Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online

A tractor with an overturned trailer of hay has caused disruption in Exeter.

Drivers are being advised to avoid Marsh Barton until the load is cleared.

No-one has been injured.

Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online

An independent government report , externalhas found almost 20,000 badgers have been culled in the UK this year, 5,555 in Devon.

The cull was extended into 11 new areas in Devon, Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset and Cheshire in September as part of the government's plan to eradicate Bovine TB.

The Devon Badger Group says it is "deeply saddened" by the cull, which "diverts funds, expertise and focus from the real problem which is cattle-to-cattle transmission".

Quoting figures from the cull's first year, it said "between 6.4 and 18% of badgers could have taken longer than five minutes to die.

"The Devon Badger Group sympathises with farmers and realises that this is a devastating disease but they are being mislead into thinking that the badger culls are going to help".

At the time, Farming Minister George Eustice said: "Bovine TB not only has a devastating impact on our beef and dairy farms, but causes harm and distress to infected cattle".

Image source, Getty Images

Former Notts captain and Devon-born Chris Read, who retired from cricket in September, will return to the club as a part-time coach.

Plymouth Argyle manager Derek Adams is hopeful midfielder Toumani Diagouraga will sign a new contract.

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

Maternity staff at hospitals in Cornwall and Devon recorded more than 5,000 mistakes between April 2015 and March 2017, it's been revealed.

Across the four main NHS trusts there were seven deaths linked to maternity care, and 11 mothers or babies were severely harmed.

• Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust - 1,580 incidents (3 deaths)
• Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust - 1,548 (2 deaths)
• Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust - 616 (2 deaths)
• Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust - 1,684 (0 deaths)

Nationally, more than 276,000 incidents were logged by worried hospital staff- the equivalent of one mistake for every five births.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the BBC maternity safety was his "top priority".

The incidents have been flagged up under a voluntary reporting scheme run by the regulator NHS Improvement.

Devon Live

Health trust bosses are asking for support from patients and visitors following an outbreak of flu at North Devon District Hospital., external

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A fountain on Torquay seafront has been removed while it gets a facelift.

The Princess Gardens Grade II Listed fountain, which is only one of three of its kind in the UK, has developed a tilt.

Work is required to construct a new reinforced concrete base of granite paving which will match the promenade, Torbay Council has said.

Image source, Don Proctor

Torbay's elected mayor, Gordon Oliver said he is pleased Princess Gardens is "receiving such investment".

"This Grade II Listed fountain in Princess Gardens is such a well-liked and prominent feature. It is great to see that it will be restored to its former glory and will continue to enhance the listed gardens."

Work is due to be completed in April.

Image source, Torbay's Natural Environment Services

Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online

A fire has taken hold of a Devon barn containing over 100 bales of hay.

Four fire engines have been deployed to the 20m x 30m barn in Ide which is "well alight", a fire service spokesperson said.

The barn is thought to contain a large amount of hay and several tonnes of woodchip, which may cause the blaze to escalate.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Two men armed with axes and wearing balaclavas robbed a post office in West Devon, police said.

The men entered the store in Whitchurch, Tavistock at about 18:00 on Wednesday, demanding money from the till.

They were unable to gain access to the tills so made off with a bag containing damaged and foreign notes, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

A male member of staff was assaulted by one of the suspects but was not injured.

Police are investigating the robbery and searching for the suspects who were wearing blue boiler suits, yellow gloves and black masks.

They both had Liverpudlian accents with one man being described as tall and of slim build and the second as tall and of stockier build.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact police via 101.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A rare fungus, spotted in North Devon, has been nicknamed "Santa's beard" by a local conservation charity.

The fungus, which is more usually known by its scientific name hericium erinaceus and other names including hedgehog fungus and lion's mane fungus, has been spotted near Thornbury in North Devon.

The fungus is rarely seen in the UK and it's thought to be only the second sighting of it in Devon, and only the 215th time it has been recorded in the UK since 1923, Devon Wildlife Trust said.

