Herald Express

A MAN has narrowly avoided jail after spinning an intricate web of lies about a friend to avoid paying a £60 speeding fine.

Brian Watkins-Gill, 64, from St Peters Close, Torquay, claimed a former friend was behind the wheel of his Ford Mondeo when it was snapped by a speed camera at Plympton, Plymouth in May 2008.

After it was established the friend Robin Pengelly had since moved from his former Exmouth home to Spain, Watkins-Gill was arrested and charged with perverting the course of justice.

However, the defendant continued to insist a man with a similar name and address as his friend had been test driving his car at the time of the offence.

He was fined £500 and sentenced to a suspended six-month jail term on Friday after a judge branded his tale 'wholly unbelievable'.

Speaking from his Spanish home in Torrox, near the Costa del Sol, 53-year-old Mr Pengelly said: "I feel totally betrayed and very upset. The anger has subsided over a period of time and I was very upset a person I had known for 20 years and had helped out when he was unemployed had done something like that.

"We arrived back from Spain unaware this had gone on, and I applied for a new driving licence and was shocked a friend had done this.

"You can imagine that living in Spain it has been difficult just communicating.

"There has been numerous emails and phone calls since coming back and total shock at establishing that it was what I thought was a friend of mine that had put me in this situation.

"The journeys to court have been horrendous.

"I was in total shock that I was in that situation.

"I was totally betrayed.

"When I was in court I thought there might be some acknowledgement, or he would say 'I am sorry' but there was nothing. He never made eye contact with me and to stand there and swear on the Bible, it was an absolute betrayal of our friendship."

The court heard stunned Mr Pengelly, who used to live in Exmouth, returned home from Spain last June to find six penalty points and a total of £600 of fines on his driving licence and that debt collectors were looking for him because of the unpaid fine.

Police then discovered Watkins-Gill had falsely named Mr Pengelly as the driver after he told police about his licence.

However, Watkins-Gill refused to admit a charge of perverting the course of justice and pleaded not guilty.

He insisted a stranger had responded to an advert to test drive his car from Torquay to Plymouth.

Watkins-Gill said the driver, an 'R Pengelly', wrote his name and address in his diary — but that the book had subsequently been destroyed.

He also denied that Mr Pengelly, whom he had holidayed with and who had sold him his greeting card business, was a good friend and said he did not know his address.

A jury at Plymouth Crown Court unanimously found him guilty in July this year and he was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, at Bristol Crown Court.

Judge Recorder Pringle QC warned Watts-Gill he had been extremely close to going to prison if it not for his previous good character and a serious illness to his wife.

He said: "Running a trial in which your evidence was wholly unbelievable does you no credit whatsoever.

"One can only imagine Pengelly's anger about finding out what had happened."

Watkins-Gill, who still insisted he was innocent after being found guilty, also received a £500 fine and was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

A SOUTH Devon college, which has built its own First World War 'trench', sparked a police alert when one wartime re-enactment session got a little too realistic.

The police were called in after a building worker thought he saw an armed man pointing a rifle at pupils and staff at Kingsbridge Community College.

What he had in fact spotted was a student dressed in a military trench coat several sizes too large and a tin hat, 'armed' with a wooden rifle.

Officers immediately contacted Kingsbridge Community College where officials were able to assure them the youngsters and the wooden rifle were harmless.

Nevertheless officers from Kingsbridge police station went to the college to see for themselves, inspected the six foot deep trench and left without taking any action.

"It caused a lot of wry smiles," said a school spokesman. "The police arrived and satisfied themselves that everything was all right."

The 30 metres of First World War trench has been built by the pupils themselves over two years as part of a history project.

Around 40 youngsters aged from 11 to 14 years were involved in this year's Challenge Week activity programme involving the history of the First World War.

The youngsters had raided the school's drama department for military trench coats and steel helmets – along with the wooden rifle.

The youngsters then re-enacted conditions in the trenches during the Great War: looking at what food the troops ate, how they tried to stay safe in the trench environment and even about First World War military manoeuvres – including notorious 'over the top' assaults.

Rower Pope, principal of the 1,350 pupil college, said: "It has given the students a real insight into some of the challenges facing First World Wart soldiers.

"They all enjoyed themselves and it gave them a great sense of satisfaction."

