Latest news with #OtteryStMary
BBC News
23-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Devon footbridge closed in 2023 set for repairs
A "vital" footbridge in East Devon which has been closed to the public for almost two years is being dismantled so it can be repaired. Coleridge Bridge, which links the two parts of Ottery St Mary, closed to the public in December 2023 after being hit by a tree, which damaged its deck and County Council said a delay in repairing the the bridge was due to "environmental considerations" in planning the work with the Environment Jess Bailey said she was optimistic the "absolutely vital link for residents" would be repaired and opened to the public in September. A crane was being used to dismantle the bridge in sections before it would be transported off site for repairs, project staff said. Bailey said: "I'm delighted we have reached this major milestone in the re-instatement of Coleridge Bridge. "The footbridge is an absolutely vital link for residents of Ottery St Mary and students of the Kings School. "I'm really optimistic that the bridge will be opened in September which will be excellent news." Consideration from the Environment Agency was needed as repair work to the bridge's central support involves working within the riverbed. Councillor Dan Thomas said: "Everyone would have wanted this work to have got under way sooner."There's been a lot of discussions and planning with the Environment Agency in advance of getting on site to ensure environmental considerations have been factored into the work."
BBC News
07-07-2025
- BBC News
Man arrested over threat to burn Ottery St Mary pub-goer's home
A man has been arrested on suspicion of making threats to burn another man's house down and holding a glass to their face in a pub beer incident took place just after 12:00 BST on Wednesday in the garden of the London Inn, in Ottery St was reported a man approached another man and made threats towards him, Devon and Cornwall Police force said a local man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress, and threatening to damage or destroy a property. He has been released on bail. Anyone with information about the incident has been asked to contact the force.
The Independent
24-06-2025
- The Independent
Escaped bears caught on camera eating week's worth of honey
A European bear named Lucy and her accomplice Mish escaped from their enclosure at Wildwood Devon in Ottery St Mary on Monday. CCTV footage showed Lucy raiding a food storage area, where the two bears consumed a week's worth of honey during their hour-long escape. Staff at Wildwood Devon continuously monitored the bears and safely returned them to their enclosure after an hour. The zoo evacuated members of the public as a precaution during the incident. Watch the video in full above.
The Independent
24-06-2025
- The Independent
Escaped bear caught on CCTV after eating a week's worth of honey
A bear was caught on CCTV taking supplies from a food storage area after it escaped from a wildlife zoo in Devon. Footage captures Lucy, a European bear who broke free from her enclosure along with her accomplice Mish, raiding the bin for supplies on Monday (23 June). The two bears ate a 'week's worth of honey' during their hour-long escape, after which they were safely returned to their enclosure by staff at Wildwood Devon, near Ottery St Mary. The park said that 'the bears were continuously monitored both on the ground and via CCTV until they calmly returned to their enclosure and fell asleep,' but said it evacuated members of the public from the zoo as a precaution.
The Independent
24-06-2025
- General
- The Independent
Bears escape enclosure at UK wildlife park and eat week's worth of honey
Two young bears at a wildlife park made a beeline for a week's supply of honey after staging an escape from their enclosure. Mish and Lucy, both four-year-old siblings, seized their moment of freedom at the Wildwood Trust's site in Ottery St Mary in Devon on Monday afternoon. The pair reportedly headed straight for their food store during their hour-long adventure. Despite their brief escapade, Wildwood Devon confirmed that the bears posed no danger to the public at any point. A spokesperson for Wildwood Trust shared: 'Two young bears escaped from their enclosure at Wildwood Devon this afternoon, heading straight for their food store. 'Mish and Lucy, both four years, who posed no threat to the public at any point, enjoyed a selection of snacks – including a week's worth of honey – before being safely returned to their enclosure by the expert keeper team within the hour. 'As a precaution, all visitors on site were promptly escorted to a secure building. 'The bears were continuously monitored both on the ground and via CCTV until they calmly returned to their enclosure and fell asleep.' The charity said police attended the scene 'in line with standard protocol' and an investigation is underway to find out how the bears escaped. 'The exhibit is secure, and we are grateful to our staff and visitors for their cooperation, which helped us resolve the situation swiftly and safely,' the spokesperson added. Mish and Lucy were discovered abandoned by their mother in a snowdrift in the Albanian mountains, according to the Wildwood Trust. Several attempts were made to reintroduce the cubs into the wild but it became clear to conservationists that they could not survive on their own. Following a fundraising campaign in 2020, the siblings were transported to Wildwood's Kent park for six months before they made their 'forever home' at the Devon site in 2021. Mish is known to be a playful bear who enjoys splashing around in the pool and swinging in hammocks while Lucy is said to 'love nothing more' than spending time with her brother and climbing trees. The pair eat kilos of berries, fruits, vegetables, seeds, fish and meat every day.
