Appeal to help catch burglars who terrified elderly Exmoor couple

AN elderly Exmoor couple were robbed in a terrifying ordeal last night by three masked men who burst into their home armed with wooden clubs.
The aggravated burglary happened between 7 pm and 7.30 pm at a secluded property near Exford in Room Hill Road - the B3223.
The couple were restrained by the raiders, who then searched the premises before they were believed to have left in a vehicle.
Although unharmed in the incident, the couple were badly shaken by the experience.
They managed to alert police shortly after the three men had gone.
Police were today still trying to establish what items had been stolen in the burglary.
They appealed for any information from the public which might help to catch the raiders.
The three burglars were similarly dressed in dark ‘walking’ or ‘ski-type’ jackets, dark trousers, gloves, training shoes, and dark balaclavas or ski masks.
They were described as having an untidy appearance.
Police would like to hear from anybody who may have seen any unusual people, vehicles, or activity in the area, or who may have other information about the incident.
Anybody who thinks they can help should contact CID at Bridgwater Police Station by calling 0845 456 7000.
Alternatively, they can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, where they do not have to give their name and where they could receive a reward.
A secure Crimestoppers contact form is also available over the internet at https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/crimestoppers/ContactForm.aspx

Exmoor activities lined up for Tour Britain spectators

A HOST of events and activities in Exford and Dunster has been announced for the day when the Tour of Britain cyclists race through the area next month.
The events will help to celebrate a spectacular day of excitement and entertainment as the world’s best cyclists, including British Olympic Gold medal winners Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas, descend on Exmoor on September 9.
In Exford, the entertainment will start in the morning when local people and businesses take part in a fancy dress cycle ride.
Lots of activities will take place on the village green, including a falconry display, live music, Exmoor ponies, a barbecue, skittles, bale throwing, an egg and spoon race, a photography competition, and a display of international flags to represent the 16 teams taking part in the race.
Exford School will also be involved and there will be two craft marquees with many more activites and things to see.
Exford is an ideal place to watch the cyclists mid-race, as they arrive from the direction of Withypool at around 12.45 pm and then head towards Wheddon Cross.
The narrow medieval streets of Dunster, with its castle and the picturesque Yarn Market, provide an idyllic backdrop for the race as it thunders through at around 1.25 pm.
Visitors should arrive early, however, to enjoy activities being held from 11 am to 3 pm, including Rollapuluza cycle roller racing which has been organised by local businesses together with Active Exmoor and Somerset County Council.
It is a fun and easy version of cycle racing which will give participants an opportunity to find out if they are ‘faster than Chris Hoy’, the British triple Olympic Gold Medal winner, with prizes on offer to the fastest riders.
Cliff Nicholson, of Spears Cross, in Dunster, and William Wake, of Dunster Castle, have helped organise the roller racing.
Mr Wake said: “With so many visitors coming into the village to watch the tour pass by, we felt we had to provide some entertainment and cycle roller racing is ideal.
“Cyclists will readily want to race, but more importantly visitors, just here to watch the race, will be egged on by friends to have a go.
“Cycling is an up and coming sport in the UK and this is an ideal opportunity to encourage people to try it.”
Somerset County Council has also organised a free park and ride coach scheme from Vulcan Road, in Minehead, to make it easier for people to visit and enjoy the day.
The park and ride will operate from 10 am until 4 pm.
The county’s economic development portfolio holder, Councillor Alvin Horsfall, said: “I am very excited about the day, which is not far away now.
“I hope that people get there early and enjoy all the fantastic things there are to do.
“It promises to be one of the best days of the year for Somerset.”
Somerset County Council is hosting the South West stage of the Tour of Britain, which will start in Chard and finish in Burnham-on-Sea.
The race, which is the toughest stage of the tour, is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the county.
Participants include Mark Cavendish, the only Briton to win four stages of the Tour de France in a single year.
More details about the events or more information about the race, including road closures, can be found by visiting http://www.bikesomerset.co.uk/.

• Our photograph shows some of last year’s Tour of Britain riders passing along the Exmoor coast. Photo by Guy Harrop www.guyharrop.com.

