pod-in-the-news

Ottery St Mary Carnival Marks Tar Barrel Season

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:22:08 +0100

By Holli Holman

Ottery St Mary Carnival lit up the streets of Ottery St Mary on the 29^th of September. The beginning of the annual event was marked by the arrival of the ceremonious tar barrel. The Tar Barrel itself stands for the beginning of the Tar Barrel season.

From then on the carnival commenced with a procession of bright colours and loud music. Entrants included the various talented majorette troops of the county and the ever comedic Nunsford Nutters – this year taking on a Bird Is The Word inspired theme. And, for her second year in a row, 16 year old Jadine Dyer took on the role of Ottery St Mary's Carnival Queen, leading an “Under The Sea” themed float.

“A thoroughly enjoyable night!” Katie Phipps, mother of two, told P.O.D “My children loved the floats, especially the one with the cavemen! They're already looking forward to next year's carnival!” Katie's children weren't the only ones pleased by the evening's events. Small children sitting on shoulders waved excitedly all evening with their light up swords as the variety of floats came past.

But the Ottery St Mary carnival also marks the beginning of the Tar Barrel season, taking place one week before the Tar Barrels themselves. For the townsfolk, this evening not only entertains and puts a smile on people's faces, it also holds a deeper meaning! It means the annual Tar Barrels are drawing ever closer – and most can't wait. Seventeen year old Charlotte says: “I'm so excited about Tar Barrels, it's a fantastic unique experience and I swear we look forward to it more than Christmas!”

The townsfolk flooded the streets with thorough enjoyment to witness the creativity of Devon. The Carnival of 2011 was no doubt a huge success and the townsfolk will now be awaiting 2012's carnival to see whether it can be topped.

Thousands line the streets for one of the best carnivals yet

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 12:23:45 +0100

By Laura Goldsbury Noy

Thousands lined the streets of Sidmouth on Saturday night to watch the grand carnival procession make its way through the town. <?

Residents as well as those from further afield such as Crediton and Bridgwater entered this year’s carnival making it one of the best yet.

Following the trend of other carnivals in East Devon this year, entry numbers were high from all over Devon and with the fine weather on Saturday, Sidmouth’s walking entries were amongst the busiest and the best.

There were around 25 floats in the procession and three groups of majorettes also joined in the procession.

Lyme Regis Majorettes, Karisma Majorettes from Axminster and Seaton Majorettes added much colour to the procession and were warmly applauded around the route.

The carnival procession was led by Sidmouth Fire Brigade, Sidmouth Lifeboat Crew and this year’s Carnival Queen and Princesses.

This year’s Carnival Queen was 13-year-old Rosie Davis Stokes, who alongside her princesses, 10-year-old Jasmine Dorman and 10-year-old Taylor Beavis, led the carnival procession starting in Woolbrook Road, in Sidmouth’s famous old car- “The Toast Rack”.

There was triumph for Sid Vale Carnival Club when judges voted their spectacular “Yee Ha” western themed float as the best in procession.

Other significant winners this year were Sidmouth Brownies and Guides who pulled out all the stops with their Alice in Wonderland walking youth entry, complete with a giant walking caterpillar, tea party tableau and mass of costumes.

Other local groups who took part in the procession included Sidmouth Scouts with an exciting rendition of “A Knights Tale” complete with suits of armour and medieval dress and Sidmouth Youth Centre’s “The Circus” wheeled tableau with a projection of the latest animation and art work the youth of the town had created.

Sidmouth Amateur Dramatics Society also took part in the procession dressed to promote their upcoming production “When we are married” as well as this year’s pantomime “Treasure Ireland”.

Terry Clarke, chairman of Sidmouth Carnival Committee, said: “This year has been a huge success and we have collected more money than ever before with around £2,600 so far.

“We would like to thank the huge amount of both motorised and walking entries which were of an extremely high standard, that took part in this year’s procession as well as the many local groups and organisations that got involved and helped out to make the procession as exciting and colourful as ever.”

That's where I left my giant placard! Exeter is pissed at potential rise in travel costs

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:30:10 +0100

By Caroline Reid

I was strolling down Exeter High Street, minding my own business with my attention firmly focused on the vital level of Angry Birds that I was having issues with (those damn boomerang birds are useless!) when I walked smack bang into the middle of this lot.

As you can see by the sign, it all looks very boring and I was going to just shimmy my way inconspicuously from out of the braying crowd when I realised that the old dude shouting angrily in to his megaphone might actually be blabbering on about something which could affect us young’uns (the protestors’ word, not mine!) of Exeter.

Turns out that the government are trying to put up train and bus fares AGAIN and the people I accidently stumbled into the middle of were trying to get the public to give their views on it. Personally I wouldn’t mind paying extra fare if they were going to have gorgeous, half naked guys wandering around on the bus/train checking tickets but the fact is that unless I am elected Prime Minister that is never going to happen…

So I was naturally quite pissed to discover that, already a broke student, the government want me to part with my hard earned cash and feed it into the already expensive public transport. So if you are just as pissed as I am about it all, then give us a yell here at POD World.

Exeter's First and Last Zombie Walk?

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:28:19 +0100

By Caroline Reid

The un-dead terrorised the streets of Exeter last weekend as horror fans of all ages joined in the very first (and probably the last) Phonic FM Zombie walk to the 2011 Zombie ball, organised by DJ Mike James in a bid to showcase some of the newest local rock band talent including headline act, The Defiled and metal band, Dirty Magic which took place at the Phoenix.

Shoppers were left stunned as hundreds of gory zombies marched, walked and dragged themselves through Princesshay shopping centre and down Exeter high street, leaving a trail of bloody splatters and crying children behind them. Although it was all in good fun in the run up to Halloween, angry drivers sounded their horns at the motley mob as they meandered across the road and buses raced off as those who really began to get into the zombie spirit pressed their faces up against the windows in order to scare passengers.

Much of the public had little or no idea of what was going on and any shoppers who happened to get caught in the throng of the 250 noisy zombies was bound to find the experience just a little bit surreal. Let’s hope that fake blood doesn’t stain.