Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A 26-year-old woman has gone missing from Lynton, police have said.

Maria Assumpta Nampijja, originally from Uganda, was last seen in the early hours of Thursday.

Police are concerned for her welfare.

She is described as black, 5ft 2ins (1.5m) tall, of very slim build with short, cropped hair.

Officers said she speaks good English and is "probably casually dressed in jeans".

Anyone with information is asked to contact Devon and Cornwall Police via 101.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

An investigation has been launched after a man approached a group of 14-year-old girls and made "sexually explicit" comments to them, police have said.

It happened on 9 October at about 19:15 in Compton, Plymouth.

The group of girls "immediately left the area and were unharmed", officers added.

The suspect is a white man, aged in his 30s, of normal build, and between 5ft 8ins (1.7m) and 5ft 11ins (1.8m) tall.

He's described as having light short brown hair and was wearing a red and navy blue striped jumper and grey tracksuit bottoms.

Police said he was reported as being "unsteady on his feet" when the incident happened.

Any witnesses are asked to contact Devon and Cornwall Police via 101.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

There was confusion during BBC Radio Cornwall's lunchtime programme on Thursday when presenter Laurence Reed mistook Torquay United boss Gary Johnson for a skip owner.

The former Bristol City manager seemed perplexed when he was asked "What's the problem?" as he was introduced on the show.

After a period of puzzlement, it was eventually revealed the show's producer had dialled the wrong number and the wrong guest was put on air.

BBC Radio Cornwall Managing Editor Robert Wallace said: “We’ve all had a laugh about it. We like to think Radio Cornwall is a station that can laugh at itself.”

Have a listen to the exchange here...

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

Four teenagers have fallen ill, with two of them needing to be hospitalised, after taking drugs in east Devon, police say.

Police said, external they raided a property in Tiverton on Thursday after a 14-year-old and 15-year-old were hospitalised and two 16-year-olds fell ill after taking "what we currently believe to be ecstasy".

A 28-year-old man from the town has been arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug.

He has since been released under investigation pending further inquiries.

Sgt Mike Warriner, from Devon and Cornwall Police's Tiverton Neighbourhood Team, said: "These drugs are often filled with harmful substances, which in this case has been enough to hospitalise somebody.

"I want to implore to those that wish to take these drugs seriously consider the possible effects that they can have on you."

Ed Oldfield
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Building work is expected to start soon on a multi-million pound town centre redevelopment kick-started by a Devon council.

Contractors are nearing the end of the demolition phase at Torwood Street in Torquay, close to the harbour.

A final row of shops fronting the street is due to be dismantled and the site will be cleared to allow construction work to start.

The new building will include a 130-bed Hilton hotel with new offices and food and drink units.

Construction of the building will then start in the early spring, going through to an expected completion in summer 2020.

The developers, the That Group, announced an agreement with bankers and Torbay Council in July.

The authority agreed a £9m commercial loan to the scheme through its investment and regeneration fund which, along with bank finance and That Group’s funds, meant that the scheme was fully funded and could proceed.

Image source, Kay Elliott

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, police say.

The primary school's classrooms are all cleaned by pupils, except those in reception, who are let off.

Rob England
BBC News Online

Alison Hernandez will contest the next Police and Crime Commissioner elections in May 2020, a Conservative Party spokesman has said.

The commissioner is described as being "the voice of the people" who "holds the police to account" for residents in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Ms Hernandez was elected in May 2016.

Image source, Conservative Party

BBC Radio Devon

• In Plympton, Ridgeway is partially blocked by a crash between a van and a cyclist near Hillcrest Drive - there's slow traffic.
• In Bovey Tracey, Bradley Road is partially blocked due to a burst water main at Coombe Close. Approach with care.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A second man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after a man in his 60s was hit by a car and died, police said.

It happened on St Levan Road in Plymouth at about 00:40.

The two men, aged 25 and 23, remain in police custody and await questioning.

The road between Melville Road and Keyham Road has now reopened.

Devon and Cornwall Police are appealing for witnesses.

Christine Butler
BBC Radio Cornwall

Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry crossings are likely to rise to £2 in July next year.

The Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee have recommended the increase because the running costs are outstripping revenue.

