Neil Gallacher, Business & Industry Correspondent
BBC Spotlight

The region's tallest building, which officially opens today in Plymouth, has sparked debate about whether we're seeing too much brand-new student housing being built.

Beckley Point is a 23-storey tower. It's by no means the only purpose-built student tower block to go up in our university cities.

Across both of Exeter University's campuses the number of students has risen almost 20% in four years from 16,657 in 2012/13 to 19,772 in 2016/17.

Meanwhile over the same period Plymouth University's figure fell from 22,651 to 21,645.

Plymouth’s politicians have been talking for years about trying to develop taller buildings in the city centre.

Taller buildings are seen as emblems of strong economies. Beckley Point may well prosper because of its location near the university with views to the sea.

But some other new student blocks in more out of the way spots are already asking to vary their planning consents. The truth for them is that student demand hasn't kept up with supply.

League One side Plymouth Argyle sign former Falkirk defender Peter Grant and ex-MK Dons centre-back Scott Wootton.

BBC Weather

This evening it will remain warm and sunny.

It will then stay dry through tonight with clear skies.

It is also expected to continue to be fairly breezy through the night.

Image source, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service

Firefighters have come up with a range of advice for people to prevent wildfires during the hot spell.

With the Army now called in to help battle a huge fire on Saddleworth Moor, near Manchester, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is urging people to:

• extinguish cigarettes and other smoking materials properly
• never throw cigarette ends out of car windows
• never leave bottles or glass in woodlands – sunlight shining through glass can start fires; take them home or put them in a waste or recycling bin
• avoid using open fires in the countryside
• report fires immediately
• not attempt to tackle fires that can’t be put out with a bucket of water – leave the area as quickly as possible

Millicent Cooke
BBC News Online

A media studies student has avoided jail for supplying drugs to a friend who later fell nine floors to his death.

Alexander Chippindale, 20, admitted supplying Luke Johns with ecstasy shortly before the 19-year-old stumbled and fell down a stairwell at Discovery Heights student accommodation in Plymouth and died.

An inquest into the death heard the law student, from Pontypridd in Wales, fell over a banister after drinking alcohol, smoking cannabis and taking ecstasy on a night out in February 2017 and concluded his death was an accident.

Sentencing Chippindale to 120 hours of unpaid work with probation supervision, Judge James Townsend said that he had taken into account the 20-year-old’s age and previous good behaviour.

Judge Townsend told Plymouth Crown Court: "I hope you will be able to put this behind you as you have all the makings of someone who could be useful to society."

Chippindale, of South Milton Street, Cattedown, pleaded guilty to supplying Mr Johns with ecstasy, possession with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of the Class A drug.

Walking free from court, Chippindale told the BBC: "Hopefully people will learn from this and not make the same mistakes I have."

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

Image source, Johnny O'Shea

With the South West basking in continuous sunshine, the gems of Devon and Cornwall's coastline have been given a little extra sparkle.

These pictures capture Perranporth beach in all its glory: blue skies, golden sand, clear waters and hardly a breath of wind.

Image source, Johnny O'Shea

BBC Radio Cornwall

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service has dealt with 34 wildfires in the past seven days, external.

It says the continued hot weather and dry conditions means the risk of further fires on moors and open land is severe.

Martin Addinall, station manager at Tolvaddon, says they're currently dealing with a field fire near Helston - the latest in a number of similar call outs.

Lauren Haly
BBC News Online

Warnings have been increased and awareness efforts made after a 15-month-old girl died after her mother's prescribed pain relief medication - fentanyl patches - came into contact with the baby's skin.

Dr Roger Jenkins, a paediatrician at Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust said efforts have been made to make all GPs and pharmacists in the South West aware when prescribing patients with patches.

He told the court the leaflet on the medication has been changed and the warning is more clear about its dangers.

He said: "By the end of the year we will have a national childhood fatality database, and therefore picking up these rare cases will become more productive."

The coroner concluded the inquest by stating she would send the information forward to Health England in hope that a nationwide warning is spread.

Lauren Haly
BBC News Online

Questions remain over how a pain relief patch got stuck on a baby, who died from fentanyl toxicity.

The patch was prescribed medication used by the mother of Amelia Grace Cooper, from Newquay, who was found dead on 5 June 2016.

An inquest heard how the patch is believed to have become stuck to Amelia's skin for a "period of time", enabling the drug to get into her body at a high level.

Ruling an open conclusion the coroner at Bodmin Magistrates' Court could not summarise how the patch had ended up on Amelia.

Despite a police investigation, the patch which was fatal to Amelia was not found.

The coroner said: "I do find there is a contradiction - in particular about the non-location of the patch, this is not necessary a criticism but it makes it difficult to explain how the patch became attached to Amelia."

