Unbeaten Exeter Chiefs overcome Gloucester at Sandy Park to move four-points clear at the top of the Premiership.

Two shops are targeted in armed raids where staff are threatened by men wielding guns.

The roof of the home on Cornwall's Lizard Peninsula has been badly damaged by the blaze.

Ben Woolvin
BBC South West Home Affairs correspondent

Staff at the University of Exeter have passed a motion calling for the suspension of its academic relationships with the UAE over the conviction of Matthew Hedges for spying.

Hedges, originally from Exeter, was jailed for life but denies the charges.

The university runs a Dubai-based education doctorate.

Image source, EPA/DANIELA TEJADA

BBC Weather

The risk of showers is likely to increase through this evening and overnight, with possible hail and thunder.

Minimum temperature overnight of 4C (39F).

Saturday is looking cloudy with some rain expected which will be heavy at times. Highs of 9C (48F).

Lane closures remain in place on the A38 Plymouth-bound between Plympton and the Marsh Mills Roundabout due to recovery work "taking longer than expected", Highways England has said.

It's due to an earlier overturned lorry.

BBC Radio Devon

Devon folk musician Seth Lakeman says he hopes new music he's producing to mark Mayflower 400 will be exciting and powerful.

A host of events have been announced to commemorate 400 years since the sailing of the Mayflower from Plymouth to America in 1620.

While he was touring with Robert Plant in the USA, Seth went to meet native American people and wants his music to tell their story, along with people from Plymouth.

He said he wanted the project to be a joint effort...

Installing a permanent rainbow road crossing would be too "ambiguous", councillors say.

Millicent Cooke
BBC News Online

A man armed with a gun has stolen a till from a shop in Plymouth - the second armed robbery in the city in 24 hours.

Police say the suspect stole the till from the Premier store on North Road West at about 14:00.

Officers say the man left his gun at the scene as he left the shop.

Image source, Google

On Thursday, a man armed with what is thought to be a handgun robbed an ice cream parlour on the Barbican.

The suspect, described as a white male in his late 40s, threatened staff before fleeing with cash from the till.

The robberies are not thought to be linked and police are searching for both suspects.

Flybe confirms reports that it is in talks with Virgin, after the regional airline put itself up for sale.

Richard Whitehouse
Local Democracy Reporting Service

New figures show the number of safeguarding concerns reported in Cornwall has almost doubled in a year.

Cornwall's Safeguarding Adults Board revealed the figures in its annual report which is set to go before Cornwall councillors next week.

It shows in 2017/18 there were 5,433 safeguarding cases started, compared to 2,955 the year before, amounting to an extra 2,478. The report also shows 4,834 individuals were involved in those cases, nearly double the 2,494 the previous year.

The report states the figures are not directly comparable to previous years because of how they have been collected.

Image source, pxhere.com

The report states that despite this change in recording figures there has been "a steady upward trend of safeguarding concerns reported throughout 2017/18".

It also adds "this is generally considered a positive trend as it indicates improved awareness and reporting of safeguarding issues".

The report also gives information about what safeguarding concerns have been reported with the largest number concerning neglect and acts of omission. The next highest forms were financial or material abuse and psychological abuse.

Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans to install a permanent rainbow coloured pedestrian crossing on a road in Totnes have been blocked by councillors.

The Totnes Rainbow Crossing Action Group has been working on establishing a permanent rainbow crossing in Totnes following the success of the temporary crossing set up for the town's pride event in 2014.

The crossing, which was created outside St Mary's Church in the High Street, was removed after the Pride event.

The South Hams Highways and Traffic Orders Committee in 2017 had initially welcomed the suggestion and called for a further report on specific plans and location to be brought forward to a future meeting.

However a meeting earlier saw officers and councillors agree a rainbow crossing on the highway itself was not something they could support.

Millicent Cooke
BBC News Online

Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police

A judge has started to sum up the case of a drug dealer who is accused of using an ornamental carving fork to murder a customer.

David Ablett, of Teignmouth, has been accused of murdering 38-year-old Matthew Jackson.

Mr Jackson was stabbed in the chest six times at his flat in Teignmouth.

The 52-year-old denies murder but has admitted being involved in the supply of heroin and cocaine.

The prosecution has claimed he used the unusual weapon to stab Mr Jackson repeatedly and the force used went far beyond self-defence.

Mr Ablett said Mr Jackson tried to strangle him and said he was going to kill him.

He told the jury he was attacked by Mr Jackson after he had smoked £30 worth of heroin and asked for more to be supplied 'on tick'.

BBC Radio Devon

An elderly man's been rescued from his car after he reversed it into a shallow river in Kingskerswell.

Firefighters from Torquay went to Manor Drive to help him as he was trapped in the vehicle.

They released him and left him with paramedics.

Hannah Stacey
BBC Radio Cornwall

Firefighters remain at the scene of a house blaze caused by lightning strikes.

The property was hit twice by lightning during storms which crossed the South West earlier.

The fire started in the roof and spread to the main building, Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said.

Fire crews from across west Cornwall are at the scene near Coverack. , external

Millicent Cooke
BBC News Online

Aspiring journalists will be getting closer to the action in a new site next door to the BBC's South West headquarters.

Plymouth Marjon University students will be learning their trade next to the largest newsroom in the South West, which houses BBC Radio Devon, BBC Spotlight, BBC Inside Out and BBC News Online from early 2019.

Leo Devine, head of BBC South West, said: "We're delighted to welcome Marjon journalism students to the BBC campus in Plymouth.

"They are the ideal tenants for our former home - a building steeped in broadcasting history since 1939 which will now see the next generation of 21st Century journalists honing their skills in radio, television and digital media."

John Ayres
BBC Spotlight

The Royal Navy's flagship vessel HMS Albion has arrived back in Devonport.

It's spent nearly 10 months away, mainly in the Pacific and the Middle East.

It's a double cause for celebration among the families as two months ago it was announced proposals to scrap the vessel, along with sister ship, HMS Bulwark, had been shelved.

Capt Tim Neild said the crew members had all been great ambassadors.

John Ayres
BBC Spotlight

As the Royal Navy's flagship vessel, HMS Albion, returns home to Devonport in Plymouth, its commanding officer has praised the crew.

Capt Tim Neild said they have all been great ambassadors...

Millicent Cooke
BBC News Online

A body has been found in the search for missing man Daniel Clark.

Police were called to Gilberts Coombe, Redruth at about 11:00 after the discovery of a body of a man in the water.

The family of Mr Clark, who went missing on 7 November, has been informed but no formal identification has taken place.

Police said the death is not currently being treated as suspicious.

Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police