West Midlands-headquartered lift maintenance and repair specialist Pace Group has acquired three businesses in a move that takes its total number of acquisitions since securing LDC backing to 20. The group, which maintains and repairs elevators, service lifts and stairlifts, has brought Devon-based Ideal Lifts Services, Kent-based Elevators Ltd and Cheshire-based City Lift Services into the business. Terms of the deals have not been disclosed.

Hi! My name's Sam Holland and I'm an illustrator based in Devon, UK. My artwork aims to capture the vibrant essence of Pop Culture through captivating images that resonate with a wide audience. Each…

Plans for one of Europe’s largest AI campuses in a Unesco-designated reserve have sparked a fierce local backlash

* * * This story was published by **The Leicester Gazette** : a local, independent newspaper about Leicestershire. 1,000 people have already joined our community. Just use those buttons below to download our app and **sign up for free**. * * * I spent a day with Blue Watch, one of four crews based at Leicester Central Fire Station. Each crew has eleven members, with eight working each 12-hour shift. I was eager to discover what a typical day as a firefighter looks like. I soon learned that, for an on-duty crew, everything can – and does – change in a second. Within minutes of the shift starting, we received an emergency call to a suspected high-rise fire. It was my first experience riding in a fire engine, rushing through busy traffic with the sirens blazing. Although many callouts turn out to be false alarms, all incidents involving high-rise buildings have been taken extremely seriously since the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. Early intervention can save lives. When a call comes in, firefighters have just two minutes to get ready and set off. When they’re not attending emergencies, crews carry out a range of other duties. In the image above, Blue Watch is completing a scenario-training session. Because every emergency is different and highly dynamic, this training helps firefighters prepare to respond and react appropriately in real-life situations. Crews also visit premises to assess fire-safety standards and attend large events for safety and promotional campaigns. We then attended a full-scale, live training exercise inside part of the Highcross Shopping Centre building. The firefighters were blindfolded and completed the exercise in darkness, simulating the near-zero visibility caused by heavy smoke during a real emergency. Blue Watch was joined by another Leicestershire crew for the exercise. For casualty-rescue training, life-sized mannequins weighing the same as an average person are used. After the intense and physically demanding exercise, the firefighters removed their heavy equipment and took time to recover. Sweating heavily, they focused on cooling down and rehydrating. Leicestershire firefighters work a four-on, four-off pattern: two day shifts followed by two night shifts. While on duty at their station, crew members cook, eat and clean together – and make plenty of time for laughter. During my visit, they seemed less like work colleagues and more like a family living together. While shadowing Blue Watch, I attended several emergencies. Whenever the station’s house bell sounded, signalling it was time to mobilise, we looked up at the screen to see where we were going and what had happened. Even the most experienced firefighters seemed surprised by the details. No one ever becomes completely accustomed to the unpredictable nature of the job – they simply become comfortable with it. Anything can happen at any time, often presenting crews with situations they have never encountered before. One callout involved a prison. The solution? Walk up to the entrance and ring the doorbell. Towards the end of the day, the crew gave a demonstration in the station courtyard, showcasing various types of equipment, hoses, the training tower and their aerial ladder platform. They even took me 105 feet (32 metres) into the air. Above, the aerial ladder platform – literally a stairway to the clouds – also became the world’s longest selfie stick. Here Blue Watch’s newest recruit, Dillon, supports a fellow crew member as a rainbow appears through the spray from their hose. Unless they’re still attending an emergency, one of the last things crews do before going home is wash down the fire engines together. I’m hugely grateful to Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service for giving me the opportunity to spend the day with one of its crews, and to Blue Watch for the warm welcome, care and assistance they showed me. Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service will be recruiting in October. Applications are welcomed and encouraged from people of all backgrounds, ethnicities and genders. * * * **Before you go…** We’ve recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers, which is amazing considering we’re a small team on a shoestring budget. Now, we’re ready for the next stage of the Leicester Gazette. **Download our new app and get all of our journalism anytime, anywhere.** The app connects with **Bluesky** , **Mastodon** and **Threads** , giving you access to a network of around 60 million people. It’s a safer, more meaningful alternative to mainstream social media – owned by the community. * * *

PEOPLE has the exclusive first look at images from the Taraji P. Henson-starring, Tasha Smith-directed ‘Give Me Some Sugah,’ on Netflix Dec. 16. Henson plays Lenore Lindsey, a real-life Chicago baker ...

As Community Builder Lead Coordinator, I support a team of Community Builders working across Torbay's neighbourhoods, meeting regularly with them to hear about local issues, projects and opportunities that can bring people together. Over the past month alone, the team has been asked to promote and support a wide range of community initiatives. One project seeking local involvement is ARE YOU ALRIGHT MATE?, a public art installation from Devon-based Alright Mate? CIC. The project is looking for 15 men from Newton Abbot, Paignton and Torquay to share their experiences of mental health and wellbeing through interviews and photography sessions in October.

Woodland Trust, Home-based with regular travel across Devon and Cornwall, £35,593 pa

Finest Retreats, based in Cornwall, has acquired My Favourite Cottages, a Devon-based agency specialising in coastal and rural holiday properties.

Cornwall-based holiday let management company Finest Retreats has acquired a Devon-based agency that specialises in rural and coastal holiday cottages. The acquisition of My Favourite Cottages takes Finest Retreats’ total portfolio to more than 900 properties. Since being founded by Harry Roberts and Richard Bond (who shares a name with the founder and owner of Finest Retreats) more than a decade ago, My Favourite Cottage has built a portfolio of 72 properties across Devon. Harry Roberts has now retired from the business, but the company’s entire operations team has been retained following the acquisition.

For two days in November, the South Devon Railway based at Buckfastleigh in Devon will resound to the sound of main-line diesel locomotives. The post Class 60 in Midland Railway livery to star in Devon gala first appeared on VibeWire Magazine.

For two days in November, the South Devon Railway based at Buckfastleigh in Devon will resound to the sound of main-line diesel locomotives. The post Class 60 in Midland Railway livery to star in Devon gala first appeared on VibeWire Magazine.