

Nowhere is the natural landscape less apparent than within the confines of a city, so you could argue a large urban conurbation has no part in this series. In large towns and cities the contest for the landscape might appear to be over. The score seems to stand at a perpetual: nature 0 - mankind 1. But never underestimate the power of nature. The far off, long lost, wilderness has an uncanny knack of returning to its ancient hunting grounds. Myriad ambassadors of the countryside seem to tipto...

Task Force Sets Sail for Far East Training

A royal Navy task force led by a Plymouth ship is preparing to head into some of the world's most dangerous waters, notorious for pirate attacks. HMS Bulwark is at forefront of the sweeping global exercise - the biggest in a decade, named Operation Taurus 09 - in the Far East.

Child Violence Must Be Tackled Nationally ; He Prime Minister has Cautioned Against Drawing Any Broader Conclusions About the State of Society From the Appalling Attacks On Two Young Boys in Edlington, Yorkshire. Gordon Brown Says It Was a Disturbing but Singular Event. It Is True It Was Disturbing.

He prime Minister has cautioned against drawing any broader conclusions about the state of society from the appalling attacks on two young boys in Edlington, Yorkshire. Gordon Brown says it was a disturbing but singular event. It is true it was disturbing. It was also horrific and sickening. But singular, sadly, it wasn't. And conclusions have to be drawn.

Heartbreak of a Needless Cull ; the Harsh Regime That Forcibly Removes Valuable Pedigree Cattle From a Family Farm and Slaughters Them, Then Pays the Farmer a Fraction of Their True Value in Compensation Would Be Hard to Justify in Any Circumstances.

The harsh regime that forcibly removes valuable pedigree cattle from a family farm and slaughters them, then pays the farmer a fraction of their true value in compensation would be hard to justify in any circumstances. But when it later emerges - as it so often does - that the animals killed did not actually harbour the disease, such a policy is indefensible. And when the Government continues to deny the need for a cull of diseased badgers that spread the illness then it becomes a positive s...

Guilty Plea to Breach of Ban On Contacting Over 60s ; a Man Convicted for Knowingly Infecting an 82-Year-Old Woman with Hiv has Pleaded Guilty to Breaching Restrictions That Prevented Him From Contacting Elderly People.

A man convicted for knowingly infecting an 82-year-old woman with HIV has pleaded guilty to breaching restrictions that prevented him from contacting elderly people. Magistrates in Exeter heard that Derek Hornett, 48, had sent a number of suggestive Valentine's Day cards and chocolates to a woman in her sixties.

Woman Died From Blood Clots After Surgery, Inquest Told ; a Woman Died in Her Husband's Arms After Major Surgery Caused Blood Clots in Her Body, an Inquest has Heard.

A woman died in her husband's arms after major surgery caused blood clots in her body, an inquest has heard. Kay Jones died at home in February last year following an operation at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital.

Shelterbox Tents On Ground

A volunteer response team from Helston-based disaster relief charity ShelterBox has started distributing aid to victims of the Italian earthquake. Team members travelled through the night to get to the disaster zone centred around the medieval city of L'Aquila, less than 100 miles north of Rome.

Motorist Freed ; a Driver Broke His Arm and Had to Be Cut Free From His Car by Firefighters After a Road Crash in South East Cornwall.

A DRIVER broke his arm and had to be cut free from his car by firefighters after a road crash in South East Cornwall. The man was behind the wheel of a grey Peugeot 206 travelling along the A388 at Hatt, between Saltash and St Mellion, when the accident happened.

Tories to Put Homes Plans to Residents ; Villagers Will Be Given the Right to Vote Through Housing Developments Under Tory Plans to Ease the Rural Housing Crisis.

Villagers will be given the right to vote through housing developments under Tory plans to ease the rural housing crisis. Councils would be stripped of control over the building of new homes if 90 per cent of people want it to go ahead.

Shoplifters Target Stock in Temporary Charity Shop ; a Temporary Charity Shop Set Up to Raise Money for Local Causes Was Targeted by Shoplifters During Its First Week of Trading.

A temporary charity shop set up to raise money for local causes was targeted by shoplifters during its first week of trading. Members of the Barnstaple Link Rotary Club are running the shop in the former Warrens Bakery premises on the town's high street.

Duke Gives Award-Winning Building Royal Seal of Approval

The Duke of Gloucester met the team behind an award-winning Westcountry building when he officially opened it yesterday. The Duke visited the region to open Clinton Devon Estates' new headquarters, the Rolle Estate Office, at Bicton Arena in East Devon.

Prisoner Hostels: 1 in 4 Jailed for Re-Offending ; a Quarter of Criminals Put Up in Private Houses Instead of Jails Have Been Sent Back to Custody After Re-Offending, It Emerged Last Night.

A quarter of criminals put up in private houses instead of jails have been sent back to custody after re-offending, it emerged last night. Residents across Devon and Cornwall have reacted angrily to plans to use family homes in residential streets as hostels for prisoners released early or awaiting sentence.

Clay Giant to Shut Plants for 30 Days Over 8 Weeks ; One of the Region's Biggest Employers Is to Carry Out a Series of Shutdowns at Its Plants From Today As It Battles the Recession.

One of the region's biggest employers is to carry out a series of shutdowns at its plants from today as it battles the recession. China clay giant Imerys, which has quarries in Devon and Cornwall, is to halt production for more than 30 days during an eight-week period. The first starts today and will last 11 days.

Farmer Jailed for Repeated Neglect of His Cattle

A cornish farmer has been jailed for 60 days for repeatedly neglecting cattle after vets and animal inspectors found them "unacceptably thin and emaciated". John Wadge, from Tregirls, Bodmin Moor, was convicted last month by Liskeard magistrates of five counts of failing to properly care for his animals. He was jailed yesterday for the offences while he was banned from keeping animals. At the time, he was also subject to a suspended sentence for previous cruelty.

Blacksmith Earned National Acclaim for Dedication

Tributes have been received from Master Blacksmiths by the family and friends of Harry Jordan, who died peacefully at Falmouth Hospital on March 12 following a short illness. He was 87. He was born Harold William Charles Jordan on March 4, 1922, at 12 Swanpool Street, Falmouth, to Charles and Gladys Jordan. He met his beloved Beryl who worked at the Bakers Oven and they married in 1947, living at Swanpool Street before moving to Grovehill Crescent.

Rotary Club Organises Sponsored Walk ; a Sponsored Walk in Aid of Cornwall Hospice Care Is to Be Held Over the First of the May Bank Holidays.

A sponsored walk in aid of Cornwall Hospice Care is to be held over the first of the May bank holidays. St Austell Rotary Club is organising the Saint's Way Walk with clubs in Bodmin, Padstow, Wadebridge, Lostwithiel and St Austell Bay.

Moor Award to Magazine Editor ; the 12th Annual Dartmoor Society Award has Been Presented to Elisabeth Stanbrook to Mark Her Special Contribution to the National Park.

The 12th annual Dartmoor Society Award has been presented to Elisabeth Stanbrook to mark her special contribution to the national park. The award is a crafted ceramic plate made by potter Penny Simpson, of Moretonhampstead, and calligrapher Susanne Haines, of Bovey Tracey.

Underwater Attack - All in the Name of True Love ; These Dramatic Pictures Show a Feathered Suitor Launching a Stealthy, Underwater Attack On His Love Rival During Elaborate Courtship Rituals On a Westcountry Lake.

These dramatic pictures show a feathered suitor launching a stealthy, underwater attack on his love rival during elaborate courtship rituals on a Westcountry lake. Three pairs of great-crested grebes are currently breeding on the lake at Stover Country Park, Newton Abbot.