Bethia Wyborn

Multimedia reporter.

NCTJ accredited with bylines in DIVA, Pick me up! and Chat magazine.

Winner of the Gavin Reeve-Daniels Memorial Prize in Magazine Journalism.

Wellington Weekly News •

Christmas lights cause of fire in town centre

Joseph said: “I looked up because I heard sparking and saw the Christmas lights on fire with smoke coming from the light above. I could see a flame, molten metal and sparks were falling down onto the road. I was just in disbelief.“It was a big concern especially as the lights are attached to residential buildings, the fire could have ended up a lot worse.”A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We were called to attend a report of a Christmas light on fire on South...
Wellington Weekly News •

Family seeks donations for son's rare cancer fight

Within South West hospitals, Ronnie is the first child in five years to be diagnosed with this specific type of cancer as it is typically found in patients over 65.Rebecca, from Rockwell Green, said: “We took him to Musgrove Park Hospital straight away and within two hours we were told that he had blood cancer.The seven-year-old was then taken to Bristol Hospital were he underwent surgery to insert a PICC (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) line and to take samples from his stomach, of his...
Okehampton Times •

Battle for community banking hub in Okehampton

Shirley Smith, who works at the British Heart Foundation shop in Okehampton, said: “I bank at Lloyds and I do not use a computer so I feel I am being forced to bank online which I do not want to do. I would rather use a bank face-to-face so I’m worried where the closure of Lloyd’s bank will leave me.”Lydia Ward, Okehampton resident, said: “I bank at Lloyds and I am aware that there is a very large population of elderly people that struggle with online banking. The staff at the bank are wonderful...
Okehampton Times •

Murdered university lecturer awarded posthumous PhD

A spokesperson for the University of Plymouth, said: “Claire’s PhD was centred around supporting and developing resilience in student nurses, something she was incredibly passionate about, and the award is deserved recognition for everything she achieved. The work Claire undertook towards her PhD will be an enduring part of her legacy, and the award is one of the many ways in which we continue to remember her.”

A spokesperson for the University of Plymouth, said: “Claire’s PhD was centred aroun...
Okehampton Times •

Help bring Okehampton vet nurse home

Katie regularly has seizures which do not require medical attention as they pass on their own but despite Katie’s grandmother explaining this to medical staff, Katie was airlifted to Hospital General Universitario de Elche for treatment.The family have been living a “nightmare” ever since as they claim the Spanish doctors have refused to listen to Katie’s home doctor who is desperately trying to give them Katie’s medical history and treatment plan. “She seizes once a week, if not more, so every...
Tavistock Times Gazette •

Tavistock man who preyed on vulnerable women jailed for 30 years

Speaking after the trial DC Craig Ferguson, who investigated the case, said: “Peter Wilkinson is a dangerous and predatory sexual offender. The offences in this case were harrowing with vulnerable people being targeted and abused in their homes where they should have been able to feel safe and secure.“This has been a lengthy, complex, and difficult investigation. I know that the outcome of this case will not have diminished the impact that Peter Wilkinson has had upon the victims and their lives...
Tavistock Times Gazette •

‘Shocking’ rise in sex crimes at Devon and Cornwall train stations

A survey of 2,000 people commissioned by the British Transport Police (BTP) last year found that over a third of women had been a victim of sexual harassment or sexual offending on their commute.Despite this, a large number of women do not report their experiences, as many people feel scared or believe that their experience won’t be taken seriously.BTP Detective Chief Inspector Nia Mellor said: "We are working tirelessly to stamp out this unacceptable behaviour. We have patrols of uniformed and...
Okehampton Times •

Controversial porn star 'Bonnie Blue' sponsors local football team

A local football club have announced their new controversial sponsor, an Only Fans model who had sex with over 1,000 men in one day.Bonnie Blue is the new sponsor for Calstock FC after one of the players revealed to the group that Bonnie was his cousin.The football club that dub themselves ‘a drinking team with a football problem’, took advantage of the celebrity connection and asked Bonnie to be their new away kit sponsor.Tia Emma Billinger, known professionally as Bonnie Blue, is an English po...
Tavistock Times Gazette •