The police alert happened when a building worker working on the college's new English centre spotted one of the students dressed up and carrying the wooden rifle.

Police confirmed that they had been called to the school following an initial report that someone was pointing a shotgun or a rifle at the school.

He said that officers had spoken to staff and been assured it was part of a re-enactment.

UP TO 50 jobs are thought to have been lost after one of the South West's oldest building firms ceased trading.

Buckfastleigh's Blight and Scoble Ltd is in the process of being placed into liquidation after 'difficult trading conditions' forced it to fold.

All employees were made redundant last week. It is unclear at this stage how much money is owed to creditors.

The Exeter office of accountants and insolvency specialists Bishop Fleming has been appointed to oversee the firm's affairs.

A brief statement issued by Bishop Fleming said: "Due to difficult trading conditions the company ceased to trade on August 26, 2010, and all employees were made redundant at that time.

"Jerry O'Sullivan and Sam Talby, of Bishop Fleming, are advising the directors regarding the company's financial position and assisting with the formalities to place the company into liquidation.

"Meetings of the company's members and creditors are to be held on Wednesday, September 8, at the Devon Hotel, Exeter, when the company will be placed into liquidation and a liquidator appointed."

According to its own website, Blight and Scoble was formed in 1895 and incorporated in 1956 and has been a family-run business for more than 100 years.

The firm has worked on notable developments in South Devon including a painstaking restoration of historic Sandford Orleigh, in Newton Abbot, in the early 1990s and The Robins respite centre at Dartington, which opened in 1999.

This year Blight and Scoble has been working on a major £1.2 million contract for Devon & Cornwall Police's new major crime investigation unit in Linhay Business Park, Ashburton.

A police spokesman said: "Devon & Cornwall Police can confirm we have received notification that Blight and Scoble is in the process of being placed in liquidation.

"This will not have an impact on the police operationally, but it may result in a delay on the completion of the new premises."

According to its website, Blight and Scoble has been owned by the Palk family since the early 1980s and employs 50 people across Devon.

One creditor, who did not wish to be named, said: "We were told as soon as it happened.

"We have been left out of pocket by quite a bit.

"I also think it's a shame it's happened because it's a local firm."

THIS picture shows the moment lifeboat volunteers reached a man who had fallen 100ft down a cliff in Torquay.

Shot on a helmet camera, the image shows Torbay Inshore Lifeboat crew member Matt Maxted first ashore and discovering the 53-year-old artist from Orpington, Kent, who was lying injured among the rocks at the bottom of cliffs at the Kilmorie end of Meadfoot Sea Road.

The man, who has not been named was on holiday with his wife and is understood to have slipped when he was looking at places he wanted to draw.

Mr Maxted was joined by Dr Alex Rowe and Darryll Farley aboard the D-class inshore lifeboat John William Hirst.

The artist had suffered serious injuries and was conscious and talking, but coastguards who co-ordinated the entire rescue effort from their Brixham base said he had sustained a head injury, a broken leg and arm during his fall.

RNLI crew member and GP Dr Rowe administered immediate medical help to the stricken man and a decision was taken to call in the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter from Portland to evacuate the man.

The artist was understood to be stable in hospital on Thursday afternoon.

To view the RNLI lifeboat rescue footage on video visit www.thisis southdevon.co.uk

TORBAY Family Church is holding Ark in the Park today.

The day of fun-filled family activity is being jointly organised by the Chelston- based church, Lower Chelston Residents Association and the Community partnership.

Bill Allen from Torbay family church said the event would be held in what is known as Pretty Park in Old Mill Road, Chelston and the event will start at 11am.

There will be a bouncy castle, craft stalls, games, competitions, music and a barbecue.

A special puppet show will also take place and the stage will be built in the shape of the ark.

Children will also be able to have their faces painted as well as a have a chance to race an ark down the river.

"The event is designed as a celebration for the kids before they go back to school," said Mr Allen.

A HERITAGE open day will take place at Cockington Court on Friday.

The day will include a guided walking history tour together with talks on the medieval church and film footage.

A separate tour will guide people to the horse and carriages and craft businesses.

Pre-booking is essential by calling Pam Montague on 01803 607230 or by emailing events@cockingtoncourt.org

There will also be a cream tea day at the court on September 18.

THE UKIP conference kicked off in Torquay yesterday with the news the former party leader is back in the race for the party's leadership.

