South Hams Journal

Many people have been raving about Netflix's new period drama Bridgerton, but for one South Hams resident it was even more exciting.  Lucy (right) on screen in Bridgerton with Jonathan Bailey (left) as Anthony Bridgerton and Ruth Gemmell (centre) as Lady Violet Bridgerton This week I settled down to watch the new Netflix series, in pyjamas and too full of leftovers to move much, and then I spotted a familiar face.  Having written the reviews for KATS (Kingsbridge Amateur Theatrical Society) and Kingsbridge Community College productions, I had become familiar with Lucy Booker and it was her that I had spotted in the background of one of the biggest series of the year.  Lucy on stage with Anthony Chamberlain in KATS' production of Fiddler on the Roof Lucy, 20, lives in South Milton, and goes by her stage name of Lucy Anna Richardson. Knowing she wanted to be an actor since before she could walk, at one point she was performing in three local productions at once, with KATS, MAD (

Police are investigating a break in this morning which left the female occupier injured. Devon and Cornwall Police  At around 3.15am this morning, Christmas Eve, the occupants of a house in Church Street, Kingsbridge, were woken by a man kicking and banging the front door.  When the woman confronted him, he pushed past her into the house and assaulted her.  When confronted by her husband, he then made off up Church Street.  A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "The male has been described as white, about 5'7" tall, slight build, wearing a dark top and trousers. He may have taken his top off as he left the scene.  "If anyone witnessed the incident or can help with the identity of the male, then please get in touch quoting Log 89 of 241220 (10900)." This incident must have been completely terrifying for the occupants and we hope they recover as soon as possible and are still able to enjoy their Christmas. 

Two nonegenarians living in Aveton Gifford have become two of the first people to receive the Covid vaccine.  Stock Image John Satterthwaite, 91, was given his first dose of the Coronavirus vaccine on Friday lunchtime, at St Boniface House, Ashburton, and said he "didn't feel a thing".  "It was just like getting my flu jab", John said, "I wasn't worried about it, but maybe a little bit of trepidation, but it was really reassuring, I didn't feel a thing. Nothing at all afterwards either, no ill effects." I wasn't worried about it, but maybe a little bit of trepidation, but it was really reassuring, I didn't feel a thing. Nothing at all afterwards either, no ill effects John is booked into receive his second dose of the vaccine in the first week of January and seven days after that he will have almost complete immunity to the virus.  "They said that there would be a certain amount of protection after the first dose", John explai

A yacht with two people on board has run aground at Start Point.  Salcombe RNLI One of the emergency services on scene said: "The rescue helicopter can't get to them as its too foggy." Salcombe RNLI Lifeboat and HMCoastguard are on scene. Update:  A spokesperson for Salcombe RNLI said: "Once on scene and in extremely poor weather conditions a search for casualties began along with assistance from Prawle Point Coastguard Rescue Team and Coastguard Helicopter. Two male casualties were eventually recovered from the water and transferred by Lifeboat to Salcombe and awaiting ambulance." A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Police and the Coastguard received a call at 3.45am, to a 25ft yacht which had run aground on rocks at Start Point.  "Prawle Point Coastguard Rescue Team attended, along with Salcombe RNLI Lifeboat and a Bristow Coastguard Helicopter from Newquay.  "The two male casualties have been rescued from the boat and have been

Police have discovered the body of a 50-year-old local man who had been missing since Friday. Devon and Cornwall Police  A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Yesterday afternoon, Poice received a call to attend the vicinity of Bigbury-on-Sea to a report of a missing man who had not been seen since Friday. "HM Coastguard, RNLI Salcombe lifeboat, and Hope Cove Lifeboat also attended to assist in the search.  "Regrettably, the body of a 50 year old local man was discovered. Next of kin have been informed and a file has been submitted to Her Majesty's Coroner.  "On behalf of all of the emergency services who attended, we offer our sincere condolences to the friends and family of the man."  Our thoughts are with the man's friends and family. 

