Two baby deaths at North Devon District Hospital
--- Hospital takes 'urgent' measures after damning report
Exeter inner city 'congestion charge' to be debated
Dartmoor Prison in 'continuing drug struggle' says report
Concern for 92-year-old over claimed early discharge
Ivybridge man Daniel Dawes found 'safe and well'
Updates on Tuesday 9 January 2018
Live updates for Devon and Cornwall have finished for the day, but we'll be back at 07:00 on Wednesday with the latest news, sport, travel and weather.
Don't forget Spotlight on BBC One later. There will also be news through the night on your BBC Local Radio station.
Get the latest news for your area from the BBC.
Del Crookes
BBC News Online
A councillor at Perranzabuloe Parish Council is warning people to be sensible on newly-formed sand "cliffs" on the north coast of Cornwall.
Karen Colam says they should be treated a bit like avalanches: "Use your head, be sensible and don't walk on the edge of them."
Ms Colam has revealed that 1m (3ft) of sand was lost from Perranporth beach during last week's storms and is calling on Cornwall Council to provide new warning signs.
BBC One's The One Show has been filming at the Watering Hole pub for a segment on this evening's programme.
Del Crookes
BBC News Online
A "cliff" on the beach at Perranporth, created by Storm Eleanor, is being flattened.
The sand is being shifted after strong winds and powerful tides led to new landscapes being created along the north coast.
The Watering Hole pub was left stranded on top of the "cliff" and two bridges on to the beach were flattened.
The stream that runs on to the beach also moved 20m (65ft).
Work to collapse the edge of another sand cliff at Summerleaze Beach, Bude, has now been finished.
However, the council is warning it is still steep and soft to walk on.
Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online
Over £500,000 has been allocated to purchase five properties to provide temporary accommodation for the homeless in North Devon.
North Devon Council has said the properties will be in Barnstaple and the South Molton area, and paid for using affordable housing funds received from developers.
Councillor Dick Jones said: "Homelessness has unfortunately increased in North Devon, along with the rest of the country, and it is down to us as a council to do whatever we can to keep people off the streets."
The announcement comes ahead of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, a new piece of legislation that will come into action in April of this year.
The legislation will require local authorities to provide more practical assistance to all people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness.
Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online
Complaints over misbehaving dogs have prompted a Devon council to ask people to keep their pets "on a lead", after one dog "jumped" into a garden.
East Devon District Council was forced to issue the request after complaints from around The Byes in Sidmouth.
Incidents included an Alsatian vaulting a fence while chasing squirrels, and two large dogs jumping up at a girl near Sidmouth College.
In each instance the owners said their dogs were merely "being friendly".
A council spokesman said it is the responsibility of all dog owners to keep their dogs well trained and under close control, and ensure that they do not enter private land uninvited.
Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online
A photographer captured the moment a man and his dog were engulfed in a powerful wave this weekend in Brixham.
Image source, Robin MorrisonTweeting the picture, external, photographer Robin Morrison wrote: "Is it worth the risk? Cycling dog walker may just be pushing his luck and risking way too much on the #Brixham Breakwater at the weekend..."
To reiterate how risky the man's actions were, Morrison followed the post with another photo, this time of the cyclist completely obscured by water.
Image source, Robin MorrisonWinds were recorded at speeds up to Storm Force 10 off Berry Head, Brixham, on Sunday.
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
A 15-year-old boy has gone missing from Barnstaple, police say.
Jed Hooper was last seen at 12:40 wearing a school uniform consisting of a white shirt, black blazer and blue and yellow tie.
He is described as white, 5ft 7in (1.7m), of slim build and with dark brown hair.
He has an earring in his left ear about halfway up.
Anyone with information is being asked to call 999.
Repairs worth more than £600,000 have been earmarked for Kingsbridge.
A damaged 164ft (50m) stretch of the quay wall and the bus station will be the focus of the improvements, which are due to begin in September.
Councillor John Tucker, leader of South Hams District Council, said: "I am really pleased with the improvements we have planned for Kingsbridge town."