Former leader Nigel Farage threw his hat into the party's leadership contest on the first morning of the two-day conference at the English Riviera Conference Centre.

He stood down from the leadership as he tried to fight to become the MP for Buckingham earlier this year.

His campaign hit the national headlines when he had a miracle escape from a plane crash during the general election in May.

The party's last leader, Lord Pearson of Rannoch, quit last month saying he was "not much good" at party politics.

Mr Farage said he asked delegates assembled in Torquay whether they wanted him to stand for the leadership and they had responded enthusiastically.

He is frontrunner to win the leadership contest.

Fellow MEP David Campbell Bannerman has also declared himself as a candidate.

Speaking to the Herald Express following his announcement, Mr Farage said he made his final decision to stand over breakfast yesterday morning.

He said: "I haven't taken this decision lightly. I have agonised over this."

He said he knew Torquay and Paignton well as a friend and colleague of former South West MEP Graham Booth, who owned the Torbay Motel.

"It's good to be back," he said. The conference ends today.

A MERCHANT Navy veteran is joining hundreds across the country for a memorial parade in London this weekend.

Brian Hill, 73, from Barton, Torquay, is heading to the capital for the parade to mark Merchant Navy Day.

The event this year is dedicated to HMT Lancastria, sunk in 1940 with the loss of more than 4,000 lives.

Mr Hill is a standard bearer for Torbay and the Exeter branch of the association.

He said: "The Merchant Navy is often called the silent navy as it is seldom remembered.

"But there are many seaman who have lost their lives over the years and should be honoured."

Mr Hill began his merchant naval career aged just 15.

He joined the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and later served with the Orient Line and on tankers with the Blue Star Line.

His 20-year career included 13 voyages to Australia, San Francisco, through the Persian Gulf and pacific islands.

His voyages amount to seven trips around the world.

He left the Merchant Navy in the late 1960s.

He moved to Cornwall and later worked as a driver for the local authorities, Snells Coaches and later Bayline buses.

The parade at Tower Hill tomorrow will be Mr Hill's seventh trip to London.

He said: "It is a special day. It is a chance to honour those we have lost and to meet old friends from across the country."

A MOTORIST frustrated at his broken down car smashed up his mechanic's £12,000 vehicle in a fit of rage.

Paul Griffith, 47, from Coronation Road, Newton Abbot, used a lump hammer to smash up the Vauxhall Corsa belonging to his friend, mechanic Lee Wotton.

He admitted criminal damage when he appeared before Torquay magistrates.

More than £3,000 damage was caused to the bonnet and side panels.

The court was told that Griffith had bought a £400 car from another vendor and with the help of Mr Wotton.

But when the head gasket blew, he took out his rage on the mechanic.

Prosecutor Ed Canning said that Griffith had sent a series of text messages to Mr Wotton trying to chase up the MoT certificate and work on the car.

He added: "One text said 'Laugh it off while you can'."

Then Griffith went to Mr Wotton's house and smashed up his car using a lump hammer he was carrying in his rucksack.

Mr Canning said: "A witness heard him say: 'That will do for starters'."

In mitigation, solicitor Richard Porritt said that Mr Wotton had agreed to fix the car, though the responsibility lay with the vendor.

He added: "Eventually, Mr Griffith reached the end of his tether and went around with the hammer and hit his car with it.

"He regrets it immensely. He did it out of sheer frustration and rage."

Magistrates adjourned sentence for further information about compensation.

Griffith was remanded on conditional bail until the next hearing on September 17.

A CHARITY football match has been organised in memory of late Hele Rovers football player Simon Love.

The Hele Rovers Old Boys vs The Lansdown Old Boys match is in honour of the 33-year-old who died of an accidental drug overdose.

He had suffered for some time with poor mental health.

The fundraiser is in aid of mental health charity Mind.

It is being held at the recreation ground in Newton Abbot on September 19 at 11am.

Organiser Paul Hannah said: "We hope this game will both raise a significant amount of money for Mind and also give us all chance to remember, together, a much missed friend."

Ex-Torquay United captain Chris Hargreaves will play in the match.

And one of his shirts will be raffled as part of the fundraiser.

Torquay United has also leant support.

