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Ilfracombe aims for £3m boost in culture bid

Lewis Clarke
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Ilfracombe aims for £3m boost in culture bid

A seaside town with a harbour history stretching back to the 1200s is setting its sights on a national cultural crown – and a £3 million prize to match.

Ilfracombe has announced a bid to become the first UK Town of Culture 2028, aiming to showcase its heritage, creative community and growing cultural profile. It joins Barnstaple in a bid.

The competition, launched by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), celebrates the cultural stories and achievements of towns across the UK. It will award £3 million to the winning town to deliver a major cultural programme. Two further finalists will each receive £250,000 to support their own cultural activity in 2028.

The bid is being led by One Ilfracombe, a partnership bringing together councils, local agencies, voluntary organisations and community groups. The application is being shaped by its Culture Club, a network of more than 100 artists, performers, venues, councils, museums and cultural organisers.

Charmain Lovett, project officer at One Ilfracombe, said: “We are so excited about this opportunity for Ilfracombe. The Town of Culture competition is all about sharing the unique story of your town and how it has contributed to UK culture, and Ilfracombe has endless stories to tell.

“From the history of our working harbour going all the way back to the 1200s through to the modern contribution of Damien Hirst and his 66ft tall statue Verity we have a huge history of feeding into the national cultural and heritage narrative.

“It also aligns with a lot of the other strategies we have through Ilfracombe Futures, Ilfracombe Town Council’s Strategic Plan and the Ilfracombe Culture Plan so it would be fantastic to tie the Town of Culture programme into the momentum that we already have.

“Coupled with our incredible community spirit and the vibrant cultural offering we already have, we know that our application is strong — and hopefully this lovely little corner of the UK can share its cultural might with the wider world.”

Winning towns are expected to demonstrate original storytelling, strong community involvement and an accessible, empowering programme of cultural events.

Ilfracombe already hosts a number of established events, including The Art Trail, Sea Ilfracombe, Ilfracombe Beer Festival, Green Man Day and Combe Christmas, which draw thousands each year. In 2026, new additions include the Shanty Festival, Coast Week and the Ilfracombe Photography Festival, which are expected to attract visitors from across the UK.

The town’s galleries, both professional and community-led, and its music and theatre groups contribute to year-round cultural activity. The Landmark Theatre, an Arts Council national portfolio organisation, also supports the local arts scene.

The bid will be submitted ahead of the Tuesday, March 31 Expression of Interest deadline, with shortlisted towns expected to be announced in the spring.

If successful, Ilfracombe hopes the title will help amplify its cultural story, strengthen community pride and create a lasting legacy for residents and visitors.

For more information visit www.oneilfracombe.org.uk.

Report warns UK EU families torn apart by visa rules

University of Exeter
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Report warns UK EU families torn apart by visa rules

The application of the UK’s family migration rules to UK-EU couples after Brexit is causing family separation and trauma, a new report warns.

Researchers from the Universities of Bristol and Exeter have uncovered the serious hardship and hurdles facing families where one partner is from Europe following Britain’s exit from the European Union. They say there is an urgent need for improvement to migration processes to ensure they support the family life of all British citizens and residents with partners from abroad.

The findings and policy recommendations, led by the University of Bristol and University of Exeter, were presented in Parliament.

Before Brexit, the partners of British citizens and residents could almost always live together easily in the UK under EU law. Now EU citizen partners who are ineligible for settled or pre-settled status must apply for a visa, usually under the UK’s highly restrictive partner migration rules.

These include a minimum income requirement for the British citizen/resident sponsor set at £29,000 pa, above the income of around half of the employed population, and very demanding evidence requirements.

The report says this process has an impact on multiple areas of couples’ lives, including employment, education and finances. Many families who took part in the study experienced family separations, strains on relationships, and negative impacts on their own and children’s mental wellbeing.

The Brexit Couples project involved more than 100 interviews, including 56 UK-EU couples living in England and Wales, as well as experts and relevant organisations. The project Advisory Board includes: The3Million, Reunite Families UK, and the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association. 

Researchers found families are struggling with the complexity of navigating the partner visa system, and the costs, which total at least £12,000 over five years, often more.

Those who took part in the research said they felt there was a lack of clear, affordable advice in navigating the system, and criticised the need to renew visas every 2.5 years until the EU partner can apply for settlement after at least five and sometimes ten years.

The report says the interests of UK-EU couples and families should be considered as the UK and EU seek to reset their post-Brexit relationship. 