'It's not good enough': South West Water declines meeting with river action group

The group, Drip Drip, was formed last summer and is based in Calstock. Its members monitor the levels of E.Coli and Enterococcus bacteria which indicate sewage, by taking samples of water from the Tamar.Ken Finn, from Drip Drip, said: “We’ve asked for a face-to-face meeting with South West Water to help us understand when they will implement their ambitions to be less reliant on the use of combined sewage outlets (CSOs), but so far, they have declined to meet us. It’s not good enough.” After t...
Tavistock Times Gazette •

Okehampton herbalist to survive on foraged food for three months

The Wildbiome 2 Project is a citizen science experiment backed by the Universities of Bradford and Rzeszów that will see over 100 foragers across the country eat solely wild food for either one month or three months starting on April 1 2025.Jenny, owner of Dartmoor Apothecary, said: “As a herbalist I find it easier to recognise edible wild foods but it still takes a lot of preparation. I’ve been collecting herbs for almost a year for the project such as foraging nuts, processing them and drying...
Okehampton Times •

Hamlet have their mail shut off due to 'dangerous' potholes

The eight residents of Essworthy were told to make the 14 mile trip to Okehampton to queue for their Royal Mail deliveries despite other couriers, delivery vans and oil tankers making the trip down the lane to the houses.She said: “By the time we knew that the mail wasn’t going to be delivered to our addresses some of the letters were 17 days old. They said we could have a mailbox at the end of our lane but that wasn’t suitable because it’s half a mile from our house and it wouldn’t be secure.”V...
Okehampton Times •

Investigation into alleged fox hunting near Okehampton dropped

STOPPING HOUNDS IN THEIR TRACKS Sabs are the last line of defence between the hunt and the fox. This short video, filmed by sabs at a recent Eggesford Hunt meet at Ellmead Farm (near Okehampton), shows exactly what that looks like. 🧵 (1/4) pic.twitter.com/KQw9AXKkBz— Devon County Hunt Sabs (@devoncountysabs) November 4, 2024 A spokesperson for Devon County Hunt Saboteurs said: “There is no doubt that this was an illegal fox hunt. The video in question shows an incident from October 12 2024, wher...
DIVA Magazine •

All the queer music coming out in September 2024

From electronic to bedroom indie, September is going to be full of new LGBTQIA tunes and albums that will soon be blasting through our headphones. 


Here’s a sneak peak of some of the queer releases that we’re excited for this month.


6 September 


After a two year hiatus, the ethereal Norweigan-American musician Okay Kaya, is due to release her fourth album on 6 September. The pop artist frequently writes dream-like compositions with unforgettable imagery and Oh My God – That’s So Me will...
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Love Island star Amber Gill steals sapphic hearts after putting a twist on her Taylor Swift t-shirt

The 2019 Love Island winner was showered with support after wearing a sapphic-inspired t-shirt to a London Taylor Swift concert.


As Swifties will know, the shirt, which read “But Daddy I Love Her”, was inspired by the song But Daddy I Love Him from Taylor Swift’s new album The Tortured Poets Department.


The One Summer In Miami author took to Instagram to caption her post with: “So grateful for all the experiences my SpaceNK family have brought me this year, I love them so much.”


“I’m do...
DIVA Magazine •

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo discuss their new friendship and falling “completely in love with each other”

As Wicked fans count down the days until the new film hits cinema screens, a new teaser trailer has just dropped with the star-studded cast discussing the central themes of the film.


Within the clip called The Powerful Bond Of Friendship, the cast which includes Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Jonathan Bailey, discusses how friendship is the central theme of the musical film adaptation.


Grande, who plays Glinda the Good Witch in the film, said: “These two very different women just fall co...
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Alex Consani makes history as the first trans woman to be nominated for Model Of The Year

Fashion and TikTok icon Alex Consani may soon have an award under her belt for “dominating the industry”. The British Fashion Council (BFC) announced on 20 August the nominations for the 2024 Fashion Awards and Consani achieved a nod for Model Of The Year, making her the first trans woman nominated in the category.