Dean Edwards, TUFC Commercial Manager said: "We were saddened by what happened but, always happy to support a worthy charity and support a local lad who followed Torquay United home and away"

Simon was brought up in Torquay and was a massive Torquay United fan.

He could often be seen singing in the Mini Stand and dreamed of one day playing at Plainmoor.

He was a former player for the Hele Rovers.

He was a regular at the Landsdown Pub in Belgrave Road.

Organisers are hoping to raise £1,000 on the day.

Organiser Sean Bartlett said he was thrilled that fans favourite Chris Hargreaves will take part.

"Simon would have loved to play alongside such a gifted player and true gentleman, he is someone we have all looked up to, we are delighted with his support".

A DRIVER was killed yesterday after a six hundredweight bale of hay rolled over a hedge and landed on top of his van.

The incident happened at around 12.30pm on the A381 between Harbertonford and Halwell.

The dead man, who has not been named by police, was driving a Transit-type van in the Kingsbridge direction. His van was also in collision with a smaller van coming the other way.

The driver of that van was uninjured but shocked.

The bale of hay is believed to have been in a steeply-sloping field beside the road when it somehow started rolling and fell 12 to 15 feet over a hedge and directly on to the cab of the oncoming van.

Yesterday police with health and safety officers were at the scene of the incident.

Inspector Andy Hamilton said: "We are liaising with the health and safety people and gathering evidence from the scene of the accident and the field."

He said the police had spoken to the farmer who owns the field and will be talking to him further.

He added: "The van has come into contact with a very large bale of hay.

"We are investigating how this came to happen."

It is believed that someone on a tractor was working in the field prior to the incident and Inspector Hamilton said police are looking into that as well.

The incident caused massive congestion in the area after effectively closing the main road between Kingsbridge and Totnes and Dartmouth.

Police diverted traffic around the lanes as hundreds of drivers attempted to find their way past the site.

MEMBERS of the UK Independence Party are in the pink with their conference in Torquay.

The party is in town for its annual conference, with the seafront Riviera Centre providing the location.

As far as party business is concerned, members are caught up with the process of finding a new leader and working out where to go next, after a General Election which failed to return the breakthroughs for which UKIP had hoped.

All that is of huge interest to party supporters, but the mere presence of the party in South Devon is of greater interest to us.

Yesterday the TV spotlight fell on the conference in a big way, with live bulletins on national news channels and earnest discussions of leadership issues.

And didn't Torquay look fantastic? Over the shoulder of the one of the leadership candidates, clad in a vivid pink blazer, a sun-soaked seafront looked quite magnificent.

The Mayor's balloon sat poised ready for launching, and the whole scene was most appealing.

Inside the centre once again, the venue looked the very business, and the overall impression cannot have failed to impress anyone looking on.

This kind of advertisement for the resort and its conference centre cannot be bought. We had good fortune with the weather in the background, granted, but the rest of the package is down to hard work and good planning.

Regardless of your political affiliations, it can only be a good thing if a national body chooses Torbay for its annual conference.

It is good for the resort as a whole.

The Riviera Centre has its critics, and there has been an extensive debate about its future. Should the council tax payers of Torbay continue to bankroll the centre as they have done?

Whatever the answer, and however the funding question shakes out in the great debate over public spending cuts, we should never lose sight of the massive publicity potential for the English Riviera of a well-organised and hosted event at the Riviera Centre.

To lose it would be to cut off a conduit to the kind of publicity money simply cannot buy.

YOUNG Christians are taking to Torquay's streets this weekend to raise awareness of the cost of human trafficking around the world.

At present between 15 and 20 youngsters from the congregation at Upton Vale Baptist Church in St Marychurch Road have pledged to take part in the international I'm not for Sale campaign run by the Tearfund and Soul Action charities.

They plan to display the message 'I'm not for sale, no-one should be' on cardboard signs to raise awareness about the ongoing trafficking of people throughout the world today, for such purposes as prostitution, garment, product and chocolate manufacture.

They will be in the town centre between 1.30pm and 3pm on Sunday.

Youth pastor at the church, Joel Ward, said the aim of the protest was to promote the issues and raise awareness of slavery as well as giving people the opportunity to sign a petition that they are opposed to people trafficking.

The children taking part in the protest range between 12 and 18-years-old and all are part of UV Youth at the church.

"This event has been driven by young people who came back from the Soul Survivor Christian weekend in mid-August and they were fired-up about stories they had heard about trafficking," Mr Ward said.

