Chris Quevatre
BBC News Online

An "idiot" driver who was chased around Torquay by police has been sentenced to six months in prison, and banned from driving for 15 months.

Michael Jeffrey, 19, from Torquay, bought his VW Polo - which had no rear brakes - for £125, but had no licence or insurance.

After receiving a high volume of complaints, Devon and Cornwall Police tracked Jeffrey down using a helicopter.

He tried to outrun the police, driving at 55mph in 30mph zones, and drove so dangerously that police gave up the chase at one stage, leaving the helicopter to monitor his whereabouts.

The chase took 12 minutes and started in the centre of Torquay before he drove out through Babbacombe and St Marychurch.

At one point Jeffrey hit an oncoming car, but kept on driving.

He only stopped when he hit a curb and burst a tyre, running off when he was near his home in Teignmouth Road.

At Exeter Crown Court, Judge Peter Johnson called it a "shocking example of very irresponsible driving".

BBC Radio Devon

Cash from the Heritage Lottery Fund, external is helping to improve access to 20 historic visitor attractions in the South West for people with disabilities.

With cash totalling £500,000, it's giving deaf and blind people - as well as wheelchair users - unprecedented access to all of them.

The charity, Heritage Disability is installing ramps, lifts - where possible - as well as specially tailored routes and guides.

The National Trust's Castle Drogo in Devon is the latest to get a makeover.

Paula Clarke, from the organisation there, says it's important to get people interacting...

Cornwall Live

Plans to create a homeless hub in the centre of Newquay have been revealed. Newquay Town Council has shared its proposal for a facility supporting homeless people, external to open at the Newquay Senior Citizens Centre on St Michael’s Road as part of a public consultation.

Millicent Cooke
BBC News Online

Image source, Google

Emergency services were called to a house fire in Falmouth on Tuesday.

Firefighters from Falmouth and Truro were called to The Beacon at about 19:40.

On arrival, crews found a fire on the outside of the building that had spread to the porch of the property.

Three people were examined by paramedics at the scene, but no injuries were reported.

Police also attended, by say the fire is not being treated as suspicious.

The cause is unknown.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Railway lines between Exeter St David's and London Waterloo are currently disrupted due to a signalling issue between Woking and Surbiton.

South Western Railway is advising passengers to check their route before travelling.

It added Network Rail engineers have been on site through the morning and are working to resolve the problem "as quickly as possible".

BBC Radio Devon

Shaldon Bridge is closed until 21:00 so the lifting mechanism on it can be looked at to see if it's still in good working order.

An Act of Parliament requires Devon County Council to carry out the checks even though it's been 90 years since the lifting span was raised for commercial shipping.

The bridge is closed to all vehicles and pedestrians during the testing.

Millicent Cooke
BBC News Online

Image source, Google

Firefighters were called to tackle a blaze in the boot of a car in Plymouth on Tuesday.

Fire crews from Camels Head were rushed to Ross Street at about 20:32 following reports of a car fire.

On arrival, they discovered a "small fire" within the boot of the car, which was quickly put out.

It is not known what caused the fire, but police said that it is not being treated as suspicious.

BBC Spotlight

The father of a Cornish teenager with a rare brain condition says there seem to be some gaps in the NHS for adolescent care.

Bridget Wells, who's 16, suddenly became ill at the beginning of September.

Doctors recently diagnosed her with an illness sometimes known as "brain on fire".

Her father Johnnie Wells says her care at the Royal Cornwall Hospital has been excellent, but because she's neither a child nor an adult, accessing specialist care elsewhere in the country has been tricky.

BBC Spotlight

Half a million pounds of Heritage lottery cash is making life better for thousands of disabled people in the South West.

Castle Drogo on Dartmoor is one of 20 historic visitor attractions that will be using the money to improve access for deaf and blind people as well as wheelchair users.

The charity 'Heritage Disability' says where access can't be improved it'll provide things like virtual tours and more easily accessible guides.

Maryann Soaper from Heritage Ability says they are working with the sites...

BBC Weather

Dry today with sunny periods. Staying dry tonight but becoming cloudier.

Once any early mist patches have cleared, Wednesday will be dry and generally fine with sunny periods and patchy cloud cover.

Maximum Temperature: 16C (61C).

Richard Whitehouse
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Cornwall Council spent more than £1m on temporary executives over the past two years, with some being paid more than £800 a day, an FOI request has revealed.

Figures released by the council show that in 2017 and 2018 the authority spent more than £600,000 on 23 interim executives.

That was an increase on the previous year when the council spent £520,000 on 10 interim chiefs. In 2015/16 the amount spent was much lower at £171,728.48 on five staff.