Summary

  • 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

  1. Stormy scenes across Devon and Cornwallpublished at 10:18 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    BBC Weather Watchers

    ShaldonImage source, Tommo postie/BBC Weather Watchers
    Image caption,

    Stormy clouds in Shaldon

    TopshamImage source, Alan O/BBC Weather Watchers
    Image caption,

    Earlier in Topsham

    St Columb MinorImage source, jules/BBC Weather Watchers
    Image caption,

    Rainbow in St Columb Minor

  2. Torquay say racism will not be tolerated after 'incident'published at 10:13 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    Devon Live

    Torquay United General Manager Geoff Harrop says racism will not be tolerated, external by the club following reports of an incident at a recent match.

    United are investigating reports of racist comments from a supporter at their National League match at Eastleigh on Boxing Day.

  3. High tide times for the regionpublished at 09:56 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    Alex Osborne
    BBC Weather

    If you're planning a trip to the coast or seaside, here are the next high water times around Devon and Cornwall.

    Tides

    We'll have the latest forecast on BBC Spotlight at 13:30.

  4. Weather: Sunny spells and heavy showerspublished at 09:56 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    Alex Osborne
    BBC Weather

    After a wet and windy start this morning the worst of the rain should clear away by mid-morning.

    Weather

    Through the rest of the day there will be sunny spells but also some heavy showers, perhaps with hail and thunder.

    Maximum temperature: 10C (50F).

  5. Long waits at hospital emergency departmentspublished at 09:45 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    People heading for emergency departments (ED) at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Treliske or Plymouth's Derriford Hospital are being warned they face long delays.

    Waiting times at Trelsike were nearly four hours as of 09:40., external

    In Plymouth, the longest wait to see an ED doctor was more than seven hours, external (428 minutes) at 09:25.

    Instead, the NHS in Cornwall is urging anyone feeling ill to head for a minor injuries unit, which are all open in Cornwall today and where treatment would be nearly immediate, staff said.

    Emergency department sign

    Duncan Browne, clinical director for patient flow at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, said the large number of people coming to the hospital was affecting the service.

    He said: "It means that it's harder for us to do any planned activity, and it also means that the people who do need to be in hospital don't have as good an experience, don't get seen as quickly.

    "Obviously our biggest concern is that they won't receive the standard of care that we would normally expect to deliver."

  6. Wind-damaged incinerator roof inspectedpublished at 09:20 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    Inspections are being carried out on the roof of an incinerator in St Dennis after a part of it was damaged during high winds on Wednesday night.

    Operator Suez said the roof was structurally sound and presented no danger.

    It has made temporary repairs, with a permanent repair expected early next week.

    The company said, while it was regrettable, it did not pose a safety risk.

    It's the second time this year that storm damage has damaged parts of the structure.

    St Dennis incineratorImage source, Ken Rickard
  7. Video: Lightning over Plymouthpublished at 09:19 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

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  8. Four escape from ground-floor flat blazepublished at 09:17 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    Four people escaped from a burning ground-floor flat in Porthleven last night.

    Firefighters from Helston and Mullion were called out just before 23:00 and the fire was out an hour later.

    Two people were given oxygen at the scene after breathing in smoke.

  9. Car trapped and flat flooded in Plymouth during stormspublished at 08:59 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    Andrew Segal
    BBC Local Live

    Fire crews in Plymouth have been dealing with storm-related incidents across the city.

    Two crews recovered a vehicle stuck in flood water, external with the driver inside in Albert Road at about 06:40.

    Other situations have included a flooded basement flat in Lisson Grove, off Mutley Plain

    Firefighters said the incident, reported at about 06:15, was caused by "external weather conditions and blocked drains".

    Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said, external: "The officer in charge requested Plymouth City Council to attend to clear out drains."

  10. More than 190 properties without power in Devonpublished at 08:50 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    BBC Radio Devon

    More than 190 properties are without power in Devon as a result of stormy weather.