"They wanted to do a series of teachings about freedom — what it means and how we can campaign for freedom. They decided last week that they would like to do this in the town centre."

Protestor Abbie Irwin, 17, from Totnes and a pupil at KEVICCs said: "We hope that people will be moved by the protest and by seeing the signs they will be more aware of slavery and will ask questions."

Becky Cook, 15, from Brixham and a student at Brixham Community College said: "It is such a big issue and so many people around the world are affected by it and are our age or younger.

"If you have younger brothers or sisters, or people close to you and they were in another country, they could be slaves."

The protest will start outside the church at 1.30pm.

A 27-YEAR-OLD woman with a brain tumour has completed her challenge to sail around Britain.

Josie Phillips, who grew up in Calstock, has raised almost £11,000 for Brain Tumour Research, and a further £2,000 for the Big C Centre in Norwich. She hopes that now she has finished her circumnavigation, even more people will be encouraged to donate and bring hope to brain tumour patients across the UK.

Josie sailed into Ipswich this week with her husband Roger, who accompanied her on the 2,000-mile voyage, which took three and a half months.

She said: "I am very proud of what we have managed to achieve. About 18 months or so ago I had a prognosis of between 12 and 15 months. I was feeling extremely low whilst undergoing chemo and radiotherapy and so my husband Roger and I dreamt up this challenge for when I felt well enough."

Josie was brought up in Calstock from the age of seven, attending Calstock Primary School and Callington Community College before going to university in Cardiff in 2000.

She was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2004 at the age of 21, after several years of unexplained symptoms.

She only started sailing in 2003, and didn't start learning to sail yachts until March 2009 when she and Roger bought Nordlys, the 32-foot yacht that took them round Britain.

Josie's parents, Karen and Paul Alderton, still live in Calstock in the Tamar Valley, and she received a huge welcome when she reached Plymouth.

Josie said: "Completing the challenge has brought me some wonderful memories and feelings of real achievement, but I am very conscious of how little is known about brain tumours and how there needs to be a huge amount more research into what causes them, how to prevent them and how to treat them.

"With the knowledge that the survival rate for brain tumours is 14 per cent, compared with 50 per cent for most other cancers, I live between my six monthly MRI scans and will be holding my breath in a couple of months when I go for my next one."

Sponsorship and sailing details of Josie's Sail Around Britain can be found on her www.contessa32.co.uk website.

A "SMALL-SCALE" heroin dealer who sold £10 wraps to undercover police officers has been sent to jail for five years and eight months.

John Birchall, 45, of Morgan Avenue, Torquay, "hated" his addiction to heroin but found he could not survive without it, Exeter Crown Court was told.

He pleaded guilty on a previous occasion to five counts of supplying and intending to supply the Class A drug to undercover officers in May.

Judge Barry Cotter said he had no choice but to impose a minimum seven-year term, minus credit for a guilty plea, as it was the third time Birchall had been convicted for a supply offence.

The judge said: "It inevitably has to be a custodial sentence."

Prosecutor Emily Pitts said Birchall had been caught as part of a police sting operation.

Two undercover officers made inquiries on the street about heroin and Birchall, known as "Scouse John", was identified as a man who could "sort them out".

Three wraps containing £10 of heroin were supplied to the officers on separate occasions. Each wrap contained 0.1 grams of the drug.

Three more wraps, weighing 0.5 grams, were sold on another occasion. A further wrap, which turned out to be ibuprofen, was sold in a fifth deal.

Anne Bellchambers, in mitigation, said Birchall has been showing improved signs of dealing with his addiction.

She added: "He says he's been taking drugs since he was 14. He hates it but it leads him back into this sort of offending every time.

"It is small-scale supply with little or no profit — under £200 for these deals."

Judge Cotter said his hands were tied about what sentence to impose considering his past offences.

"The reality of the matter is that after an undercover police operation, you have been convicted of a third drug trafficking offence.

"That means I have to impose a particular sentence."

The judge added: "The brutal reality is that society has taken a view of those that continue to be involved in drug trafficking that if you persistently get involved in such conduct, you face a long custodial sentence."

He said he hoped Birchall would "still have the motivation" to quit drugs when he got out.