It's been nine years since toll charges were last increased.

However, Cornwall Councillor Colin Martin has launched an online petition to gain support for his bid to get the government to subsidise the Tamar Bridge and put an end to toll charges.

But there are concerns this would then have an impact on the Torpoint Ferry prices, which could spiral if the bridge was toll-free but it still had to charge for crossings.

Mr Martin said the government should pay for it, like it does "the rest of the A38"...

Twitter

Nurse Lexi Chambers lives in pain from her hammer toes and looks forward to her leg being amputated.

Ed Oldfield
Local Democracy Reporting Service

A disciplinary hearing into allegations of misconduct against Torbay councillor Mark King has resumed to consider evidence before making a decision on the claims.

Image source, Ed Oldfield

The standards hearing sub-committee was due to hear evidence from the complainant and consider any response from Cllr King to the allegations against him.

He was absent from the hearing in the Torquay Town Hall on Wednesday for health reasons.

It is understood Cllr King was cleared of breaching the councillors’ code of conduct in a report from an independent investigator commissioned by the authority to look into the claims.

The sub-committee meeting went into private session to keep details of the case and identities of those involved confidential.

It will consider all the evidence including the investigation report before making a decision on the allegations. The council will then issue a statement on the case, which is expected in a few days.

The accusations against Cllr King, who currently stands as an independent, were described in committee papers as allegations of a breach of the Member Code of Conduct.

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

Firefighters have been tackling a house fire in Cornwall.

The bungalow, in Breage, was empty and on the property market.

Emergency services received a call at 22:25 on Thursday night, and when they arrived the house was "well alight".

Firefighters from Hayle, Falmouth and St Just were called in to help.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A man in his 60s has died after being hit by a car in Plymouth, police have said.

It happened at about 00:40 on St Levan Road.

A 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He remains in police custody and awaits questioning.

Police said efforts were under way to find the victim's next of kin.

A cordon has been put in place and the road will be closed between Melville Road and Keyham Road for the "foreseeable future", officers added.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact Devon and Cornwall Police via 101.

Officers found two handguns, several air rifles, a bayonet and a sword at the 30-year-old man's house.

Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

A body has been found on a beach in Devon.

Devon and Cornwall Police were called by coastguards just after 18:00 on Thursday, with reports of a body having been found at Golden Cove, Ilfracombe.

The body has now been recovered.

Police said: "Whilst formal identification has yet to have taken place, the family of Catherine Yearsley, who has been missing since Sunday, have been informed of this development."

Tamsin Melville
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Cornwall

Cornwall should spend £40m on providing temporary accommodation for homeless people and families in crisis, according to one local councillor.

Image source, Getty Images

It follows news that people in need in Cornwall are sometimes being housed in hotels in Devon, amounting to 750 nights over three years.

In one case, a person spent 52 nights in Plymouth.

Housing cabinet member Andrew Mitchell said he wanted the council to dip into its capital fund to address the shortage of emergency housing in Cornwall.

He wants to spend £40m on local accommodation space, such as converting an empty hotel or making so-called "container homes" from cargo containers.

Cornwall Council said it found the nearest and most suitable accommodation it could.

Press Association

A high-profile Tory MP from Devon has slammed his own party's government and questioned whether it still shares his "values and ethos".

Ex-British Army officer Johnny Mercer, elected in 2015, said he would not have run in Plymouth Moor View "if the situation was like it is now".

Image source, UK Parliament

In an interview with The House magazine, he warned that if Tory rows over Brexit let in Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn "I don't think we'd be forgiven for a generation, and we wouldn't deserve to be".

The 37-year-old father of two said that, with hindsight, his pre-MP self "wouldn't vote", adding: "There's no doubt about it that my set of values and ethos, I was comfortable that it was aligned with the Conservative Party.

"I'm not as comfortable that that's the case any more."

The Remain supporter, who describes himself as being centre-right, told the magazine Theresa May's Chequers deal was "your classic professional politician's answer" that pleases no one.

"People who pay our wages and vote for us expect us to make decisions and get on with government, not be fixated on us retaining our position," he added, warning that the party had "lost this ability to fight, to scrap for what we believe in".