    The 192 affected properties include:

    • Dartington - seven affected properties are estimated back on by midday
    • Offwell, near Honiton - six affected properties are estimated to be back on by 11:00
    • Hollocombe near Chulmleigh - 93 affected properties. It is not known when they will be back online
    • Higher Clovelly - 37 properties affected, which are estimated to be back on by 09:00
    • Plymouth - 49 properties, which are estimated back on by 10:00
  11. Tory royal yacht plans 'an affront to struggling families'published at 08:38 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    i Newspaper

    A number of Conservative MPs have been warned to rethink their suggestion of a new national lottery to fund a replacement royal yacht, external, as British families face an “ever-tightening squeeze” in an era of austerity.

    Fifty MPs have backed the idea of launching a new national lottery to support the £120m Britannia project.

    Cornwall MPs Sheryll Murray, Steve Double and Scott Mann signed up to MP Craig Mackinlay's plans.

  12. Storms causing travel problems in Devonpublished at 08:34 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    Andrew Segal
    BBC Local Live

    Devon County Council Highways, external has reported several road problems across the county, including:

    • The A379 at Modbury being blocked by flooding
    • The A39 near Bideford being partially blocked by a fallen tree near the Milky Way
    • The B3181 is being partially blocked at Westcott, near the Merry Harriers, and also at Hele Cross. The Exeter-bound lane is partly blocked
  13. Storm causes power cuts across Cornwallpublished at 08:24 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    High winds across Cornwall have led to power cuts.

    About 1,400 properties were without power in the county earlier. That's now dropped to nearer 400.

    Liskeard is the worst hit, and there are outages in areas including Fraddon, Looe, Stratton and Wadebridge.

    Western Power's website said repairs should be completed by 09:30.

    Power cuts/ Pic: Western Power Distribution/GoogleImage source, Western Power Distribution/Google
  14. 'Serious' and 'massive' storm over Cornwallpublished at 08:11 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

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  15. Thunder and lightning over Devonpublished at 08:03 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

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  16. Lots of surface water in east Cornwallpublished at 08:02 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

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  17. Winds 'could lead to power loss and travel disruption'published at 07:54 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

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  18. Dramatic lightning this morningpublished at 07:47 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    Many parts of Devon and Cornwall have had flashes of lightning this morning, and there could be more later. This footage was captured on St Newlyn East, near Newquay at around 05:45.

    Mat said: "It was preceded by high winds and heavy hail and rain as the squall line went through."

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  19. Fallen branches cause problems on Devon roadspublished at 07:46 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    Andrew Segal
    BBC Local Live

    Fallen branches from trees are causing problems on roads around Devon.

    Affected routes include:

    • Between Berry Pomeroy and Totnes
    • In Newton Abbot, the A381 Totnes Road is partially blocked due to a fallen tree near Bakers Park
    • A381 Ogwell Cross road is partially blocked due to fallen tree. There is another tree on A381 two miles further towards Totnes. The road partially blocked here too
    • Several branches have been blown down on the A377 between Lapford and Chulmleigh

    And highways bosses say people should continue to watch out for surface water around the county.

    Deep flood water has been reported in Plymbridge Road in Plymouth, and also Lipson Vale Road near the railway bridge.

  20. Fire call handler helps people escape blazepublished at 07:45 Greenwich Mean Time 29 December 2017

    Johnny O'Shea
    BBC News Online

    A call handler helped people trapped in a burning building escape to safety.

    The critical control operator took a 999 call about the blaze in a ground floor flat on Peverell Terrace, Porthleven, in Cornwall, on Thursday evening.

    Todd Hollyoake stayed on the phone for more than five minutes giving advice to the group.

    Two crews from Helston and one from Mullion attended shortly before 23:00. The blaze was put out in under one hour.

    Porthleven fireImage source, Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service

    Two people were treated for breathing in smoke.

    Mr Hollyoake said: "The caller was unsure of their location and was coughing, indicating that they had breathed in smoke.

    "I was concerned for the safety of all those inside and stayed on the 999 call until I was sure everyone had made it out safely."