The defendant was convicted of three counts of supplying the Class A drug, one of being concerned in its supply and one of offering to supply the drug.

He was given a total sentence of 68 months.

THE son of legendary D-Day landing bagpiper Bill Millin said his dad's wishes had been honoured in a moving funeral service led by a lone piper.

John Millin said his dad 'would have been chuffed to bits' with the service led by piper Andrew Buchan.

Bill, from Dawlish, died aged 88 at Torquay Hospital after a short illness. A former soldier, Bill earned a place in history after he braved a hail of Nazi bullets at the D-Day landing to pipe his comrades into battle on Sword Beach.

On Thursday, family, friends, dignitaries and fellow pipers travelled from across the UK and abroad to give him one final salute at Exeter Crematorium.

Members of the British Legion, the Mayor of Dawlish Ian Parks, and the Mayor of Colleville Montgomery in Normandy attended the funeral.

Six pipers from Mary Queen of Scots pipe band also flew over from France to play in honour of Bill.

John, who lives in Nottinghamshire, said: "Everything went very well. Dad would have been chuffed to bits with it.

"He wanted it to be low key and we were concerned there would be a huge turnout. It was well attended but it was still a family affair.

"He had three wishes; he wanted to go through Exeter Crematorium, the second was to have Andy Buchan, the piper who played at my mum's funeral, playing at his, and the third was to have Canon Robin Murch from Dawlish lead the service.

"He would have been pleased he got everything Mum got and his family were there as well. It was a fitting tribute to Dad."

Bill spent the last seven years of his life in Palm Court Nursing Home, Dawlish.

John thanked them for 'looking after' his dad and the British Legion for 'everything they had done for him'.

John said: "I would also like to thank the Press. Dad was always proud the Press were very kind to him. Reporters followed him around for years, but dad felt it kept the memory of D-Day alive."

Nigel Morris, manager at Palm Court Nursing Home, said: "Bill was a very charismatic man who had a lot of adversity in later life following a stroke which confined him to an electric wheelchair.

"He went out every day, whether it snowed or rained, and got involved in a variety of things in the town and met up with people.

"He did it all with an impish smile and a wicked sense of humour.

"He was always sending himself and everyone else up."

The funeral was conducted by B G Wills & Sons of Dawlish.

THERE once was a little boy who wanted to meet God.

Anticipating a long trip to where God lived he packed his suitcase with sweets, a pack of orange juice cartons and started his journey.

When he had gone about three streets, he met an old woman. She was sitting in the park staring at some pigeons. The boy sat down next to her and opened his bag. He was about to take a drink when he noticed that the old lady looked hungry so he offered her a sweet.

She gratefully accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile was so pretty that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered her an orange juice. Once again, she smiled at him. The boy was delighted.

They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realised how tired he was so he got up to leave but before he had gone more than a few steps; he turned around, ran back to the old woman, and gave her a hug. She gave him her biggest smile ever. When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face.

She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?" He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? She's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen."

Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant with joy, returned to her home. Her son was stunned by the look of peace on her face and he asked, "Mother, what did you do today that made you so happy?" She replied, "I ate sweets in the park with God." But before her son responded, she added, "You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.

People come into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime.

The first people to follow Jesus Christ discovered that he was full of grace. Grace – an authentic, attractive way of being which wins over the human heart inspiring people to take fresh confidence and begin all over again.

The loving kindness of God really does have a human heart; mercy a human, smiling face and… God has come closer than you'd think. You'll find he has moved into your neighbourhood.

RAIDERS have stripped thousands of pounds worth of lead from the roof of South Hams Council's Follaton House in Totnes — striking twice in less than a week.

In the latest attack, the thieves climbed some 40ft up onto the roof of the historic mansion house building before ripping out yards of lead worth at least £1,000.

Only a few days earlier they struck at the rear of the 180-year-old former stately home stripping lead from a single story section of the complex and taking yet more from the front entrance of the council chamber entrance.

In the Wednesday night raid the thieves also stole a £6,000 council-owned exhibition trailer which had been parked in the headquarters' car park.

Now South Hams Council is looking at tightening up security at the council complex — which could include a restriction on what vehicles are allowed on to the site.

The council is appealing for anybody who may spot the stolen exhibition trailer which is distinctive with its blue and green Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty logo.

Luckily, the thefts were discovered before any serious rainfall compounded the damage left by the thieves.