 The report calls for policy change to:

  • Lower minimum income and simplify evidence requirements
  • Reduce costs
  • Make the application process quicker and easier
  • Increase the visa period from 2.5 to 5 years.

The research was led by Katharine Charsley, Professor of Migration Studies at the University of Bristol and Helena Wray, Professor of Migration Law at the University of Exeter.

Professor Wray said: “Thousands of UK-EU couples in the UK must now navigate the UK’s partner migration rules, which are among the most restrictive in the world. Our participants did not expect it to be so difficult to live together in the UK. They told us they were shocked by the impact, which was a consequence of Brexit and the recategorization of EU citizens as migrants.”

Professor Charsley said: “The process of applying for a partner visa was described to us as arduous, stressful and draining, and must be repeated every 2.5 years until indefinite leave to remain is obtained after a minimum of five years.”

“Some couples considered leaving or did leave the UK. The high minimum income threshold, cost and complexity mean that many couples are unable to apply and face permanent separation or exile.”

Plymouth man charged after major drugs and cash haul

Devon and Cornwall Police
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Plymouth man charged after major drugs and cash haul

A man from Plymouth has been charged with six offences following a series of warrants carried out on 25 February by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU), supported by Devon and Cornwall Police. 

Ryan Board, 30, from Rochford Cresent, appeared at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 26 February, charged with: 

  • Possession with intent to supply cocaine 
  • Possession with intent to supply ketamine 
  • Possession with intent to supply cannabis 
  • Possessing criminal property 
  • Possession of an offensive weapon in private place, namely a knuckleduster  
  • Possession of an offensive weapon in private place, namely a telescopic truncheon   

As well as the dangerous weapons recovered, officers seized more than £33,000 in cash, approximately 260 grams of cannabis, around 500 grams of cocaine and more than two kilos of ketamine.  

Board was remanded in custody and is due to appear at Plymouth Crown Court on 26 March 2026.  

A woman in her 30s, also from Plymouth, was arrested as part of the same operation and has been released under investigation. 

If you are aware of any form of criminal activity happening in your area, please contact your local police and report it. Alternatively, you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 111 555 or visit its website. 

Hundreds raised to give skydiver ‘send off he deserves’

Lewis Clarke
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Hundreds raised to give skydiver ‘send off he deserves’

A legend of the skies has been remembered as tributes poured in and hundreds of pounds were raised in his name following a fatal skydiving incident.

Friends and fellow jumpers have paid heartfelt tributes to 49-year-old Chas McNeil, who died while taking part in a wingsuit jump at Skydive South West, which operates out of Dunkeswell Aerodrome.

A fundraising page set up by Daniel Hoole has already raised hundreds of pounds to support Chas’s loved ones.

The GoFundMe page, titled The True Legend Chas, states: “Please help and support the McNeil family in the time, this collection is to celebrate all what Chas was to us all. What can you say about this MAN, all who knew him, loved him.

“He was always there at the front leading the way, smiling no matter how bad things got. He was and always will be one of the greats. Let’s give him the send off he deserves ❤️.”

The page can be found at www.gofundme.com/f/the-true-legend-chas.

Chas was a keen skydiver who went all over the world.

Tracy Yellowcrayon Hoole said: “Chas McNeil truly deserves the best send off 🥺💔 and if we can make things easier for his loved ones in this incredible hard time and show how adored and loved he was and take away some worries 💔🥺❤️ the blue 💙 sky’s are yours forever now darling 💙.”

Ellie Keich said: “I genuinely have no words. What an absolute privilege it was to be able to call you my friend.

“From gluing everyone back together last year to getting us in the sky. Your kindness and passion for life is something unmatched.

“Fortunate enough to see the loud witty side of Chas, all the outrageous jokes, brutal honesty and hilarious stories. But also the kind, determined and patient side.

“Chas was loyal, encouraging and generous with his advice something that will be painfully missed. It was a true honour to learn from Chas and experience the sky with him.

“The pride he held for us after every jump is something I will remember for ever. Thank you for just being you and thank you for believing in me when I did not even believe in myself.

“Blue skies and one last Yeeeehaaawww 🤠🤍🪂.”

Tim Lawson said: “In this amazing sport, we meet some truly incredible people and share some truly amazing experiences. But sometimes, like life, it can be very cruel.

“Chas, I have known you for about 15 years, and you and I have become close mates over the last couple of years. Whether it is working together, paragliding, or just hanging out in the evening, we were always laughing.