The BFC wrote that the Model Of The Year category “recognizes the global impact of a model who, over the last 12 months, has dominated the industry, with an influence that transcen...
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Hunter Schafer: 5 facts to know

You may know Hunter Schafer from her impressive acting credits such as The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes or Euphoria, but did you know that this beloved star made headlines even before she became an actor?


Brush up on your facts about Hunter before her newest film Cuckoo hits UK cinemas on 23 August.


The 25-year-old actor studied visual art at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and contributed drawings and paintings to Rookie Mag from 2015 to 2018. She often uses watercol...
DIVA Magazine •

Chappell Roan responds to fans after being “harassed, abused and stalked” in public

The Missouri-born musician Chappell Roan has urged fans to stop “harassing” and “stalking” her in public, explaining that she doesn’t care if others think that her boundaries are “selfish”.


In a TikTok posted on 19 August, the singer-songwriter asked her fans: “If you saw a random woman on the street. Would you yell at her from the car window? Would you harass her in public? Would you go up to a random lady and say, ‘Can I get a photo with you?’ And [when] she’s like, ‘No, what the f**k?’ and...
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“Very demure, very mindful” TikTok trendsetter can now fund transition due to viral fame

The trend, started by Jools Lebron, began when the beauty influencer showed her professional makeup look to TikTok, calling it “very demure, very mindful”.


The meme then blew up online, with celebrities from Lily Collins to Penn Badgley participating.


In a recent video from Jools, she explained how the “Demure” trend changed her life.


“Hey, maybe you should make the videos. Because one day I was playing cashier and making videos on my break and now I’m flying across countries to host ev...
DIVA Magazine •

X Factor star Dylan Holloway opens up about duetting with his pre-transition self

Dylan Holloway, also known as Dylan And The Moon, is not afraid to create music that breaks down barriers. You may recognise the Newquay-born artist from his viral TikTok duets with his pre-transition self, or his performances on X Factor, but with his single Bones coming out on Friday (16 August) and a new EP coming out in October, the artist is soon to become a household name.


DIVA caught up with Dylan to find out more about his journey. 


I actually started playing the drums at first, an...
DIVA Magazine •

Gok Wan announced as final headliner for Manchester Pride Festival

TV personality and DJ Gok Wan has just been announced as the final headliner for Manchester Pride Festival 2024. 


The three-day festival starting on 23 August will include parades, vigils, and rooftop parties, for no cost.


The only ticketed event is The Gay Village Party which will see the likes of Jessie J, Rita Ora, The Sugababes, and of course the one and only Gok Wan.


As well as Wan’s Friday headline set, The Untold Orchestra and hip-hop star OneDa have been announced as performers...
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Here’s everything you need to know about Jill Scott’s partner, Shelly Unitt

From bringing it home for England to being crowned queen of the jungle, there’s nothing Jill Scott MBE can’t do.


So while Jill captured England’s heart and became one of Britain’s most beloved lionesses, who was cheering her on from the sidelines?


Shelly, sister of former England player Rachel Unitt, has been Jill’s partner for nearly a decade.


The Community Health Officer for whg Housing Association and co-owner of Manchester coffee shop, BOXX2BOXX, writes in her X bio that her passion...
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JK Rowling and Elon Musk named in lawsuit filed by Algerian boxer Imane Khelif

The Algerian boxer and newly crowned Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif has filed an online harassment complaint to French authorities over alleged “acts of aggravated cyber harassment”.


Khelif was at the centre of online controversy after a match against Italian boxer Angela Carini. The match, which finished within 46 seconds on 1 August, ignited a frenzy of misinformation and bullying against Khelif on social media and in news outlets, with many falsely claiming that she was a “biological m...
DIVA Magazine •

Who is the Olympic mask-wearing shot-putter? Here are 5 facts to know about Raven Saunders

USA Olympian Raven “Hulk” Saunders, is making waves online not only for their impressive athletic ability but for their choice to wear a mask during the 2024 Olympic games.


The non-binary shot-putter, who won a silver medal at the Tokyo games, unfortunately, did not achieve the same victory in Paris but still won the hearts of Olympic fans across the globe.


In the Shot Put qualification on 8 August, the 28-year-old competed in orange-tinted glasses and a thick black mask that covered their...
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