However, council tax payers are now faced with footing the bill for the lost lead and repairing the damage the raiders left behind.

Alan Robinson, strategic director (community) of the council, said: "The theft of lead from Follaton House, which is a Grade II-listed building, has created a great deal of damage and money will now have to be spent on repairs.

"This is so unfortunate in this financial climate where we are working hard to cut costs and save the tax payer money.

"In addition to spending funds on repairs to the building we will have to explore the costs of providing extra security measures.

"Unfortunately, this may mean vehicle access to the site will be restricted — the actions of a few will now affect enjoyment of the site by the general public.

"We are asking the public to help the police if they noticed anything unusual around Follaton while walking dogs in the grounds recently or if, while travelling around the South Hams they see the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) trailer, which is used for shows and exhibitions promoting our area, which was also stolen last night."

OLYMPIC star Daley Thompson is urging everyone to get together with their mates, get on their bikes and enjoy the countryside as a charity cycling event comes to Teignmouth tomorrow.

The two-times Olympic gold medallist and world athletics champion spoke to the Herald Express a head of the South West Tour Ride, the charity ride which ends in Teignmouth tomorrow.

He said: "Cycling is a great way to stay fit, socialise with your mates and see the Devon countryside for free. What's not to like about it?"

The Tour Ride is a precursor to the Tour of Britain in which professional cyclists will race from Minehead to Teignmouth on Tuesday, September 14.

It will be the first time a major cycling event has visited South Devon since the Milk Race came to Paignton 25 years ago.

Daley will join comedian David Schneider, DJ Mark Goodier and hundreds of others in a jaunt across Devon to highlight the benefits of cycling and the profile of the Prostate Cancer Charity.

There is a choice of three routes in the Tour Ride, providing an opportunity for people of all ages to do all, or some, of the route the professionals will complete little more than a week later.

Keen cyclists will do the full 109-mile Minehead to Teignmouth stage or a challenging 44-mile route from Honiton to Teignmouth.

The more genteel can complete a tranquil family-friendly 1.2-mile closed road loop around The Den.

Daley, David and Mark are doing the 70km ride.

Daley said: "You don't have to be in any rush to get anywhere and you have all day to go at your own pace.

"I don't intend to go any faster than I need to. I'll have a few mates around me and we will just have a laugh and enjoy ourselves — and I think anyone else who is interested in coming along should do the same.

"For me, staying fit is just something I do."

Although he is treating the event as a fun way of exercising there is also a serious message behind it about the work of the Prostate Cancer Charity, which is staging two more Tour Ride events elsewhere in the UK.

BALTIC Wharf bosses have put together a £200,000 travel plan in an attempt to placate critics of their £48million scheme to redevelopment the riverside site in the heart of Totnes.

The travel plan is part of a £1million contribution the site owners have said they are prepared to shell out to fund transport improvements to the site — including the narrow route at St Peter's Quay.

The travel plan is aimed at reducing traffic to the quayside site where the developers want to build 180 new homes along with a 75 unit retirement complex, new employment units and a boatyard.

It includes proposals for regular bus services, car clubs, car sharing schemes, improved routes for cyclists and walkers and funding for a new post of travel co-ordinator — whose job would be to look at ways of tackling traffic congestion.

The proposals even include paying for a feasibility study into building a new footbridge across the River Dart linking both sides of the Dart via Steamer Quay and Vire Island.

The TQ9 Partnership, which owns the 26 acre site, has already failed once to get planning permission for a redevelopment scheme when planners rejected as too large on the grounds of the size of the development and its traffic impact on the town.

Since then the owners have submitted a fresh planning application — a slimmed-down version of the original with less homes, fewer car parking spaces and a smaller retirement 'village'.

The travel plan, which has just been published on the TQ9 Partnership's website — balticwharf.co.uk/revival — will form part of the latest planning application.

Steve Mittler, director of Baltic Wharf, said: "We recognise traffic is already a major issue in Totnes and so are doing our utmost to make the Baltic Wharf scheme as traffic light as possible.

"The travel plan is a key part of making our own proposals greener and more sustainable, but we want to extend this into the community to help tackle existing wider traffic issues in the town, and the impacts of other developments envisaged by local councils for the future.

"It makes sense to give community groups the means to pursue their own strategies with a travel co-ordinator."