Olympic gold medallists in Exmoor stage of Tour of Britain

OLYMPIC cycling gold medallists Bradley Wiggins (pictured) and Geraint Thomas have been confirmed as competitors in the Tour of Britain, which comes to Exmoor on Tuesday, September 9.
They will also be joined by Beijing bronze medal winner Chris Newton, and Mark Cavendish, the only Briton to win four stages of the Tour de France in a single year.
Somerset County Council is hosting the 113-mile South West stage of the Tour of Britain, which will start in Chard and finish in Burnham-on-Sea.
The race is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the county to cheer on the riders and congratulate the Olympic champions.
The Somerset stage will cross Exmoor from North Molton via Exford and Wheddon Cross to Dunster and then take the A39 and A358 to Bishops Lydeard before crossing the Quantocks and heading towards Burnham.
County council Tour of Britain project manager Graham Bagely said: “The successes in the Tour de France and the Olympics has made 2008 a really exciting year for British cycling.
“The Tour of Britain will be a great event to celebrate this success and see the stars of British cycling compete against each other in Somerset for the toughest stage of the race.”
The county’s economic development portfolio holder, Councillor Alvin Horsfall, said: “The Great Britain Olympic team has set a new standard for competitive cycling.
“It will be great for residents and visitors to see the stars of the Olympics competing in Somerset.
“Last year, the race attracted over 70,000 spectators and we hope the recent success of British cycling will attract even more crowds this year.”
Bradley Wiggins won Gold in the men’s individual pursuit and the men’s team pursuit and will represent ‘Team Columbia’ in the Tour of Britain.
Geraint Thomas won Gold in the men’s team pursuit and will represent ‘Barloworld’ in the Tour of Britain.
Chris Newton won Bronze in the men’s individual pursuit and will represent ‘Rapha Condor’ in the Tour of Britain.
Mark Cavendish is the only British rider to win four stages of the Tour de France.
He also won two stages of the Tour of Britain in 2007 and will represent ‘Team Columbia’ in this year’s race..
More information about the Tour of Britain in Somerset is available by visiting http://www.bikesomerset.co.uk/.

Sir Ranulph vows 'never again' after second Everest attempt is abandoned

EXHAUSTION brought on by sleep deprivation has forced explorer and adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes to abandon a second attempt to conquer Mount Everest.
Sir Ranulph, who lives near Exford, was trying to raise £3 million for the Marie Curie cancer charity from his feat.
Now, he has vowed not to try to climb Everest again.
He had hoped to reach the 29,000 feet summit at 03.30 BST on Saturday, but the 64-year-old had to turn back after contending with heart problems and vertigo.
Sir Ranulph suffered a heart attack during his first unsuccessful attempt to scale the mountain three years ago.
He had set off from base camp on Tuesday and was accompanied by guide Kenton Cool and medic Robert Casserley.
They reached the final stopping-off point in the ascent after negotiating the ‘death zone’.
However, they had not had enough rest as the team had to set out on the final stage of the ascent in the dark because of impending bad weather.
Despite being only a few hundred yards from the summit, they were forced to turn back to base camp after resting
Sir Ranulph said: “I am not exhausted, I just had not had enough sleep.
“You have to accept these things. I am not crying over spilt milk but it was agonisingly close to the summit.
“Luck is not with me on Everest. I was within an ace of doing it. The following day I got back down to base camp in one go. I have got punch if I have had a chance to recharge my batteries.”
His wife, Louise Fiennes, told the BBC that he was keen to return to the UK immediately.
She said: “He just called me an hour ago and asked me to arrange to get him back to Kathmandu. He is desperate to get back to the UK.”
Iswari Paudel, who owns the company which organised Sir Ranulph’s climb, told the BBC he would be flown out by helicopter on Sunday morning.
Sir Ranulph was making his second attempt on the peak despite suffering from vertigo and heart problems and currently being in remission from prostate cancer.
He was the first man to reach both the North Pole and the South Pole by land, ran seven marathons in seven continents in seven days shortly after heart surgery, and journeyed to discover a lost city in Arabia described as ‘the Atlantis of the Sands’.

• Our photograph shows Sir Ranulph on Everest. Photo by Kenton Cool.