Improvements to the bus station include improving disabled access.
A major retail store is closing its doors just two years after first opening in Truro, putting 85 jobs at risk., external
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
A city centre congestion charge could be introduced in Exeter as the city tries to improve air quality and cut traffic jams.
A city council action plan wants to encourage cycling, walking and the use of public transport over private cars.
Plans could include an inner city congestion charge for some vehicles. The plan says:
The plans also include an electric bike hire scheme for the city.
Councillors will discuss the plans on 11 January before the date for public consultation is announced.
Councillor Rosie Denham said: "We want as many people as possible to engage with this consultation, and want residents to give us their own ideas on reducing congestion and pollution for everyone who lives, works and visits the city.
"We are committed to becoming congestion-free by 2025."
Although air quality in Exeter is pretty good, nitrogen dioxide is above the government recommended level in a number of places, including:
Twitter
Devon and Cornwall Police are warning people of cyber crime after £300,000 was lost by victims between April and October last year.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
A generally cloudy afternoon ahead with some occasional light drizzle and low cloud.
It may become brighter for a time before some heavy rain moves in from the west late this afternoon.
Moderate southeasterly winds will freshen and become locally strong.
Maximum temperature: 10C (50F)
A Dartmoor sculpture dubbed "The Giant's Ladder" is thought to have been destroyed in the wind., external
Volunteer beach cleaners face a mammoth task removing rubbish from around Cornwall.
Read MoreHayley Westcott
BBC News Online
Work to collapse the edge of the "sand cliff" at Summerleaze Beach in Bude has been completed.
Cornwall Council says there is no longer a "sheer drop" but the area is "still steep and soft underfoot".
It is encouraging those who need access to the beach to tread carefully.
The power of Storm Eleanor shifted tonnes of sand to create new landscapes on beaches across the South West with new "sand cliffs" developing along the coast of north Cornwall.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Jenny Walrond
Health Correspondent, BBC Spotlight
A hospital where staff failings resulted in the death or significant harm of four newborn babies has been told it must make "significant improvements". North Devon District Hospital was assessed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on emergency, maternity, end of life and outpatient care.
So why are these problems happening? CQC inspectors lay some blame on the trust bosses. They describe them as reacting to incidents rather than working to prevent them happening.
In maternity there is criticism of the poor relationship between midwives and consultants, some guidelines weren’t followed and there was poor assessment of risk. Similar issues were identified, along with other problems, in an investigation report into baby deaths at Morecambe Bay, external.
Inspectors said the key difference between the Morecombe Bay incidents and the North Devon problems was that the South West trust was trying to address the issues
In outpatients we have known for at least two years that patients have been losing their sight while waiting for appointments.
Hospitals are struggling with a shortage of ophthalmologists at the same time as the number of patients with long-term eye conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration has increased. Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust wasn’t assessing which patients on their appointments backlog were at most risk.
We have had two high profile child deaths from sepsis in the South West. The parents of Sam Morrish and William Mead have campaigned for better treatment and awareness.
Those messages hadn’t got through to Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust where less than one in four people with suspected sepsis were receiving potentially life-saving antibiotics within an hour. The hospital says that has now changed and the trust is working to improve services.
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
A man who went missing from the Ashburton area has been found by police after being spotted by a member of the public.
Andrew Distin, 49, is now being supported by officers and medical professionals.
Devon and Cornwall Police have thanked the public for sharing the appeal on social media, adding that it "highlights how important the public are in helping us locate missing people".
Image source, Devon and Cornwall PoliceThe father of a man who went missing on Dartmoor over Christmas has praised the emergency services for helping find his son.
Daniel Dawes from Ivybridge went missing on 29 December.
Over the weekend rescue teams, police and volunteers launched one of the biggest search operations conducted in years in the region to look for him.
Daniel is now safe and well with his family.
Image source, Via Devon and Cornwall PoliceHis father Michael has thanked Insp Lynsey Willis and her team, voluntary services, friends and members of the public who were all "amazing" in their support and help in finding him.