Mr Mittler pointed out that Baltic Wharf's 'Riverside Revival' will create space for 350 jobs on site, compared with 80 now. Many of the new jobs will be within a new £3million purpose-built boatyard and marine centre.

Meanwhile, housing on site has been reduced from 250 to 180 in total, of which between 30-50 per cent will be affordable.

The proposals will also open up some 12 acres of green space overlooking the Dart for public recreation and provide new access to the river front, he said.

A community-led group called G4BQW has been closely involved in negotiating the slimmed down version of the Baltic Wharf project along with details of the travel plan.

Louis Victory, the G4BW member who has majored on traffic issues, said: "The forum has been strongly supporting green travel planning as an alternative approach to traffic management, making it more attractive and viable to travel in sustainable ways.

"While there are many other aspects of this development for the community to consider, the travel plan is potentially a real contribution to the future quality of life in Totnes."

ELDERLY widow Lily Mulkeen had an amazing escape yesterday when a runaway bus plunged through her garden.

The 10-ton bus demolished her hedge, flattened the garden and came to rest just two inches from the wall of her house in Torquay.

The 85-year-old was eating breakfast and watching TV just before 9am yesterday when the Stagecoach single-decker crashed.

Mrs Mulkeen, who is crippled with arthritis and housebound, was sitting on the other side of the wall in her living room when the number 32 bus demolished her hedge and flattened her front garden.

She said: "It's such a shame, because I'd got it looking so nice before this bus comes along and spoils it all."

Witnesses said the bus driver had just cleared passengers from the bus at the bottom of Raleigh Avenue when it started to roll across Queensway and into Mrs Mulkeen's house.

The driver managed to leap back on to the slowly moving bus but was not able to stop it ploughing into the garden.

There were reports a young woman in a black dress was almost struck by the rolling vehicle which also missed cars parked nearby.

Mrs Mulkeen's home carer Tracy Cook was in the kitchen at the time.

She said: "I heard this sound like a big rumbling noise before seeing the bus come through the hedge and stop two inches from the wall.

"Lily was sitting down in her chair eating her porridge and watching television.

"She stayed there and finished her breakfast."

Mrs Mulkeen, who used to live in nearby Oxenham Green and whose husband Larry died 10 years ago, added: "Tracy told me that a bus had crashed into the garden.

"I told her not to be so daft because I didn't see anything. I didn't even pull the blinds back to see.

"When Tracy took a look I was quite shocked. I was a bit shaken. But I finished my breakfast."

Tracy said she immediately rang 999 after checking the driver was all right.

She said: "I rang for an ambulance and asked the driver, who was also on the phone, if he was OK. He gestured that he was."

Local resident Eddie Harvey was just moving his van outside his Raleigh Avenue home when he saw the drama unfold.

He said: "The bus was still ticking over and the driver was outside when it started to move off.

"The driver legged in to get back on board but he could not stop the crash.

"There was a young woman on the pavement in a black dress who had to move a bit sharpish, although the bus was only moving slowly."

Nine-year-old Shaun McKernan was walking to catch the bus near the junction with Ben Jonson Close when he saw it crash.

"I saw it roll across the road and miss the house by just a few inches," he said.

Kevin Hamlyn, who lives at 87 Queensway just up from the affected property at 79, said: "It's lucky no cars were in the path of the bus."

Mrs Mulkeen said: "I just hope they get the bus out of my garden without any further damage. I don't want it rolling back here again."

A recovery vehicle removed the vehicle from its resting point just before midday.

Police, paramedics and firefighters attended the incident.

A fire spokesman admitted: "It was close, but no one was injured in the incident. We understand there had been a fault on the bus and the driver got everyone out before it rolled off. We made the vehicle safe."

A police spokesman: "The bus was taped off before being recovered just before midday. No one was hurt."

A Stagecoach spokesman commented: "We can confirm that an incident involving service 32 occurred in Raleigh Avenue, Torquay.

"We are treating this incident very seriously and have instigated a thorough investigation of what happened. Thankfully no passengers were aboard the vehicle at the time and the driver is unharmed.

"We can offer no further comment at this time as we must wait until the investigation has been completed.

"However, we would like to assure Mrs Mulkeen that we will do everything possible to help her restore her garden to its former glory and we will therefore be in touch in due course."