Soldier who runs waste tips in Exeter (8)
I believe the answer is:
deserter
'soldier who runs' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps there's a link between them I don't understand?
'waste tips in exeter' is the wordplay.
'waste' becomes 'desert' (a desert may be described as a wasteland).
'tips in exeter' becomes 'er' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'desert'+'er'='DESERTER'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for deserter that I've seen before include "Illegal army leaver" , "military offender" , "Serviceman running away" , "Renegade" , "Turncoat" .)