Image source, Ben Cooper

Goalkeeper Tom McHale is set to leave Truro City after failing to come to an agreement over a new contract.

Lauren Haly
BBC News Online

Tributes have been paid by the family of a 15-month-old baby who died after a pain relief patch became attached to her skin.

Amelia Grace Cooper, from Newquay, was found lifeless in her parent's bed on 5 June 2016.

Her father Ben Cooper, 27, and grandmother Manisa Cooper, 48, revealed in a statement that she was "adored by all".

"She lit up our lives with her cheeky smile and her funny little ways, she was adored by us all.

"The outcome today has given us a line we can now draw under and enable us to move forward but we will never forget her.

"She will always be in our hearts, she deserved to live a long and happy life but was so drastically taken from us due to what we believe to be the careless actions and neglect of the said prescribed mediation."

Image source, Ben Cooper

A two-day inquest at Bodmin's Magistrates' Court heard how Amelia had come into contact with her mother's medication after sharing a bed with her.

The inquest closed with an open conclusion with the cause of death recorded as fentanyl toxicity.

Devon Live

Are you actually allowed to have a barbecue on the beach?, external

Jenna Hawkey
BBC News Online

You just have to accept that most babies will make a noise – but this one is guaranteed to be loud.

This sweet little face belongs to one of the loudest animals in the world – a howler monkey - and Paignton Zoo is celebrating the arrival of the baby howler.

Image source, Chris Rockey

This heart-melting picture was taken by one of the zoo's regular visitors, Chris Rockey.

The as-yet unsexed and unnamed baby was born on the 8 June, and is Paignton Zoo’s first surviving baby howler monkey.

Howlers are famed for their roar or bark-like call, and can be heard from up to three miles (5km) away.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Theresa May is being urged to decommission and recycle old nuclear submarines in a way that will create jobs in Devon and Cumbria.

At Prime Minster's Questions, the Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, Luke Pollard said the Royal Navy still has every nuclear submarine it's ever had...

The prime minister replied the government takes the issue "very seriously indeed".

She said there is capacity for safely storing all remaining operational Trafalgar-class submarines at Devonport after their decommissioning.

A South Devon trawlerman accused of illegally fishing for scallops has told a jury he would never fish in breach of regulations.

David Bickerstaff - who has a tattoo of a scallop shell on his neck - said he wouldn't endanger the stocks of scallops as he wants to ensure his children would be able go to sea and follow the family tradition.

Mr Bickerstaff, 31, of New Road, Brixham, along with Derek Meredith, 50, of Belmont Road, Brixham, and the Torquay companies Laura D Fishing Ltd and South West Trawlers Ltd, have denied 20 offences of illegally fishing for scallops in January 2016.

The alleged illegal scallop fishing took place in waters off Plymouth, Brixham and Dartmouth, at times and in places prohibited.

The prosecution claims maritime monitoring charts show the vessels at speed, bearings and locations that are only consistent with dredging for scallops.

However Mr Bickerstaff explained on one occasion when his vessel was shown to be inside the site of community interest, he was disposing a "bird's nest" of "warp" that had got caught in his gear.

The trial is expected to last until early next week.

Millicent Cooke
BBC News Online

Police say a cyclist has been involved in a hit-and-run in Plymouth.

The man is being looked after by paramedics after he was hit by a car on Western College Road, officers said.

The car drove off and police are now speaking to witnesses.

BBC Radio Devon

St John Ambulance is seeking compensation from the taxpayer over the controversial sell-off of one of its halls in Devon.

The charity is taking legal action against Teignbridge District Council over the sale of its hall in Ashburton, claiming that because the hall was listed as a community asset it was given a lower price.

The case will go before a special tribunal later this year.

The authority has refused the claim and will defend the matter in court.

Clare Woodling
BBC Spotlight

Dartmoor's been playing host to military leaders from the UK and abroad as the Royal Marines have been showcasing their skills in a major exercise.

The annual demonstration using the latest medical advances and technology usually takes place on Salisbury Plain but this year bosses decided the terrain in Devon would pose a new challenge.

Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Permission has been given for a four-storey block of flats for students in Exeter.

It'll see the demolition of the City Arcade shopping centre in Fore Street and will house 55 students.

Image source, Google

The news comes on the day that the 23-storey student block Beckley Point - South West's tallest building - is officially opened in Plymouth.

BBC Radio Devon

The Box - a museum and gallery set to open in Plymouth in 2020 - has been selected for this year's Contemporary Art Society's prestigious Collections Fund Prize, external.

The award will enable the museum to buy a significant work of art for their collections at Frieze, a major international annual art fair, external in London.

The Box will house seven collections in a contemporary extension on the back of the former Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery and Central Library.