“But you also had so much advice to offer, and was somebody that I could phone up when I need someone to talk to. Like so many others I really looked up to you mate.

“Since my time that I have been in New Zealand over the last few months, you have been the one that is always been checking up on me, phoning me weekly, making sure I am okay, reminding me to look after myself, and just being a mate.

“I will never forget your friendship, your kindness, and the inspiration that you gave me. Rest easy Chas. Blue skies. ❤️❤️❤️.”

Annie Lewis wrote: “It’s hard to comprehend that we’re not going to see you again, Chas McNeil. Today I heard the news I never imagined hearing about someone like you, and I’m completely gutted.

“My heart goes out to Chas’s family, to his mum and dad, who must have been so incredibly proud of him, to Kaci, to Meg, and to everyone at Skydive Southwest. I can’t begin to imagine what you’re all going through.

“I first knew Chas back at South Cerney, and like so many of us in the skydiving world, our paths crossed again and again at different drop zones over the years.

“Chas was a proud member of the Silver Stars Parachute Freefall Team, and an exceptional skydiver, a brilliant AFF instructor and tandem instructor who shared the sky with thousands of people, giving them an experience they would never forget.

“He absolutely loved what he did. Whether it was teaching, jumping with friends, or just being around the dropzone, Chas brought energy, humour, and that unmistakable spark that made everyone glad to be around him.

“To lose him in his 49th year is so hard to comprehend, and there really are not words big enough for it.

“But the skydiving world is a family. In the coming days, weeks, months and years, we will do what we always do, we will come together, share the stories, remember the jumps, the laughs, and the moments that made Chas who he was.

“Blue skies, Chas. You will be missed more than words can ever say.”

In a statement following the incident, Skydive South West said it was “deeply saddened” and that its thoughts and heartfelt condolences were with the man’s family, friends and the “close-knit” skydiving community.

The centre said he had completed 10,000 jumps and was using his personal parachute equipment while carrying out a wingsuit jump with a friend on Saturday.

It added: “As a small, family-run drop zone, this loss has affected us profoundly and personally.

“The UK skydiving community is close-knit and when we lose one of our own, it is felt across the entire community.”

British Skydiving confirmed its board of inquiry would investigate the circumstances of the jump. A full report with its conclusions and any recommendations will be submitted to the coroner, police, Civil Aviation Authority, British Skydiving Safety & Training Committee and any other relevant authorities.

Devon and Cornwall Police said officers were called to the airfield near Honiton at about 1pm on Saturday.

A spokesperson said: “Emergency services attended the scene, where sadly a 49-year-old man was confirmed deceased. His family have been informed.”

Saturday’s death comes less than a year after two people lost their lives while taking part in a tandem jump at the same airfield.

Skydiving instructor Adam Harrison, 30, and Belinda Taylor, 48, died when their parachute failed to open at Dunkeswell on June 13. The skydiving company that organised that jump later went into administration.

Dunkeswell Aerodrome is a former RAF site located in the Blackdown Hills area. According to its website, the site was originally built to be a US naval base during the Second World War.

Flood anxiety grows as Cullompton residents speak out

Lewis Clarke
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Flood anxiety grows as Cullompton residents speak out

Flooding fears dominated a tense town council meeting as residents warned they feel “left out” and ignored, despite years of complaints about blocked drains, inadequate culverts and new developments funnelling water towards their homes.

At Cullompton Town Council on Thursday, February 26, people living in Colebrook Lane, Knightswood, and surrounding areas described repeated near misses, gardens under inches of water, and growing anxiety every time it rains.

Norman Harper told councillors that while recent flooding of the Willand to Cullompton road had caused “great inconvenience to shoppers, people getting to work, school, doctors”, the deeper concern lay in long-standing drainage problems in the Padbrook area.

He said: “This culvert in the past has caused trouble by overflowing, as we all know, coming down Culvert Lane, down Swallow Way, flooding the roundabout, and crossing into Knightswood. This was first reported by me in 2017; next year, that will be ten years, and nothing has been done about it.”

Norman said a builder’s wire mesh remains in the stream south of the culvert, “still collecting debris, assisting the build-up of water”, and argued that the structure had already been judged inadequate by the Environment Agency.

“I did a site visit to the culvert and walked the whole stream, and on the day of the visit, the Environment Agency officer deemed that culvert as inadequate because of the over spillage,” he said.

