AN Okehampton town councillor is requesting that anyone passionate about the return of rail links to Okehampton attend a public forum in Exeter on rail resilience in the area.

The Devon and Exeter Rail Working Party is hosting a public forum on rail resilience on Thursday, April 10 at the County Hall in Exeter.

Presentations will be given by Network Rail, First Great Western, Devon County Council, and the Local Economic Partnership. This will be followed by an open question and answer session with the panel of rail experts.

Cllr Michael Ireland is a long-term advocate of rail services returning to Okehampton.

He said: 'Now is the time to fight for this, and if people in Okehampton want it to return, they must make their voices heard on this important issue.

'I would encourage everyone who can to try and make it to this forum meeting.'

Network Rail has announced it is forming a taskforce of a dozen national and regional organisation to map out a resilience strategy for Devon and Cornwall's rail network.

Anyone who wishes to attend or wants to submit a question for the panel needs to contact [email protected]">[email protected] by April 4 for a place.