Trees felled and roads flooded in storm
Torquay United investigate 'racist comments' at match
Fire call handler helps people escape blaze in West Cornwall
Plymouth-Roscoff ferry passengers to sail from Portsmouth and arrive in St Malo
Fallen branches cause problems on Devon roads
Updates on Friday 29 December 2017
Plymouth-born polar explorer Ben Saunders has been forced to abandon his quest to cross Antarctica unassisted after “ferocious” conditions left him without enough food to complete his journey, external.
Andrew Segal
BBC Local Live
Police have appealed for witnesses after a BMW car was shot with an air rifle in Bovey Tracey over Christmas.
Officers said, external the black X5 was damaged while parked in the Station Road car park between 10:00 on Sunday 24 December and 14:00 on Christmas Day.
It was hit with at least 10 pellets.
Andrew Segal
BBC Local Live
Image source, @jpw48/TwitterCornwall's firefighters have been in action sorting out damage to trees and buildings caused by high winds overnight.
Incidents include a section of roof at Hayle's West Cornwall Shopping Park coming loose again and the park being closed. Crews on an aerial ladder have been working to make it safe.
Unlike a previous similar incident on Wednesday, the neighbouring A30 has remained open.
Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said , externalit had been to "several incidents where the wind has loosened structures and trees and caused a potential hazard to the public".
Crews from Mullion, Bude, Newquay and Perranporth were sent to incidents "to make structures safe".
And a fallen tree has closed the one-way system around Pendennis Castle in Falmouth.
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One short storm has brought several great trees down in Plymouth's Central Park after decades of them standing proud.
Winds of 70mph passed through on Thursday night, with people in the park saying they were saddened to see the damage to eight trees.
On the roads, drivers are facing many challenges with heavy rain leading to flash flooding and fallen branches causing hazards.
Topsham Road in Exeter (pictured below), like many roads in the South West today, has had deep puddles forming as drains struggle to cope with heavy rain.
Stormy conditions at sea are disrupting ferry services.
The last ferry sailing of the year from Plymouth to Roscoff has been cancelled, with passengers being asked to travel from Portsmouth to St Malo instead.
Passengers without cars are being put on coaches, but drivers are facing challenges on the roads with heavy rain leading to flash flooding.
Image source, Chris Gurney
Alex Osborne
BBC Weather
It is a windy afternoon with sunny spells and blustery showers, perhaps with hail and thunder.
More cloud will turn any sunshine hazy this afternoon and the showers will become very isolated.
Winds will be strong northwesterly, with gusts to 50mph inland, gales around the coasts with gusts to 60mph around exposed headlands, slowly easing later in the afternoon.
Maximum temperature: 10C (50F).
BBC Sport
Torquay United say they are investigating reports of racist comments from fans during the Boxing Day fixture at Eastleigh.
The club said they were deeply concerned about what they termed "disgusting" comments from someone at the away end, and about the release of a smoke bomb during the game.
The Gulls said the reputation of the club was suffering, but racist comments would "never be tolerated" and any perpetrators would be banned from the club for life.
They added that the behaviour involved a "tiny minority" of spectators - with the majority offering "magnificent" support.
Nearly 900 properties across Cornwall are suffering from power problems following the high winds, lightning and thunder.
Earlier, about 1,400 homes were without electricity, with Liskeard the worst hit area.
However, more than 800 in the Falmouth area were experiencing problems within the last hour, according to Western Power Distribution's website, external, hitting the TR11 5 and TR10 9 post code areas.
Many properties in the TR4 8 area have also been affected.
Supplies in those areas were expected to be restored by 13:00, the company said.
Inspections are being carried out on the roof of the incinerator in St Dennis after a part of it was damaged during high winds on Wednesday night.
Some residents said there was a strong smell coming from the plant after the damage, which was the second incident of weather damage this year.
Ken Rickard, from St Dennis, who has long campaigned against the incinerator, said: "I’ve been concerned for a long time but I’m not surprised that this happened.
"The bottom line is that Cornwall tax payers have been sold a white elephant.
"It’s just a series of incidents that have happened there that should have not happened. It’s not good enough."
Incinerator operator Suez said the roof was structurally sound and presented no danger.
It added that it had made temporary repairs, with a permanent repair expected to be carried out early next week.
Andrew Segal
BBC Local Live
A woman has been taken to hospital after falling from scaffolding in Plymouth.
Police said they were called to a building in Notte Street in the city after the female fell from the third level of scaffolding erected outside a building at about 16:45 on Thursday.
She was taken to hospital but later released after being treated for non-life-changing injuries, police said.
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Julie Skentelbery
BBC Radio Cornwall
Castle Drive in Falmouth, the road to Pendennis Head, has been blocked by a large fallen tree near the coastguard station.
Cars are having to back track against the one-way system.
Police and highways officials are aware of the problem.
Goalkeeper Remi Matthews rejoins Plymouth Argyle on an emergency loan from Norwich City.
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Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
Goalkeeper Remi Matthews has rejoined Plymouth Argyle for the rest of the Sky Bet League One season, the club has said.
The 23-year-old made seven appearances earlier in the campaign on emergency loan from Norwich before a leg injury at Portsmouth in November curtailed his stay.
He'll resume his Argyle career in the final game of 2017 at Blackpool on Saturday.
With all three of Argyle’s contracted professional goalkeepers – Luke McCormick, Robbert te Loeke and Kyle Letheren – sidelined by injury, the first part of Remi’s stay will be covered by the EFL’s emergency loan regulations., external
That will be converted into a season-long loan when the transfer window opens after the holidays, the club added.
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Andrew Segal
BBC Local Live
Police are investigating a teenage boy being punched in the face during an assault in Braunton.
Officers said, external the 14-year-old from Ilfracombe was attacked at about 16:30 on Monday 18 December, next to the Co-op on Exeter Road.
A man got out of a dark blue estate car stopped at traffic lights and punched the victim in the face before getting back in and the car driving off towards Ilfracombe.
The boy suffered minor facial injuries and was taken to hospital to be checked over.
The offender, a passenger in the car, was wearing a black puffa jacket and jogging bottoms. The driver of the car was a blonde woman.
Police have appealed for witnesses.
The B3254 just outside of Launceston is blocked due to a fallen tree between Duke Street and Church Road.
Strong winds and thunderstorms have been causing disruption in Devon.
Early this morning, firefighters were called to a car stuck in flood water in Plymouth with the driver inside.
Hundreds of properties have been without power in Dartington, Offwell, Hollocombe, Higher Clovelly and Plymouth.
Some trees are down and there's also surface water and debris on some roads.
Andy Cole, from Devon County Council Highways, said: "Take extra care, allow extra time for your journey
"The forecast is still indicating we can get some strong winds and gusts, and be mindful that when you go round that corner that you might not be sure what's there.
"Pull back on that speed a bit."
