The StopPress Archive

You can download past copies of most editions of StopPress below. Please note that the quality of images in these files has been reduced to increase the download speed, and some images have been removed to maintain the photographers' copyright.

Unfortunately, any competitions in old editions of StopPress are now closed, and products, destinations and services advertised in old editions may no longer be available, or their prices may have changed.

All archive editions of StopPress are in PDF format. If you do not have software which can read PDF files, you can download software to do so free from Adobe by clicking on the link on the right.

Issue 22: July 2008

• Torre AbbeyTorbay's historic house and gallery re-opens.
• Dartmoor legendJay's Grave.
• Midnight Myrie/STRONG>Lorraine Myrie's midnight walk.
• Grammar SpodDr Lingua looks at the second conditional.
• A brief history of English part one.
• Anyone for tennis?
• Music-themed poems
• Idioms of the month: music
• Puzzles & Brainteasers
• 4-week Excursion planner
• What's on in Torbay & full theatre listings

Issue 21: June 2008

• Bath: We look at one of Britain's unmissable cities.
• "St Tropez it ain't": We resopond to the latest 'Rough Guide to England'.
• Messing about in boats: Britain's love of boating.
• Shakespeare's music.
• Grammar Spod: Dr Lingua looks at 'would'.
• Recipe: scones.
• That Summer: A little-known film that was filmed in Torbay.
• This month in history: Interesting anniversaries.
• Idioms of the month: travel and transport
• Puzzles & Brainteasers
• 4-week Excursion planner
• What's on in Torbay & full theatre listings

Issue 20: May 2008

• Honda Power Boats: The largest off-shore power boat series returns to Torbay.
• Crocodile Swamp: Paignton Zoo's newest attraction opens to the public.
• Power of music: Two extraordinary youth orchestras.
• Sports: Cricket.
• Grammar Spod
  The G-Team look at the modal verb 'will'.
• Dartmoor legend: The hanging stone.
• Mifnigyt runner: An LAL Teacher prepares for a sponsored midnight walk.
• This month in history: Interesting anniversaries.
• Idioms of the month: clothes
• Puzzles & Brainteasers

Issue 19: April 2008

• Cream Tea Festival: Celebrating the best of British.
• Compton Castle: A hidden gem not far from Torbay.
• Jury Service: Lorraine Myrie shares her experiences of a British court.
• Sports: Horse racing.
• Grammar Spod: Flash Grammar returns to look at the Past Perfect.
• British icon: The Morris Minor.
• British tradition: Morris dancing.
• Music: Holst's Planets Suite.
• Ancient tales: St George and the Dragon.
• This month in history: Interesting anniversaries.
• Idioms of the month: play
• Puzzles & Brainteasers

Issue 18: March 2008

• Exploring Torquay: A walk along the coastal edge of Torbay's largest town.
• Hot Cross Buns: A traditional treat at Easter.
• Music for films: Kevin Ryland looks at the music that accompanies motion pictures.
• Sports: Jolly hockey sticks.
• Grammar Spod: Baroness Von Grammar looks at the Present Perfect.
• Local legend: Torquay's haunted organ.
• Ancient tales: The Great Bell of Peking.
• This month in history: Interesting anniversaries.
• Spod Spy: What's wrong this month.
• Idioms of the month: play
• Puzzles & Brainteasers

Issue 17: February 2008

• Alex Perkins: We talk to the new MD of LAL Schools.
• Travelling in Europe: One of our students tells us about his travels.
• Valentine's Day:For love or for profit?
• Grammar Spod: Baron Von Grammar looks at the Past Continuous.
• Sports: Football crazy.
• Music: Wise words on musical matters.
• Traditions: Cornish Hurling.
• Argentina: Students tell us about their home towns.
• Trago Mills: There's nowhere like this shopping and entertainment complex.
• Dartmoor legend: The little drummer boy.
• Idioms of the month: food
• Puzzles & Brainteasers
• 5-week Excursion planner
• What's on in Torbay & full theatre listings