Sir Ranulph poised to conquer Everest at second attempt

SIR Ranulph Fiennes is poised for the final push in his second attempt to summit Mount Everest and in the process raise £3 million for the Marie Curie cancer charity.
The Exmoor adventurer, who lives near Exford, expects to reach the 29,000 feet summit at 03.30 BST on Saturday.
Sixty-four-year-old Sir Ranulph and his team set off at dawn for the Khumbu Icefall, one of the most dangerous parts of the route.
The route will take them across Western Cwm, a glacial valley, where they will stay overnight before tackling the six-hour, 650-yard climb to Camp Four.
Then, it will be a case of waiting for the right weather before completing the last part of the climb in around 12 hours, aiming to reach the summit on Saturday.
As the team heads closer to the mountain’s ‘death zone’, the air becomes thinner and the temperature plummets.
Sir Ranulph admits his main concern is exhaustion due to the altitude.
He said: “On past expeditions, particularly long polar treks pulling very heavy weights, the exhaustion factor has come in - but not nearly as bad as here because this is altitude exhaustion.
“So I need a mental defence against the wimpish voice in my head.
“At times like this one has an inner voice saying ‘stop, we have got to stop, it is not sensible to carry on’.
“That is when you need a mental defence. Mine has always been the memory of my grandfather and my father.
“Their spirits are around and watching and I do not want to do anything that will shame them, such as giving up unnecessarily early.”
Sir Ranulph holds several endurance records, among them the successful completion of seven marathons in seven days on seven continents.
Three years ago he was forced to abandon his first attempt on Everest after suffering a heart attack.
Sir Ranulph is raising funds for the Marie Curie ‘Delivering Choice Programme’, which was launched in 2004 with the aim of doubling the number of people who can die at home.
The charity wants to develop and help provide the best possible services for terminally ill patients, allowing them to be cared for in the place of their choice.

• Our photograph shows Sir Ranulph on his earlier Everest attempt. Photo submitted.

Everest Base Camp is first stop for Sir Ranulph

EXMOOR adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes has arrived at Everest Base Camp to begin his second attempt to climb the world’s highest mountain.
Sir Ranulph, aged 64, who lives near Exford, hopes to raise £3 million for the Marie Curie ‘Delivering Choice Programme’.
It took an eight-day trek through the Sagamarta National Park for Sir Ranulph’s team to reach Base Camp.
He will now begin the long acclimatisation process which will eventually see him make a bid for the summit in May.
Sir Ranulph said: “By the time we first saw Base Camp in the distance it was a very welcome sight.
“Lots of people try to make it to the Everest Base Camp and a lot do not because of the various problems with altitude sickness - not just headaches but sickness.
“I am feeling confident. The feeling of altitude - even walking in light boots from the tents to the mess tent, you are completely out of breath and you wake up in the night with panicky type breathing.
“It does not bode well, but you have to think of each day as it comes and hope that when the leader takes you over the next bit you are up to it.”
Everest Base Camp, at more than 17,600 feet, is perched on a creaking, shifting glacier at the bottom of the notorious Khumbu Icefall.

• Our photograph shows Sir Ranulph at Everest Base Camp. Photo submitted.

Explorer Sir Ranulph pledges to do more recycling

WORLD famous explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who lives on Exmoor, near Exford, has become the latest celebrity to sign up to the Somerset Waste Partnership’s ‘Pledge to Recycle’.
Sir Ranulph (pictured) has pledged to help reduce the ‘mountain’ of waste created each year in the UK by making greater efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle his waste.
He chose to give his support to the campaign and to sign up to the pledge online.
Sir Ranulph said: “I know how important it is to look after our environment.
“Recycling is an easy and effective way for us all to do our bit and I for one have joined up and pledged to recycle.”
The ‘Pledge to Recycle’ campaign was launched last year by Somerset cricketers Marcus Trescothick and Neil Edwards, and aims to encourage people to reuse, reduce, and recycle their household waste.
‘Pledgers’ can choose to receive a regular ‘e-recycle’ newsletter providing hints and tips on reducing and recycling household waste.
The newsletter also features competitions offering a range of environmentally-friendly prizes.
Councillor Nigel Woollcombe-Adams, chairman of the Somerset Waste Partnership said: “Over 2,300 people have already signed up across Somerset, and we believe that it is a great way for residents to be kept informed on all the new recycling schemes that will be coming up throughout the year.”
To join in and sign up to the ‘Pledge to Recycle’ scheme, log on to www.recyclesomerset.info