Referring to a document linked to the Culm Valley Park development, he added: “The comments on that are that this culvert is inadequate to take the flow of water, hence the overspill and threatening south of the culvert.”

He also raised concerns about a newly constructed footpath and cycleway connecting a new estate to Colebrook Lane.

“The footpath/cycleway that has been constructed is now allowing a flow of water from the new estate into Colebrook Lane, creating additional water running into Colebrook Lane,” Norman said.

“The length of the footpath, there is no footpath drainage at all. Not one drain. The adjoining land to the footpath is a higher level than the footpath, so the footpath makes the perfect culvert.”

Ruth Tucker, who lives at Knightswood and has been in her home for more than 40 years, described the toll repeated flooding has taken on her household.

“I overlook the field which gets flooded, and I am one of the houses that have been flooded a few times and very nearly flooded recently as well,” she said. “My husband has been out in the last week clearing ditches and blockages, as we are now regularly getting 10 inches in our garden. We have a pump that’s going consistently, and we have neighbours who are also getting flooded.”

She said a ditch between her home and a neighbouring field had effectively become a holding pond because a drain is blocked and not flowing anywhere. After clearance work, the field bank was raised by about a foot, which she said is now higher than the level of nearby gardens.

“Unfortunately, that foot is higher than the level of our gardens and the bank, so it’s coming back into our gardens again,” Ruth said. “My husband has gone out into the field, dug a trench, and that is one foot deep, to try and alleviate that ditch so that we don’t get the backflow into our homes.”

She told councillors residents felt forgotten compared with other parts of town.

“We feel that we’re being left out down there. All we hear is about the top end of town, but where do they think the water is going eventually?” she said. “Once you’ve been flooded, it’s difficult; there’s anxiety when it happens, when there is rain. We have floodgates in the front, pumps in the back, and we can’t do any more.”

Ruth added that she applied for flood resilience funding in 2023 but was turned down because too many households had applied. She said she was told there might be a wider project for Knightswood and that funding would be prioritised for that, “and there has since been no project”.

Devon County Councillor James Buczkowski acknowledged the frustration, telling the meeting: “It’s been going on for years and hasn’t had the attention it deserves, so it’s not going to happen overnight. I will keep pressing, and we will talk to other residents about flood defences we can put into Knightswood.”

He added that there is a budget for flood defences and that efforts would be made to ensure funding comes into Cullompton.

Councillor Chris Snow warned that plans to build housing on the former Padbrook Golf Course site could worsen the situation. “That’s going to exacerbate the Colebrook Brook immensely because it is on a hillside,” he said. “I can see that’s been overwhelmed and it’s going to cause a huge problem at the sewerage works and at Knightswood and maybe further down Meadow Lane.”

Councillor Lloyd Knight said the issue extended beyond one neighbourhood and criticised what he described as the Environment Agency’s limited capacity. “We’re very often on the phone to the Environment Agency, and the response we get is that ‘there’s only one officer for the whole county’. In my mind, that’s not good enough,” he said.

Councillor Sue Robinson pointed to a potential solution put forward by Connecting the Culm, suggesting a marshy triangular field near the former Padbrook Hotel and golf club could be turned into an attenuation pond. She said it “looks as if it works” and could resolve problems at that end of Cullompton.

Major honour puts Barnstaple Library in spotlight

Libraries Unlimited
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Major honour puts Barnstaple Library in spotlight

Barnstaple Library has been selected as a South-West England Regional & Country Finalist for the Library of the Year. If Barnstaple wins this regional title, it would mean the Devon library would be in the running for Library of the Year at The British Book Awards 2026. 

Last year, Braunton Library was crowned South-West England’s Library of the Year. This year, only Barnstaple Library and Cornwall Libraries are up for the award in the South-West. 

Barnstaple Library has become a vital hub for thousands of residents in one of Devon’s most deprived areas. With around 170,000 annual visits and almost 700 events every year, the library is a space for connection, creativity, and support. 

The Barnstaple Library team have responded to the cost-of-living crisis by reimagining the library as a home-from-home. Introducing cosy seating, charging points, warm lighting and more. Securing external funding in excess of £50,000 to expand their community and wellbeing initiatives.  

The library has offered free weekly soup sessions as part of Warm Welcome Spaces, free family breakfasts during school holidays to support families with rising costs, and established itself as a trusted venue for vulnerable groups like those experiencing homelessness, isolation or domestic abuse.  