Prickles in a Pickle, a home-based hedgehog rescue in Stoke Fleming, is looking for volunteers as founder Judy Thomson is returning to work as a nurse. One of the prickly patients - credit Prickles in a Pickle Judy, who runs Prickles in a Pickle with partner Alan, is a registered nurse, and has been shielding due to the pandemic. She is now returning to work  as a renal nurse for the South Devon Sattellite Kidney.  This means they are in need of some extra volunteers to help keep their prickly patients happy and healthy.  Judy said: "There is no doubt about it we do need more volunteers. With the current situation I have tried to keep us all safe by having a work bubble and of course we wear medical grade masks and there is plenty of hand gel and wash about.   "We need to have two of us here each day in the morning, it would be great to have someone in the afternoon to clear up, sort some laundry and perhaps finish off the morning work.  We also need someone to do the feeds i

A domestic abuse survivor who was supported by the team at Kingsbridge Food Bank has agreed to share her story.  Stock Image Gerrie Messer, Kingsbridge Food Bank coordinator, met Blossom* and her three children late on a Friday evening, during the national lockdown.  Gerrie said: "As with many domestic abuse victims, they had been relocated many miles from the place they called home. They’d travelled close to 300 miles that day, to a new home, a new town and a new start – away from the perpetrator of repeated violence, coercion/control and mental abuse within the household.  They’d travelled close to 300 miles that day, to a new home, a new town and a new start – away from the perpetrator of repeated violence, coercion/control and mental abuse within the household "Having only brought basic belongings, they were moved into a partly furnished property, in a quiet village – away from the business of the town centre." The next morning, Gerrie and her team welcomed Blossom a

Dartmouth Fire Station were called to a van that had collided with scaffolding while trying to board the lower ferry.  The Dartmouth Lower Ferry at Kingswear - credit David Dixon, Geograph Dartmouth Fire Crew were called when the driver of the van, which had been trying to board the Lower Ferry, hadn't noticed the scaffolding on the building next to him and impaled the vehicle.  A spokesperson for Dartmouth Fire Crew said: "Unfortunately the driver hadn't noticed the scaffolding surrounding the nearside building and the scaffolding pierced the side of the van. There was a real danger of the scaffolding collapsing as the driver tried to move the vehicle backwards and forwards so was told to stop immediately." The fire officer in charge made the decision to cut a hole in the side of the van, around the scaffold pole, with a Makita saw and allowed the van to be driven off safely.  The scaffolding company was called to ensure the structure was still safe.  As of now we ha

Police are investigating after three outboard engines were stolen from a storage unit at Bolt Head airfield at East Soar.  Bolt Head Airfield - credit Hugh Venables, Geograph Devon and Cornwall Police said: "We are appealing for witnesses and anyone with information in connection with a report of burglary to a premises in the area of East Soar near Malborough. Three outboard engines were stolen." Police say the engines were stolen sometime between 2pm on Saturday, 12 December, and 11am on Sunday, 13 December. A spokesperson for Kingsbridge Police said: "We would urge anyone with these type of units to ensure that you review your security and be vigilant of any suspicious people or vehicles."  If you have any information or CCTV in the area please phone 101 or email 101@dc.police.uk quoting crime CR/104207/20. *** We don't put any of our South Hams Journal content behind a paywall, so you can always find our news free of charge. So if you would like to support

Shops in Kingsbridge are opening late on Thursday this week, to make sure everyone can get their perfect Christmas gifts while also supporting local businesses.  Late night Christmas shopping on Thursday Thursday, 17 December, will see more than 15 shops on Fore Street open until 7pm to allow people to get their Christmas shopping done after work, after the kids have finished running riot or just when it looks more festive with all the beautiful lights and shop windows that have been decorated this year.  The shops involved include Coco boutique , Flowers of Kingsbridge , Green & Wild , Habit , Harvest Moon , Mark Davis Antiques , Norsworthy Photography , Occasional Cards , Pig Finca , Red Propeller , Samphire Foods , Southwest 15 , Taylored Games , The General Store , and  The Trading Post .  So if you want gifts, trinkets, floral displays, bunches of flowers, eco-friendly products, branded clothes, fair trade gifts, local arts and crafts, antiques, photography sessions, cards, wr

