Herald Express; Torquay (UK)

Put Welcome Mat Out for These Visitors

A couple of months ago I was lifting some well-laid paving slabs at the bottom of my garden, when I was completely surprised to find a walnut-sized toad underneath. There was a small channel running through the soil under one of the slabs, but there was apparently no way the toad could have got in there, unless perhaps he was smaller at the time! But that doesn't explain how he got into the garden, as there's a wall around it much too high for it to climb over.

Poet Joins Fundraising Event

Torquay Girls' Grammar School pupil Rebecca Thorne (pictured above) will take centre stage later this month after winning a poetry competition. The 16-year-old pupil impressed judges and beat off entries from a host of South Devon schools with her thoughts on the theme of 'growing'.

So Strong Josh Sings His Way Into Uk Final

South Devon singer Josh Bidder has made it through to the final of a national talent competition. The home grown Torbay's Got Talent finalist headed off to the Carrington Hotel in Bournemouth last weekend for the South of England heats of the 'Festival 4 Stars' competition and took them by storm.

Invitation to Artists

Artists living or working around Ashburton are being invited to take part in an exhibition. The Dartmoor Artists will hold their summer exhibition from July 25 to August 1 in the main rooms of The Ashburton Town Hall.

Fundraising Musical Tribute to Theatre Supporter Heather

A one-off night of entertainment in loving memory Heather Appleby takes place at the Little Theatre tomorrow. Twenty-five members of Tadpoles Youth Theatre and Toads Stage Musical Company will take to the stage to raise money for Rowcroft Hospice. Heather was a chaperone and big supporter of upcoming talent in Tadpoles. She died from cancer in February.

Inspiration Comes From Impressions of Devon

Torbay Hospital's Gallery is offering a colourful journey from Moor to City from today. Artist Adam Bunce, now London-based, grew up in Devon and was a student at Coombeshead College, Newton Abbot.

Emma at Author's Home

Waltz your way through picnics, parties and posh frocks as Jane Austen's classic Emma comes to Agatha Christie's Greenway on Sunday. The story follows a clever, rich, bored and 'slightly spoiled' young woman who throws herself into the perils of mis-matchmaking and gets it hopelessly wrong.

The Next Big Step in How You Listen to Music

It is not often it happens, but occasionally an application will come along that simply forces you to sit back and mutter 'wow' in sheer amazement. Google Earth was probably the last application that prompted this reaction from me until this week when I started playing with a free application called 'Spotify'.

Dean's Date at the Palace

American recording artist Dean Friedman is appearing at the Palace Theatre Paignton on Sunday next week as part of a 40-date UK and Ireland tour. The chart-topping artist will be performing solo, on guitar and keyboards, featuring songs from throughout his 30-year career.

Hot Ska

Cleave Inn Signs Up River Cottage Chef Mark

The Cleave Inn at Lustleigh (above), arguably Dartmoor's leading country pub, has signed up River Cottage Canteen's head chef Mark Lloyd. Mark's passion for producing the very best food using locally sourced produce made him the ideal man to continue the pub's development under the stewardship of Nigel Clark.

Albert's Meticulous Record of Fruitful Period of History

Early in the last century, Torquay owed its excellent horticultural reputation to far more than its parks and gardens. The town was also home to thriving and award winning nurseries and market gardens whose traces have long disappeared.

Music and Poetry of Nature

I stood by the backyard gate breathing the honeysuckle scent. For company I had our sleek, black and white she cat. Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending was on the radio.

Education Is Key to Reviving Country's Fortunes

In response to the letter of John Hill ('How would parties pull us out of this mess?', June 18) I would like to put forward how we, the Liberal Democrats, would reinvigorate our economy. The silver bullet in all economies is education. Without education societies are doomed to failure. We have had unparalleled investment in education under Labour but it has come at a price of gross inefficiency and inexcusable government intervention in teachers' work. Skills have improved but not for all,...

Praise for Hardworking Ladies of Port

On behalf of The Brixham Tourism Partnership, the traders association would like to show our appreciation to the ladies who have helped kick-start one of Brixham's most successful starts to a season - beginning unusually with Lady Sunshine who has definitely helped us along the way this year. More importantly though to:

Goodrington Train Option Could Be Park and Ride Hit

A recent report by the Association of Train Operating Companies stated that there was a good business case for providing Brixham better access to national train services. (HE, Monday, June 15). The report proposes extending First Great Western/Cross Country train services from Paignton to Goodrington. This has a number of advantages over the Churston option.

'Wellie Walking' Duo Raise Cash for Hospice

This year Shirley Lomas and Jean Taylor completed the Wellie Walk organised by Rowcroft Hospice at Stover Park. Together with the Friends of Innisfree Rest Home they raised pounds65.

The Council and Its Officers Do Give Great Value for the Money

I see it's been 'have a go at Torbay Council week' (again!) in the Herald. The latest furore concerns the pay of some of our senior officers and commissioners, although in fairness the report correctly explained the increase in top earners largely came about due to the increase in the number of people in schools, headteachers presumably, who now earn more than pounds50,000. As somebody who once stood in front of a blackboard and briefly (and not terribly successfully) attempted to teach Engli...

The Trail of Guiding Lyte

Yes, we are back in good old Brixham. So this Sunday, July 5, meet me at Bolton Cross at 10.30am for the Fish Town Classic, about 3.5 miles.

Rock Walk Grotto Will Create 'Moment of Delight'

The search is on to find artists to create two new pieces of art for Rock Walk. The pounds24,000 projects will be part of the restoration of the Royal Terrace Gardens with the first anticipated to be finished by Christmas.