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Work starts on A361 upgrade causing major delays

A turf cutting ceremony was carried out by Councillor Andrea Davis (pictured right), to mark the start of the £60 million A361 improvements between South Molton and Portmore roundabout at Barnstaple.

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However, no sooner had work got underway, motorists took to social media complaining of delays of at least an hour getting through the roadworks (photo below).

Councillor Davis, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Infrastructure said, “I’m extremely pleased to see the start of work on this vital project, and no doubt these improvements can’t come soon enough for many people. Every effort will be made to minimise traffic delays, but unfortunately it will be unavoidable while this vital work is carried out.”

The scheme is expected to take three years to complete. Work is starting in a number of locations which will be widened along the link road, and temporary traffic lights will be in place for the first few weeks while both sides of the carriageway are cleared on these stretches.

Once this is done, a two-way traffic flow will be allowed, but a 40mph limit will be introduced as a safety measure.

Traffic on the first day - photo Faye Leworthy

George Nympton and Queens Nympton Parish Council say they are delighted that superfast fibre broadband has been connected to their rural communities.

The project has taken three years to complete, covering George Nympton itself and the surrounding areas.

A spokesman for the parish council said, “In common with many other rural communities we had suffered with speeds as low as under 1mbps - we can now purchase contracts up to 900mbps! This will transform things for residents and businesses in the area, especially in the current circumstances where we are working and studying from home, as well as spending our leisure time online.”

Nearby King’s Nympton already has full fibre broadband and now a campaign is getting underway in Chulmleigh to get many more properties connected. Residents in the town are lobbying North Devon MP Selaine Saxby and looking at a community partnership bid.

The hit BBC television programme DIY SOS returned to the screens in February, and featured several local businesses donating their time to help with a special build in North Devon.

Among the many trades people taking part were Mark Berry Plumbing and Heating (below left), South Molton Scaffolding (below right) and The Upholstery Workroom. The popular TV show, hosted by Nick Knowles and featuring designer Laurence Llewelyn Bowen, visited High Bickington in 2019 but the programme has only just been shown for the first time.

They rebuilt a home for the Collins family who have two young daughters Daisy and Amber with a rare illness called nephrotic syndrome, a disease that causes kidney failure and requires them to have 70 hours of dialysis each week. The remodelling of their home by dozens of local volunteers and the television team means they can now have their life saving dialysis at home.

Presenter Nick Knowles (far left) with Jan and Lucy Collins and their five children, plus Laurence Llewelyn Bowen (far right) with the DIY SOS team and local volunteers - photo courtesy BBC/DIY SOS

The Heasley Mill phone box will become a defibrillator cabin

Village fundraising for defibrillator in old phone box

A campaign is underway to raise £2,300 for a potentially life saving defibrillator for the rural community of Heasley Mill, just outside North Molton.

The plan is to turn the village’s disused red phone box into a fully kitted out cabin. The Community Heart Beat Trust will carry out the conversion, which normally would have been funded by the British Heart Foundation.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the charity is short of money, so people in the village are stepping in to pay for it themselves.

There is going to be a ‘three Hamper Easter raffle’ starting on March 1st, with tickets priced £5 available from Bulleds store in North Molton, and direct from coordinator Claire Barron (contact info below).

The prize draw will be held on April 1st. Cash donations towards the defibrillator fund are also welcome.

Having a defibrillator in a rural area like this on the edge of Exmoor, increases the chances of survival if someone goes into cardiac arrest. To get in touch with Claire Barron please call; 01598 740848.

Top cyclist Amy Pullen (right), who is in Year 11 at West Buckland School, has been selected as a ‘guest apprentice’ for Team GB cycling.

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Great Britain Cycling Team is only taking on seven youngsters this year instead of fifteen, making Amy’s achievement even more remarkable.

Amy started cycling 5 years ago at the age of 11. She trains under coach Rob Wakefield and rides with Propello Cycling. Training takes around nine hours a week, with both long weekend rides and daily strength and conditioning sessions.

The student is now preparing in the hope that some races will take place this year.

As the number of 999 calls to emergency services across Devon continues to rise, South West Ambulance Service have approached Devon Air Ambulance to ask if they can support them with specialist care support during these unprecedented times.

The air ambulance charity has now added a third emergency response vehicle to their fleet (right), enabling them to help more patients receive the care they urgently need.

Operations Manager Darren Goodwin said, “We are very grateful to Volvo Cars UK and Kastners Exeter, who have come to our aid again. We are pleased to get this additional vehicle up and running so quickly to support our colleagues on the frontline ambulances.”

“This extra vehicle will mean another medical team can deliver their expert, enhanced and critical care to those that need emergency treatment as soon as possible.”

This third car is fitted out with the same medical kit as the charity’s existing vehicles. It has been kindly provided on loan from Volvo Cars UK. It will be crewed by Critical Care Paramedics, and the Volvo XC60 will create extra resource for the 999 operators to call on.

School Covid testing programme

Along with other schools in the area, South Molton Community College is running Coronavirus testing for its pupils and staff.

The ‘lateral flow’ tests mean that results can be given in just 30 minutes. Those who test positive can immediately self-isolate to avoid passing the virus on to others.

If they test positive, they are then required to do another test which is sent away for analysis. Staff volunteers have been carrying out the tests, so they are prepared for when pupils go back to school full time.

Multi million pound revamp planned for Barnstaple

Barnstaple town centre is set to see a once in a lifetime £11 million transformation, thanks to a successful bid for a share of Government funding, supported by additional investment from North Devon Council.

The Market Quarter project includes a plan to pedestrianise and make improvements to Butchers Row and Cross Street, and aims to improve facilities in the Pannier Market and the Guildhall. At a time when many town centres have been thrown into chaos by the Coronavirus pandemic, it’s hoped these proposals will give a new heart to Barnstaple, making it a unique destination that will boost footfall to the high street and provide a better experience for residents and visitors.

Local councillor Robbie Mack says, “We need a bold and ambitious project so Barnstaple can become the social and economic hub it should be. It will connect the whole town centre and provide a more welcoming access to a newly revitalised Market Quarter. It’s a sustainable plan to safeguard the town’s future in the long term.”

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