Covid-19 numbers in the South Hams have dropped by 26 per cent in two weeks.  Coronavirus Devon County Councillor Roger Croad shared the latest numbers today, Friday, 11 December. Between 19-25 November there were 49 laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 cases in the South Hams, but this has dropped to 36 cases between 3-9 December.  So, currently in the South Hams, confirmed cases per 100,000 is 41.4, compared to 75.8 in Devon, 46.5 in Plymouth and 151.6 in England as a whole.  Tuesday, December 8, also marked the first day that Derriford Hospital became one of the first in the country to start administering the new vaccine.  According to the Government website, the priority list for the vaccine will be:  1. residents in a care home for older adults and their carers 2. all those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers 3. all those 75 years of age and over 4. all those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals 5. all those 65 years o

A woman's search for her birth mum has lead her to Totnes, and she says she wants to know where she comes from.  Betsy Cullis is searching for her birth mum Betsy Cullis, 21, lives in Portishead, Bristol, and has been searching for her birth mum on and off for about four years. About a year ago, she went to the hospital she was born at and gained access to her birth certificate, which gave her mother's name as Jane Grant, living at Flat 3, 58 High Street, Totnes.  Betsy said: "Its just about knowing who my family are and finally putting a face to a name. I want to know where I come from. I also have some mental health issues and I'd like to know if it runs in my family. I have so many questions and no answers. I feel like I'm on an investigation." Its just about knowing who my family are and finally putting a face to a name. I want to know where I come from Three years ago, Betsy found a letter from her mother, that said that she would like to get in contact i

A dead dolphin found washed up on the beach in Thurlestone is thought to be a victim of bycatch and its death prompted a letter to our MP.  The dead common dolphin - credit Adrian Durant  Adrian Durant was walking his dog on Thurlestone Sands (also known as South Milton Sands) yesterday morning when he came across the dead dolphin on the sand. He said the tail of the dolphin had been cut off by "a very straight and sharp blade", and was "clearly a dolphin that has been caught in a fishing net, drowned and then very callously disposed of by a fisherman".  clearly a dolphin that has been caught in a fishing net, drowned and then very callously disposed of by a fisherman Mr Durant, a Thurlestone resident, said: "If this continues to happen there will soon be no dolphins left in our waters for future generations to enjoy. This is completely unacceptable and something needs to be done before it is too late." If this continues to happen there will soon be no dol

Malborough with South Huish Primary School is getting into the swing of Christmas with a festive window trail and raffle. Festive window - stock image Organised by the PTFA, the Malborough Festive Window Trail will see children and their grown ups walking around the village and seeing how many festive windows (or gardens) they can spot between the 7th and 31st of December.  Entry forms can be found at Malborough Post Office for £2 and must be handed into the school office by the 7th of January. The closest entry will win a prize and all the proceeds go to the PTFA. If you are a Malborough resident and will be having a festive window on display, contact the PTFA on malborough@southhamsfederation.org.uk.  Malborough with South Huish Primary School - credit N Chadwick  As well as exploring the village and searching for beautiful windows, you can also enter the school's Christmas raffle for the chance to win hampers from Aune Valley Meat, the Winking Prawn and Salcombe Dairy Icecream,

Our friendly neighbourhood bookshop is ready to take on the giants of the business by joining the “Rebel Alliance to Amazon’s Empire”.  Harbour Bookshop Harbour Bookshop, Mill Street, Kingsbridge, has joined Bookshop.org, an online bookshop with a mission to financially support local, independent bookshops. It means you can buy books online while also supporting your bricks and mortar bookshop.   Bookshop.org hopes to play Rebel Alliance to Amazon’s Empire Find Harbour Bookshop on Bookshop.org and the bookshop and author receive the full profit. Your order will also contribute to an earnings pool that will be evenly distributed among independent bookshops. The organisation say: “We hope that Bookshop.org can help strengthen the fragile ecosystem around bookselling and keep local bookshops as an integral part of our culture and communities.” Bookshop.org is an amazing B-Corp - a corporation dedicated to the public good – and by design, they give away more than 75% of their profit margi