Rural schools bracing themselves for funding cuts

FUNDING proposals which could see rural schools in West Somerset forced into Victorian-style teaching classes have been approved by Somerset County Council.
Measures to axe the protection currently enjoyed by small schools and some middle schools were adopted as part of a catalogue of changes to the way education is funded in the county.
The Liberal Democrat-run council argued it wanted to make funding ‘fairer’ for all schools across the county.
But the effect of the decisions by the council’s executive board will be to threaten the very future of some of the smallest schools - especially as the authority is already separately reviewing whether to allow schools with fewer than 50 pupils to stay open on their own.
Despite strong representations from schools on Exmoor, including Exford First School, Dulverton Middle School, and All Saints First School, Dulverton, county councillors decided to reduce the minimum two-class funding protection for small schools to one class.
They also reduced the protection for middle schools from nine classes to six.
Now, small schools could be left with just a single class and one teacher for all their pupils, whose ages would range from four to nine years - just as when they were built by the Victorians 150 years ago.
Dr Brian Martin, who is chairman of the Federation of Exford and Dulverton Schools, was one of those to attend the county council meeting to speak in defence of rural education.
His cases was supported by letters from Exmoor National Park Authority, the Exmoor Society, Dulverton Town Council, MPs Ian Liddell-Grainger and Jeremy Browne, the West Somerset Community College, Minehead, and Exmoor’s county council representative Councillor John Edwards.
Dr Martin told The Post: “We did all we could. They listened very sympathetically to the case for small schools in rural areas and there was a lot of positive comment and understanding of how we needed to be treated carefully and not threatened by these changes.
“So, what we have got is a clause which says the board recognises the exceptional circumstances for rural small schools where pupils would otherwise have a long way to travel.”
Although the council said it would give ‘full transitional protection’ to small schools for the next three years, it was not interpreted by the schools as any postponement of the cuts.
Dr Martin said the results of the funding adjustments would not be felt immediately, as the council officers now had to develop the detail of the new funding formula.
The final figures were not expected to be announced until the middle of March, shortly before the new funding regime took effect at the start of April.
Dr Martin said: “So, we will have very little time between seeing the figures and having to cope with the new formula.
“We are continuing to lobby to try to ensure we are high in their consciousness right through to the numbers being crunched.
“We are trying very hard on behalf of the schools. They are successful schools and they have all done well in their Ofsted reviews and we want to grow and maintain them.”

• Our photograph shows Exford First School, which is one of the small rural schools now under threat. Photo submitted.

Back to the Future for rural schools : Victorian-style classes feared

SCHOOLS built by the Victorians in some of West Somerset’s rural communities could soon be forced to again deliver teaching in Victorian-style classes.
The step back to a teaching style of 150 years ago could be forced on small schools by funding proposals being considered in the New Year.
It could mean schools such as Exford Church of England First School being reduced to a single class where all the children from the ages of four to nine years were taught together by the school’s only teacher.
Similarly, Dulverton Middle and Community School could find its nine classrooms cut to six, with subsequent redundancies among the teaching staff.
Governors of the two schools are fighting the proposed changes to the way in which funding is allocated to schools throughout Somerset.
The county council is due to decide on January 16 on a package of 11 proposals.
One of those who will be attending that meeting to address councillors is the chairman of the governors of the Federation of Exford and Dulverton Schools, Dr Brian Martin.
The federation, which was only formed in April of this year as a result of county council pressure to cut the costs of running small schools, also includes Dulverton All Saints Church of England First School.
Other schools which have federated under recent county council pressure include Cutcombe and Timberscombe First Schools, as well as Danesfield Middle, Williton St Peter’s First, and Old Cleeve First Schools.
A ‘soft governance federation’ was put in place for Minehead Middle, Porlock St Dubricius, Minehead St Michael’s, and Dunster First Schools.
Crowcombe and Stogumber Primary Schools also federated in a separate move.
Nevertheless, the county council has highlighted the fact that the cost of running its small schools is still in the top 100 of the most expensive schools per pupil in the country.
Dr Martin said the new funding proposals were finance-driven and did not take any account of need to bed in recent federations and make them work properly.
He said the council wanted to spread its education cost per pupil more evenly across all schools and one way of doing so would be to reduce the ‘small schools protection’ which currently guaranteed a minimum of two classes for schools with 60 or fewer pupils.
Dr Martin said the moves would leave schools such as Exford ‘vulnerable’ and could even lead to closure.
He said: “We think that this is a step back to Victorian times almost.
“It really does not pay any heed to the ‘Every Child Matters’ policy that has been pushed forward by the Government.
“And ‘individual learning’ just goes out of the window.
“It puts small rural schools in a very vulnerable position.”
Dr Martin said the knock-on effects could see small and middle schools unable to teach the national curriculum to the right standard, meaning pupils would move on to the West Somerset Community College still requiring to be brought up to the right level of education for their age.
There was a further risk that some West Somerset parents might move to another area in order to secure a better education for their children, or that parents would be put off moving to live in the district, thereby causing a fall in pupil numbers and making schools even more vulnerable.
Dr Martin said some pupils as young as four and five years were already making a journey of 40 minutes to reach schools on Exmoor.
If the schools closed, the only alternative would be an even longer journey to a town school.
He said: “It is not like an urban area where you may be able to close a school and still have reasonable travel times to an alternative. There is no alternative on Exmoor.
“We are making a plea that there is an exception in this area for small rural schools which serve their communities.”
Dr Martin appreciated some schools, such as Danesfield Middle, in Williton, might benefit overall from the proposed changes and it was likely that Somerset’s larger schools would support the new funding regime.
But he said: “We would hope they appreciate that they are part of a whole school system here, where we all feed through to the community college and secondary education, and would want strength in the whole system.”
Dr Martin said making teachers redundant in Dulverton Middle School would result in a loss of specialist skills and make it near-impossible to deliver the school’s highly regarded Exmoor Curriculum.

