Hot weather was the most likely contributor to cliff falls

Mike Dibble Picture: contributed (Image: Picture: contributed)

I would like to start by paying tribute to two local characters we have lost this week, Simon Pollentine and Jimmie Rae.

Both were huge sports fans who I’d had the pleasure to know for many years.

Simon will be best remembered as a local politician but many will also have known him and his brother Tim when they had the sweet shop in Market Square.

Simon was a keen darts player and also loved many other sports including National Hunt racing.

Jimmie was someone who I first met at the cricket club. He was a real character and became a car parking stalwart during folk week working alongside his great friends Dutch Holland and Gerald Bess for many years. In a former life he played scrum half for London Scottish. He lived on Fortfield Terrace for many years until ill health meant he had to reside in a care home. Both men will be sorely missed.

The weather is certainly a major talking point at the moment and at the time of writing the drought was still with us. Let’s hope the rains forecast for the early part of this week duly arrived.

I have not played golf in this country in such hot conditions that we experienced last week at Taunton & Pickeridge.

On the same day the heat did not stop James Pickard, from Sidmouth Golf Club, winning the South West over 35s golf championship at Tiverton. What a season he is having.

The weather will also have been the main contributing factor for the cliff falls we saw on Salcombe Hill last week.

The videos and pictures that followed were both dramatic and widespread. Unfortunately we are likely to see more of this coastal erosion in the near future.

On the football front Exeter City followed up their Carabao Cup 7-0 demolition of Cheltenham with a 2-1 defeat at Cambridge last Saturday. This Saturday they play Cheltenham again in a home league game.

Last Tuesday they played Wycombe at home so hopefully they got back to winning ways.

Sidmouth Rugby Club started their pre season friendlies with a game against Topsham last Friday. In a match played in searing heat they came out on top but I cannot tell you the score as the scoreboard wasn’t in use.

There was a feast of running rugby on show from both teams. The bar was certainly busy with queues most of the evening. It’s thirsty work watching rugby.

In other sporting news Sidmouth Cricket Club 1st XI had a bad defeat against Bradninch last Saturday at The Fortfield. The defeat leaves the team just 16 points above the relegation zone.

Two of the last three games are against the bottom two so the situation is still very much in their hands. The match saw the return to first team action for veteran batsman Anthony Griffiths who scored 23 in a poor total of 101.

Talking of older batsmen James Hildreth announced last week that this will be his final season in First Class cricket. The Somerset batsman was registered to play for Sidmouth a few years ago but never actually played for us.

He did however present the cups at our end of season bash and was entertained in Carinas afterwards! This Saturday Sidmouth 1st XI are away at Bovey Tracey, the 2nd XI are at home to Alphington & Countess Wear and the 3rd XI are at home to Woodbury.

Another business has opened in premises on Sidmouth High Street. The Art Den has recently relocated from Libra Court to the shop unit next to Lloyds Bank. The shop sells cards and various forms of art. It is great to see another vacant unit filled so quickly.

Finally on the nature front dolphins were seen just off the sea front during folk week. They were filmed by numerous people as they made their way along the coast.