Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

The A30 is closed westbound at Sticklepath near Okehampton after a car left the road and went into a wooded area before catching fire in some bushes.

There was one person inside and he is being treated at the scene. Devon and Cornwall Police say it is not known how serious his injuries are.

Members of the public rescued the man from the vehicle after the accident which happened at about 11:00.

Police, ambulance and air ambulance crews are there, along with three fire engines.

The A30 is closed westbound with traffic diverted at Whiddon Down.

Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Image source, LDRS

Plans to demolish the Exeter Auto Centre and replace it with 114 student flats have been approved at the second time of asking.

The plans for the site on Summerland Street were rejected in July as "the appearance and shape of the proposed development relate poorly to the first phase of the development and as such, the proposals are considered not to be visually attractive or good design".

Developers Deltic resubmitted their plans with a flat roof instead, and councillors approved the application by six votes to four on Monday night.

Some still had issues with the design including Councillor Matthew Vizard saying "I didn't like the design then and I don't like it a lot more now, but there are some things that are marginally improved about it."

Councillor Phil Bilayk said: "This debate has not been about Summerland Street but about student flats, but there is a demand out there that needs to be met. People do say look at it all, but I say, we need more. We need the figures or a formula about demand or occupancy rates and then we can avoid the constant row as to whether there is enough or not enough student flats."

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

Devon and Cornwall Police has defended its decision to decorate two police cars with poppies.

One man commented on the force's Facebook page, external: "And they say we have no money! More wasted tax payers cash, fight real crime please, we want to see you doing Police work."

In response, the police said: "It was £428 per car to add the poppies. I'm sorry to hear you don't like our way of remembering the 34 former police officers in Devon and Cornwall who gave their lives in conflict."

The majority of people commenting on the page were supportive of the police.

One woman said: "Well done Devon and Cornwall, the cars look amazing, a beautiful way to show respect and commemorate the fallen".

Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

Two members of staff at McDonald's were kicked and had alcohol thrown at them, police have said.

It happened in St Austell at 01:50 at the restaurant on Pentewan Road.

Police said the staff were in their 20s and were attacked by a group of up to four people.

Image source, Google

No serious injuries were reported but police said: "A motorcycle belonging to one of the victims was damaged and alcohol poured over the other victim’s car".

In a statement McDonald's said: "We can confirm that an incident took place outside our St Austell restaurant in the early hours of Saturday 27th October. Police were alerted and we are cooperating fully with their inquiries.”

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

People living in the same street as a house in Exeter that has been closed down by police say it has been a "nightmare".

A three-month closure order was granted by magistrates on Monday, for 18 Orwell Garth in Whipton after "months of spiraling anti-social behaviour problems".

Devon and Cornwall Police described it as a "hive of youth disorder including alcohol and drug misuse both day and night with people coming and going".

Locals said there were up to 20 teenagers using the house and causing criminal damage to cars.

One mother told us her children were "terrified" and the teenagers would make threats and at times carry knives.

She said: "I very rarely opened the blinds and panicked when I heard noise.

"I didn't know if it was my car being vandalised when I heard glass smashing outside.

"If my partner was away I'd be on the phone crying to him. It affected my anxiety".

She said she was "relieved" the closure order had been issued.

Another woman said the police were there so often "it was like Middlemoor police station at times" and described the situation as "a nightmare".

BBC Spotlight

It is the end of an era for Devon's famous Tuckers Maltings.

The Newton Abbot-based firm has been supplying brewers across the South West for nearly 190 years, but its maltings is officially closing after an announcement in the summer said it could no longer stay competitive.

Tuckers was one of only four businesses in the country still producing malt in the traditional manner on floors, where cereal grain would be converted into malt by soaking it in water, allowing it to sprout and then drying it.

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

A cyclist has died after coming off his bike in west Cornwall.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the accident happened at about 14:30 on Tuesday on the B3315 between Trebehor and Little Trethewey.

The 58-year-old man, from the Penzance area, was treated by paramedics but was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police and ambulance crews attended and the road was reopened at 18:30.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the police.

BBC Radio Devon

• In Sidmouth, Woolbrook Road is closed in both directions between High Street and Alexandria Road due to fallen power cables
• On the M5 southbound between Cullompton and Exeter, there are reports of debris on the road
• In Newton Abbot, there's heavy traffic on roads in and around the town centre due to roadworks
• In Totnes, Plymouth Road is closed both directions near Follaton House for electricity work. A diversion is in place. Expect delays on the A385 due to that closure

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

A Devon MP says he will work alongside shipyard staff to persuade its owners to maintain its operation in Appledore.

Torridge and West Devon MP Geoffrey Cox said he and North Devon MP Peter Heaton Jones met a delegation of workers from the shipyard in the House of Commons on Tuesday as they presented a petition of more than 10,000 signatures appealing to keep the yard open.

The GMB and Unite unions said yard owner Babcock failed to win a key order from the Armed Forces of Malta.

Mr Cox said the workers had his "complete support".

He added: "The government will do all it reasonably can, but what it cannot do is replace a commitment by Babcock and I will work alongside the Appledore representatives ... to persuade the company to maintain its operation at the yard."

Babcock said it was disappointed not to have secured a contract from Malta, and it was reviewing the implication for the business.

Andrea Ormsby
BBC Spotlight

Campaigners in Devon are trying to raise £3m to save Hatherleigh's ancient cattle market.

The site is still used for a regular Tuesday pannier market, but the final livestock auction took place earlier this year.

Kingswood Homes plans to build more than 100 houses in the area, which was approved by West Devon Council in 2014.

Many in the community said they did not need more houses and wanted the site returned to its historic use instead.

Kingswood said it would keep a section for the pannier market.

A charter for a weekly market in Hatherleigh was granted by Henry III in 1220, according to the town's community website, external.

Gemma Taylor
BBC Radio Cornwall

Image source, Family handout

The dangers of taking drugs are again being highlighted by the mother of a Cornish teenager, who died after taking a blue pill in her local park.

Fifteen-year-old Shakira Pellow died in July after taking a substance in a park in Camborne.

Her mother, Rita Hole, has urged other parents to talk to their children about substance abuse and the dangers of the dark web, where illegal drugs can be bought...

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

People living in England's rural and coastal counties are having their life chances held back by a "false perception of affluence", MPs say.

An inquiry by a cross-party group of MPs placed Devon and Cornwall in the bottom 10 of areas for social mobility.

Their report said vital services like public transport, youth centres and childcare were being "hampered" by an "inequitable" council funding model that benefits urban areas.

They said rural areas were among the country's least "socially mobile".

The government is currently carrying out a "fair funding review".

Ministers said this would ensure "the link between local circumstances and resources allocated is clear".

Some incidents in which DJI drones "suffered a complete loss of power" have concerned UK authorities.

BBC Radio Cornwall

A woman has suffered life-threatening injuries in a road crash near Looe.

The 53-year-old driver of a Nissan Micra was airlifted to hospital in Plymouth after the single-vehicle crash on an unclassified road leading to Millendreath at about 15:30 on Tuesday.

Police are appealing for witnesses.

Devon Live

An Exeter school bus firm has its licence revoked due to concerns over its finances, external.

BBC Weather

A cold start for Wednesday before some sunny intervals, but also large amounts of cloud with the chance of showers pushing up from the south.

These could be heavy with thunder.

Feeling milder.

Maximum temperature: 10 to 13C (50 to 55F).

The Church of Satan's high priest said genuine believers would have their own home ritual spaces.