• Our photograph shows Exford Church of England First School. Photo submitted.

Man trapped on Exmoor in overturned vehicle for two hours

FIREFIGHTERS from Dulverton helped to rescue a man who was trapped for two hours when his Land Rover overturned late at night on Exmoor.
The accident happened in Wellshead Lane, Exford, at around 10 pm on Saturday, December 8, but the fire crews were not called until a few minutes after midnight on Sunday.
A rescue tender from Taunton Fire Station was also sent to the scene.
The fire crews used heavy lifting air bags and hydraulic rams to free the mans legs and release him from the vehicle.
They also helped paramedics place the patient on a spinal board before he was flown by air ambulance to hospital for treatment.

Two women rescued from Exmoor farm machinery

AN air ambulance rushed an Exmoor woman to hospital early on Sunday, December 2, after firefighters freed her from beneath a farm vehicle.
The unnamed woman became trapped under a four-wheel drive Kawasaki Mule utility vehicle (example pictured) on a farm near Dulverton at about 8.30 am.
Another woman who tried to release her also became trapped and had to be rescued by the fire and rescue crew from Dulverton.
It took more than half-an-hour for the firemen to stabilise the vehicle and release both women, the first of whom was then put on board the waiting helicopter to be flown to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, in Exeter.
Paramedics on board a road ambulance also attended the scene.

• Fire and rescue crews also attended three Exmoor properties which were experiencing flooding overnight on Saturday-Sunday in the Exford and Bridgetown area, near Dulverton.
  Crews from Dulverton and Porlock were called out and they used light portable pumps to remove water and also helped to clear up with mops and buckets.
  

New route to attract more entries for Golden Horseshoe endurance ride

THERE will be a new look to the route of the annual Wessex Golden Horseshoe endurance ride on Exmoor next year.
Riders will be able to take in the Doone Valley, Cheriton Ridge, and the tough uphill haul at Robbers Bridge.
Organising committee chairman Barbara Wigley, who lives near Wheddon Cross, said: “Parts of this new route have not been used for the Golden Horseshoe for some years and we think it will attract new riders as well as our regulars.”
The venue has again been moved from the Auction Field, at Exford, to a larger and more open and easily accessible site 400 yards away at the top of Church Hill.
Mrs Wigley said the new site was well-drained and had excellent views of the start and finish of the course.
She said changes were needed to raise the event’s profile in as many ways possible, to attract sponsorship and public involvement on a wider scale.
Local businesses had been approached to take trade stands, including country crafts, confectionary, toiletries (equine and human), and endurance equipment.
The ride has also received a grant from Exmoor National Park Authority’s sustainable development fund.
There are four competitive classes – The Exmoor Golden Horseshoe, The Exmoor Stag, The Exmoor Experience, and The Exmoor Eighty.
In addition, a ‘Pleasure Ride’ will again be held on the Sunday morning to raise money for the Moorland Mousie Trust.
More than £1,000 was raised for the trust from this year’s ride.
A group of Exmoor ponies from the Exmoor Pony Centre, near Dulverton, will take part in the pleasure ride, and there will be a stand at the venue with information about the work carried out for the rare breed.
The 2008 Golden Horseshoe ride will take place from May 11 to 13.