The white, football-sized fungus was spotted growing from the trunk of a tree by Meg Galley-Taylor as she drove along a road close to her North Devon home.

"It is large, white and very conspicuous. I had no idea what it was but I knew I had never seen anything like it before."

Image source, MEG GALLEY-TAYLOR

Twitter

Killerton House is "open as usual" after a hot water machine caught fire in the kitchen.

Fire engines were called to the historic building at about 09:00 but the small fire had already been extinguished, the fire service said.

Killerton House, which is owned by the National Trust, tweeted that "although Father Christmas had a little accident in the kitchen", it is still open and ready for visitors.

Cornwall Live

Postal workers in St Austell staged a walkout this morning over the sacking of a popular postman, external by Royal Mail just days before Christmas.

BBC Radio Devon

In Exeter on Hennock Road at the junction with Alphin Brook Road, there are reports of an overturned vehicle.

Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online

Police have caught a number of van drivers speeding in Devon and Cornwall, with some vehicles travelling over 100mph (160kph).

On 19 December a speeding surveillance operation run by Devon & Cornwall Police recorded 478 offences over a 13-hour period.

Of these, 129 were committed by commercial vehicles, with three "white vans" captured going "in excess of 100mph" on the A38 and A30 dual carriageways.

Marcus Laine, from the force, said over the next two weeks, officers will be looking at whether Christmas "delivery schedule pressures" from certain employers might be a factor.

Offenders will receive notices of prosecution within 14 days.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A small fire that broke out at Killerton House in Broadclyst, Exeter is being described as "very, very minor" and "nothing to worry about".

Fire engines were called to the historic building at about 09:00 after a hot water machine caught fire.

Staff extinguished the fire before crews arrived, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said.

Claire Bolitho from the National Trust, which owns the building and gardens, said the only casualty was the water heater itself.

"It's slightly damaged and looking a little sorry for itself. Nobody was injured and it wasn't a major problem."

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A police officer who was shot in the chest and killed whilst on duty is being remembered by the force 44 years on.

PC Dennis Arthur Smith was murdered on 21 December 1973. He was shot by Martin Fenton three times whilst PC Smith was on patrol in Torquay, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

PC Smith pulled Fenton's car over after he was spotted driving erratically through the town centre.

When his car keys were taken from him, Fenton shot PC Smith once in the chest and then a further two times at point blank range as he lay dying on the ground.

About 40 minutes after the killing, Fenton stole the police vehicle and killed three more people at a local casino.

After an 11-mile chase, Fenton was arrested and later sentenced to life in prison.

Police historian, Mark Rothwell said PC Smith would never be forgotten by Devon and Cornwall Police and the incident "is still close to the hearts of many".

"It is tragic that PC Smith and three casino workers were killed. PC Smith was highly thought of by his colleagues and there are still many people around, mostly retired police officers, who still speak fondly of him. It’s important he is remembered."

Image source, Torquay Police

BBC Radio Cornwall

At Bodmin on the A30 westbound at Launceston Road one lane is closed due to an accident.

Twitter

Schoolchildren in Cornwall have received a Christmas treat from the Royal Navy.

The Merlin training squadron 824 NAS, based at RNAS Culdrose, gave Father Christmas a lift in a helicopter to collect sacks of Christmas letters from schools in the county., external

BBC Radio Cornwall

At Five Lanes, there are reports that the A30 heading westbound is partially blocked due to an accident.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Fire crews have been sent to a historic building in Devon after a fire broke out.

Reports of fire alarms sounding at Killerton House in Broadclyst, Exeter, reached the control room at about 09:00.

There was a small fire in a hot water machine, but staff managed to extinguish it before three engines arrived, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said.

Crews confirmed the fire was accidental.

Killerton House was built in the 18th Century. The building and gardens are owned by the National Trust.