Issue 16: January 2008

• Brixham: Torbay's smallest town.
• Sir Edward Elgar: One of Britain's most famous composers.
• Robert Burns: The man, his poems and the Scottish celebration of his life.
• Grammar Spod: We introduce Dipthong Girl.
• Pub games: Traditional entertainment down the local.
• Idioms of the month: fish
• Puzzles & Brainteasers
• 5-week Excursion planner
• What's on in Torbay & full theatre listings

Issue 15: December 2007

• It's a cracker 160 years of Christmas crackers.
• Kents Cavern From the oldest human remains in Britain to the world's first archaeological excavation.
• Christmas Traditions Five students tell us about Christmas in their countries.
• Grammar Spods 'Flash' Gordon Grammar and Lex Lingua join forces to describe the past simple tense.
• Holiday in Thailand: Simon Nelson reports from an exciting trip.
• Idioms of the month: fish
• Puzzles & Brainteasers
• 5-week Excursion planner
• What's on in Torbay & full theatre listings

Issue 14: November 2007

• Operation Tiger The extraordinary tale of disaster on a south Devon beach.
• Bridgewater Carnival A big spectacle in a small Devon town.
• Walter Raleigh Elizabethan seafarer, Queen's favourite, and pirate?
• The Poppy Appeal Why poppies are worn in Britain in November
• Grammar Spod 'Flash' Gordon Grammar talks about the Present Continuous tense.
• British Icon: Bonfire Night
• Idioms of the month: time
• Puzzles & Brainteasers
• 5-week Excursion planner
• What's on in Torbay & full theatre listings

Issue 13: October 2007

• Alex Perkins: We speak to the Managing Director of LAL Torbay - as he becomes acting Director of LAL Schools.
• Exeter: Devon's historic county town.
• Berry Pomeroy Castle: The local landmark which is supposed to be the most haunted castle in England.
• One year of StopPress: It's our first birthday!
• Grammar Spod: We introduce Dr Lex Lingua.
• British Icon: Cheddar Cheese
• Idioms of the month: the weather
• Teacher training at LAL Torbay
• Apple days
• Puzzles & Brainteasers
• 4-week Excursion planner
• What's on in Torbay
• Puzzles & Brainteasers

Issue 12: September 2007

• Agatha Christie's Torbay A look at the town where Agatha Christie was born and lived.
• Greenway Gardens Agatha Christie's Devon home.
• Agatha Christie Week A Festival to celebrate the Queen of Crime.
• The Mousetrap55 years of this popular play.
• Who was the real Agatha Christie? The great Dame's troubled childhood and mystery disappearance.
• British Icon:The clocktower of the Houses of Parliament
• Across the pond: Momentarily
• September facts
• Puzzles & Brainteasers

Issue 11: August 2007

• The South West Coast Path A 630-mile path right round the West Country
• Coleton Fishacre Historic house and sub-tropical gardens
• Literary Devon Famous authors and their Devon connection
• The Red Arrows Britain's top aerobatic team
• Home and Away Our students tell us what they think of Torbay, and a little about life overseas
• Torquay United FC Trouble at Torquay's football club
• Westcountry Icon: The cream tea
• Across the pond: Bill & check
• August facts
• Puzzles & Brainteasers

Issue 10: July 2007

• Paignton Zoo The great environmental park right here in Torbay
• Tony Blair Britain's longest-serving Labour Prime Minister
• Kevin Ryland Colourful LAL Torbay teacher
• England has gone smoke-free The ban on smoking in public places that began in July
• Tintagel Is this King Arthur's castle?
• Silly signs When English standards slip
• British Icon: 999 - the world's first emergency phone service
• Across the pond: Suspenders
• July facts
• Puzzles & Brainteasers

