Bogus charity collections conman described as "saturated in dishonesty" jailed
Plymouth "murder" now being treated as "unexplained death"
Skinned cats found outside Truro Cathedral
Child sexual exploitation awareness campaign launched
Dartmoor Zoo tests positive for TB
Almost 13% of Cornish women kept smoking during pregnancy
Updates from Monday 12 March until Friday 16 March
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
Firefighters have been called to a storage shed fire on an industrial estate, a fire service has said.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said a small fire broke out in a workshop at Haytor View at Heathfield - near Bovey Tracey - at about 08:25.
The fire was out before crews arrived.
Carys Edwards
Correspondent, BBC Spotlight
Rising house prices across the wider South West have boosted the average property sale to £270,000 - more than 10 times the average salary, the National Housing Federation has said.
It compares to an average price of £225,000 in 2012.
Figures from the federation show the South Hams in Devon remains the the most expensive, with an average house selling for £330,000 - pricing many locals out of the market.
Plans to combat this include a survey by local councils to find out local housing needs, along with community planning schemes which will look to use exceptional planning permission rules to build affordable housing for local people.
South Hams District councillor Peter Smerdon said: "This will be community housing for local people with a local connection to their town or village, so we can help people stay in the area where they were born and brought up".
Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online
Image source, Devon and Cornwall PolicePolice are continuing to appeal for information after a crash which left eight people, including three children, injured in Axminster.
Emergency services were called to the A35 near Axminster at approximately 18:30 on Sunday 11 March to reports of a collision between a blue Peugeot 207 and a blue Ford S-Max.
Eight people had minor injuries and were treated at the scene.
Police are asking for any witnesses to contact them via 101.
A fire in a Torpoint could have had a far more tragic outcome if firefighters hadn't checked the fire alarms recently due to fears over hoarding at the property., external
As well as a Met Office yellow warning for rain, BBC Weather is warning people of gale force winds later.
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Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online
Plastic waste has a variety of detrimental effects on the environment around the world
A new bid to make Plymouth "plastic free" has been issued by the city council.
The report being considered, external suggests an Ocean City Plastics Task Force should be set up to coordinate the effort to free the city of single-use plastics.
The plans centre on the ways the council and its partners could reduce single-use plastics by providing alternatives, increasing recycling, leading research into plastic alternatives, and working to remove them from the oceans.
Council leader, Ian Bowyer, said: “We are determined that Plymouth as Britain’s Ocean City should lead the way in tackling the scourge of single-use plastics and the impact they have on our oceans.
"We are uniquely placed with our existing expertise in marine technologies, outstanding research facilities and strong city brand to show how a step change can be achieved.
It's hoped a significant reduction in plastic use can be achieved by 2020.
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Today: It is a grey and mild start. Rain will spread across the county during the morning, turning heavy at times. It is also a windy day with strong south easterly winds and gales around the coasts.
There's a warning of heavy rain for Devon and Cornwall.
The Met Office says bus and rail services could be disrupted with longer journey times. Spray and flooding on roads are expected to make journeys more difficult and some homes and businesses may flood.
Maximum temperature: 11C (52F).
The police helicopter and two police forces were involved in a night chase which started in Torquay and ended on the M5 near Bristol., external
Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online
Police are trying to find a woman who was allegedly flashed at by a man in Plymouth.
PC Paul Carswell said: "A woman was walking close to, or on the footbridge over Novorossisk Road, when she saw a man who then allegedly exposed himself to her.
"This same woman then called a local school to warn them of the male but did not leave her name or contact details.
"The woman who called the local school could be a vital witness and we are urging her to come forward."
It happened in the Estover area of Plymouth between 14:00-14:30 on 8 March.
A 26-year-old man from the city was arrested on suspicion of indecent exposure at the time, but was released under investigation until further inquiries are made.
Tributes have been paid to a 62-year-old rough sleeper, external who would "help anybody".
A 28-year-old man's died after being hit by a lorry on the A30 near Hayle, police have said.
It's understood the man believed to be from the St Erth area was walking in the eastbound lane of the Hayle bypass when it happened.
He died at the scene.
The road was closed for about six hours to allow police to investigate. They are appealing for witnesses.