Through partnerships with local organisations like Pathfields SEN School, and workshops, events and groups ranging from the creative and artistic, such as participating in the national Arts Council England and DCMS project, Our Freedom: Then and Now, to the practical and connection-building like Wednesday Wanderers. The library is working to meet the needs of its community.  

Alex Kittow, Chief Executive Officer at Libraries Unlimited, shared: “We are incredibly proud to have Barnstaple Library receive this recognition. The team works so hard to create a safe, welcoming space for the local community, and they truly champion people’s well-being in everything they do. It’s so inspiring to see the care, heart, and pride the staff take in creating a library that serves and enriches its community.”  

Libraries Unlimited is the charity responsible for running 54 libraries in Devon and Torbay, including Barnstaple Library. 

The British Book Awards are run by The Bookseller magazine, sponsored by DK Books in association with The Reading Agency. 

The Library of the Year Regional & Country Winners will be announced on 12th March 2026. The winners will then form the shortlist for the Library of the Year Award. 

Community rallies for 60 mile children’s hospice trek

Devon Today
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Community rallies for 60 mile children’s hospice trek

A 60-mile coastal challenge is set to be backed by bingo balls and sizzling pork later this month, as one villager rallies the community to support a children’s hospice.

Sam Hastings is organising a fundraising evening featuring a hog roast, traditional bingo and a raffle in aid of Children’s Hospice South West. All proceeds from the event will go directly to the charity, which provides care and support to families across the region.

The fundraiser will take place on Friday, March 20 at Roborough (Winkleigh) Village Hall, EX19 8TN. A hog roast will be served from 6pm until sold out, followed by bingo inside the hall from 7pm.

Food will be prepared by North Devon Hog Roast, using locally sourced produce. Organisers say every portion sold will be donated to the charity. Special children’s prices will be available to everyone as a thank-you to the community.

Free parking is available directly opposite the hall. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, as food will be served until it runs out.

From 7pm, the focus will shift indoors for a traditional village bingo evening. The event will include a cash-only bar and raffle prizes. Both bingo and bar payments will be cash only.

The evening forms part of a wider fundraising effort ahead of Sam’s planned 60-mile coastal hike. Donations can be made online via JustGiving at https://www.justgiving.com/page/hogroasthiker.

Those unable to attend can support the campaign by donating, sponsoring the hike, donating raffle prizes, sharing the fundraising page on social media or spreading the word locally.

In a joint message, Sam and Andy said: “Let’s pack the hall. Let’s sell out the hog roast. Let’s raise as much as we possibly can.”

Full event details are available via the Facebook event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/1389000419574656. Further information about the caterers can be found at www.northdevonhogroast.co.uk.

Choir members step into spotlight for Exeter concert

Devon Today
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Choir members step into spotlight for Exeter concert

Three members of a leading Devon choir are preparing to swap the safety of the chorus for the glare of the solo spotlight in a performance of Handel’s Solomon.

The one-hundred-strong Exeter Philharmonic Choir will take to the stage for its Lord Mayor’s concert at Exeter Cathedral on Saturday, March 14, when three of its own singers will perform solo roles alongside established professionals.

Soprano Helen Goode and soprano Charlotte Moyes, both from Exeter, and tenor Stuart Mole, from Exmouth, will join four professional soloists and musicians from Endelienta Baroque for the performance.

Helen, a secondary school teacher who has been a member of the choir for about four years, said she was feeling “nervous and excited in equal measure”.

She said: “Singing has always been part of my life. I did a lot of singing at school and sang in the National Youth Choir as a teenager and then all through university. In my 30s and 40s, I did not sing in a choir for about ten years and I really missed it. I knew I wanted to join a good choir and this led me to join Exeter Philharmonic Choir after lockdown. It is wonderful.

“I do not want to sound too cheesy, but I realised about a year ago that it is one of the best things in my life. The standard of the choir is really good, Howard as a conductor is great – the right mix of challenging us and giving criticism or positive feedback – and I absolutely love singing with a group that strives to be excellent.”

Stuart Mole, from Exmouth, will perform a tenor solo in Handel’s Solomon.
(Credit: Sharon Goble)

Helen explained that the opportunity arose after music director Howard Ionascu asked members to take part in a vocal assessment.

She said: “The soloists in an oratorio like Solomon are the characters and the story tellers. Last year Howard wanted everyone to do a vocal assessment, which he was at pains to stress was not a re-audition. He asked us each to prepare a song and I took something that I hoped would showcase my voice. Afterwards, he told me he was brewing an idea to have three choir members sing solos in Solomon, and he asked if I would be interested.

