(West/South West) More than 3,500 householders in Exeter struggled to pay their council tax last year, new figures show.

And authorities across Devon took out about 20,000 liability orders through the courts for the non-payment or underpayment of council tax demands.Tax payers' campaigners say the figures are evidence that a growing number of people are facing difficulty in finding the cash with utility and fuel bills soaring. (West/South West)