Issue 9: June 2007

• Eden Project The extraordinary, world-beating 'living theatre of plants and people' in Cornwall
• Dean Jones
  The Deputy Managing Director of LAL Torbay
• The Cutty Sark The last tea clipper
• Last cigarette The ban on smoking in public places that begins in July
• Midsummer traditions Celebrations around the world
• Party games Fun for free
• The Common European Framework Standard language levels
• British Icon: The Queen's head stamp
• Across the pond: Fag
• June facts
• Puzzles & Brainteasers

Issue 8: May 2007

• Wookey Hole Some of Britain's most popular show caves
• Bozena Gaye: Bozena tells her class about her life
• May madness: Cheese rolling and worm charming
• Kazakhstan: A student tells us about her home country
• Seaside Holidays: A British tradition
• Ghoti or fish? The roots of English spelling
• Northern Delight: A chance discovery in Alnwick
• British Icon: Bank Holidays
• Across the pond: Jelly
• May facts
• Puzzles

Issue 7: April 2007

• Exeter by train: We explore the Riviera Line
• Frank Mercer: An LAL teacher who's used to going back in time
• Red Nose Day: What went on at LAL Torbay in aid of Comic Relief
• St George: England's Patron Saint
• Earth Day: A worldwide event
• Cockington: Torbay's time-warp
• British Icon: The pub
• Across the pond: Pavement
• April facts
• Puzzles

Issue 6: March 2007

• Totnes: A tour of a Devon town that combines ancient charm with new-age spirit
• Lorraine Myrie: Lorraine tells us about her eventful life
• Comic Relief: What Red Nose Day is all about
• St George: England's Patron Saint
• Borrowed words: How English has absorbed words from different languages
• Quiz masters LAL teachers show their mettle in pub quizzes
• St Patrick's day: Ireland's Patron saint
• British Icon: The bobby
• Across the pond: Knock up
• March facts
• Puzzles

Issue 5: February 2007

• From our foreign correspondents: Reports from India and Argentina
• Shipwreck at Branscombe: The Napoli runs aground off the Devon coast
• Shrove Tuesday: Pancake day - and the Jif lemon
• Two Torbay attractions Bygones & Torquay Museum
• Chinese New Year: The start of the Year of the Pig
• Frequently asked questions Teaching at LAL Torbay
• British Icon: The black cab
• Across the pond: Pants
• February facts
• Puzzles

Issue 4: January 2007

• Plymouth: Things to do if you are fed up with the sales
• Life in Leisure: The amazing life of the Head of Leisure, Simon Nelson
• A shot in the dark: Wassailing
• Ever wondered... what would happen if the moon disappeared
• Fantastic man: JRR Tolkien
• Paignton pier One of Torbay's landmarks
• British Icon: Fish and chips
• Across the pond: Rubber
• January facts
• Puzzles

Issue 3: December 2006

• Christmas-tide: From pagans to performances
• Festive Food: Mince pies and Christmas pudding
• He's behind you: Traditional British pantomime
• Party games: 'Squeak, piggy, squeak' and other diversions
• Hogmanay: Scotland's New Year celebrations
• It's a cracker: very bad jokes
• British Icon: Dinner for One
• Across the pond: Joint
• December facts
• Pagan beginnings: The not-so-Christian origins of Christmas
• Puzzles

Issue 2: November 2006

• Paignton: From grapes to grockles
• Lest we forget: Remembrace Sunday and the Poppy Appeal
• Oldway Mansion: The home of Isaac Merritt Singer
• Guy Fawkes' Night: Remember, remember the 5th of November...
• Shooting stars The Leonid meteor showers
• Torquay: By two of our students
• British Icon: The cup of tea
• Across the pond: Bathroom
• November facts
• Puzzles

Issue 1: October 2006

• Stonehenge: The mystery of this ancient monument
• Isambard Kingdom Brunel: The little giant who changed Britain
• British icon: The telephone box
• Devon Legend: The horrible hairy hands
• Hallowe'en The dark beginnings of a creepy time of year
• Weights and measures: The pint
• Across the pond: First Floor
• If in danger: How to stop a runaway camel
• October facts
• Puzzles