“I replied that I would love to. So, that is how this exciting opportunity came about.”

Based on a story from the Old Testament, the oratorio’s soloists portray the main characters. Helen and Charlotte will appear as two women who come before King Solomon, each claiming to be the mother of a baby. In a test of wisdom, Solomon proposes dividing the child in two so that each woman may have half. The true mother recoils from the suggestion. Helen plays the woman who is willing for the baby to be divided, proving she is not the child’s real mother.

The work also includes the instrumental piece commonly known as the “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba”, which opens Act III. Although Handel did not give the composition that title, it later became widely known by that name and is regarded as one of his best-known works.

The choir will perform in eight voice parts. Professional soloists for the concert include mezzo-soprano Martha McLorinan as King Solomon, a role traditionally sung by a woman; soprano Amy Carson as the Queen and the Queen of Sheba; tenor Hugo Hymas as Zadok the Priest; and bass Timothy Dickinson as the Levite.

The concert begins at 7.30pm and is scheduled to end at 9.45pm.

Tickets, priced at £30, £24 and £16, are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/exeterphilchoir, online at exeterphilharmonic.org.uk or by telephone on 0333 666 3366.

Skydiving community mourns death of veteran jumper

Lewis Clarke
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Skydiving community mourns death of veteran jumper

An experienced skydiver with more than 10,000 jumps to his name has died while carrying out a wingsuit jump, prompting an outpouring of tributes from the tight-knit skydiving community.

Police released a statement yesterday, February 28, saying: “Police were called to Dunkeswell Aerodrome just before 1pm today, Saturday 28 February, following concerns for the welfare of a male skydiver.

“Emergency Services attended the scene, where sadly a 49-year-old man was confirmed deceased. His family have been informed.”

In a statement, Skydive Southwest confirmed that a licensed skydiver and wingsuit coach “tragically lost their life whilst carrying out a Wingsuit Jump with a friend, using his personal parachute equipment and an advanced Wingsuit”.

The club said the individual had logged more than 10,000 jumps.

Skydive Southwest said: “We are deeply saddened to confirm that an experienced licensed skydiver & wingsuit coach with over 10,000 jumps logged, tragically lost their life whilst carrying out a Wingsuit Jump with a friend, using his personal parachute equipment and an advanced Wingsuit.”

Offering condolences, the club added: “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with their family, friends, and the wider skydiving community at this incredibly difficult time.”

Describing itself as a small, family-run drop zone, Skydive Southwest said the loss had been felt widely.

The statement continued: “As a small, family-run drop zone, this loss has affected us profoundly and personally. The UK skydiving community is close-knit, and when we lose one of our own, it is felt across the entire community.”

The club said it had followed procedures required by the sport’s governing body.

It said: “The club, as required by all clubs affiliated to the governing body British Skydiving, followed set procedures by contacting the Police and British Skydiving so they could carry out their independent investigation as to the cause of the accident. Our staff continue to assist British Skydiving and Police providing all the information they require.”

Skydive Southwest urged people not to speculate about the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“We would respectfully ask that people refrain from speculation,” the statement said.

“Public conjecture can quickly lead to misinformation being shared, which is deeply distressing for the family, friends, and those directly affected. In a world where we can be anything, please choose to be kind.”

The club added: “Our focus right now is on supporting the family, our staff, and our community as we process this loss.”

No further details have been released.

Man dies following skydive at Dunkeswell Aerodrome

Devon Today
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Man dies following skydive at Dunkeswell Aerodrome

A 49-year-old man has died after a skydiving incident at an аэрodrome in Devon.

Police were called to Dunkeswell Aerodrome just before 1pm on Saturday, February 28, following concerns for the welfare of a male skydiver.

Police at Dunkeswell today.

Emergency services attended the scene, where the man was confirmed deceased. His family have been informed.

Scene guards remain in place and enquiries into the incident are ongoing by the relevant agencies.

Police said their thoughts remain with the man’s family and friends at this difficult time.

Mother of four Belinda Taylor, 48, from Totnes, Devon, and Adam Harrison, 30, from Bournemouth, Dorset, died while skydiving in the area of Dunkeswell Aerodrome in June last year.

The site is located in the Blackdown Hills and advertises activities including skydiving, wing walking and helicopter training.

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