Mum's 'guilt' over pregnancy test drugpublished at 09:37 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2018
A woman whose daughter was born disabled believes the pregnancy test drug Primodos hurt her child.
Read MoreSummary
Government asked for cash to modernise Plymouth hospital
Gavin Ford: Radio host found dead at home in Lebanon
Isles of Scilly experience 62mph gusts
Torpoint Ferry service down to one vessel
Rail delays across the region
Beach clean finds 34-year-old crisp packet
Zoo tries to get endangered toads to breed in captivity
Updates on Wednesday 28 November 2018
Mum's 'guilt' over pregnancy test drugpublished at 09:37 Greenwich Mean Time 29 November 2018
Armed officers to patrol key festive locationspublished at 17:31 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Del Crookes
BBC News OnlinePolice in Devon and Cornwall say they will again be patrolling key locations and events, external over the festive period and the New Year with support from armed officers.
The force says personnel will be visibly carrying weapons "to help offer further security and reassurance".
Image source, Devon and Cornwall PoliceQuote MessageI want to reassure the public that there is no increase in the threat level, nor is there any specific threat within Devon, Cornwall or Dorset. However, the festive period leads to significant events and crowded places where this additional level of support could be beneficial to local policing teams across the alliance area."
Nikki Leaper, Head of Alliance Specialist Operations Superintendent
Overweight cat 'Large Marge' found dumpedpublished at 17:30 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
The tubby tabby, nicknamed Large Marge, was dumped in a pink carry case in a Sainsbury's car park.
Read MoreNorth Devon hospital trust set for larger budget deficitpublished at 17:21 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting ServiceA hospital trust is set for a budget deficit of £17m as it tackles failings that led to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) saying it "required improvement".
The Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple, was rated after an inspection by the CQC, external in October 2017.
The report raised concerns in maternity services, end of life care, the emergency department and in outpatients.
Image source, GoogleSuzanne Tracey, chief executive of Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust, said the improvements had come at a cost and they could not be achieved within a balanced budget.
She said the board had already decided to set a deficit budget for the year of £12m, but the current forecast was that there would be a £17m overspend.
Authorities 'unable to move cars from blocked driveways'published at 16:45 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting ServiceIf you block someone's empty driveway with your car then neither Devon County Council, nor Devon and Cornwall Police would be able to do anything about it.
That was the message councillors heard when discussing drop kerbs and the loss of parking provision on main roads in the county.
Councillor Julian Brazil raised concerns about instances where the ability to park cars was being lost because people were digging up their gardens to install dropped kerbs to give themselves private parking spaces.
Image source, LDRSHighways officer John Fewings told councillors that it was a "big problem", but the county council had no power to do anything about it.
Mike Jones, senior traffic officer, said that as long as the driveway was empty and it did not contravene any traffic order, there was nothing the police could do if someone blocked an empty driveway.
A Devon and Cornwall police spokesman confirmed the policing position for the force after the meeting.
Councillors demand rethink over cuts to road maintenancepublished at 16:33 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Ed Oldfield
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Image source, PAMembers of Torbay Council want a rethink of plans to cut £320,000 from roads maintenance next year.
The 15% cut to this year's £2.1m budget is in the elected mayor's plan for the next financial year.
Members of Torbay's Priorities and Resources Review Panel heard that it would cost £20m to catch up with the road repairs backlog to bring the network back to how it was in 2008.
Mayor Gordon Oliver said Torbay should be getting £3m each year for roads maintenance, and he told the committee he was asking MPs to support an approach to government for the cash.
Image source, Ed OldfieldImage caption, Mayor of Torbay Gordon Oliver has played down concerns raised by Councillor Richard Haddock that £1.3bn of cuts are 'scary'
The council is having to make £17m of savings by 2022, with £7.5m needed in the next financial year 2019/2020, due a reduction in government funding and increasing costs in adult and children's social care.
The budget consultation, external continues until Friday 14 December.
Police launch witness appeal after Torquay robberypublished at 15:37 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Hayley Westcott
BBC News OnlinePolice want to identify a witness in connection with a robbery in Torquay.
It happened on 20 October at about 23:20 in the Torquay Marina car park.
Officers said although the man, pictured, is not involved in the incident, he may have "vital information" to aid their investigation.
Anyone who recognises him is asked to contact police via 101.
Image source, Devon and Cornwall PoliceCampaigners fight to keep Teignmouth Hospital openpublished at 15:33 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Image source, LDRSImage caption, Local councillors outside Teignbridge District Council's HQ
A group of Teignbridge councillors say they see no reason why Teignmouth Hospital should close as part of plans to centralise medical services in the area.
There are proposals to sell the site for £8m and build a new "wellbeing hub" as part of the town's Brunswick Street redevelopment.
Three GP practices in Teignmouth would move and community clinics would also be provided, but specialist outpatients services and a theatre service would be transferred to Dawlish Community Hospital.
Image source, LDRSImage caption, Teignmouth Hospital was opened in 1954, the first built under the NHS
A Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is set to begin an eight-week consultation in early 2019, but Teignmouth Town Council has voted unanimously to oppose the closure of the hospital.
The CCG says that the best way to secure the survival of primary care in the town is for services to be co-located in a new building and that 12 rehabilitation beds do not need to be sited at Teignmouth Hospital.
The group says that in order to deliver its vision, it would need to:
- Relocate community clinics from Teignmouth Community Hospital into the health and wellbeing centre
- Relocate specialist outpatient provision from Teignmouth Community Hospital into Dawlish Community Hospital
- Relocate theatre services from Teignmouth Community Hospital into Dawlish Community Hospital
- Reverse the decision following the consultation to establish 12 rehabilitation beds in Teignmouth Community Hospital
- Close Teignmouth Hospital and sell the site for reinvestment in the local NHS
Bomber 'did not want to offend again'published at 15:18 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Failed suicide bomber Nicky Reilly had been "really positive" in prison, an inquest hears.
Read MorePost Office staff face transfer to WH Smith under planspublished at 15:17 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Laurence Reed
BBC Radio CornwallMany Post Office branches have closed and facilities relocated to other stores over the past few years.
Penzance (pictured), St Austell and Truro's branches operate from branches of WH Smith, and now the Post Office plans to transfer control of the Truro branch to its commercial partner as a franchise.
The Post Office said it would secure the long-term viability of the branch and allow extended opening hours, including Sundays. However, it will also mean that workers are no longer employed by the Post Office.
Chris Roche, from the Communication Workers' Union, said he believed it was bad news for staff.
He said: "Most people don't want to move... they will leave and those highly-trained people will no longer be operating the post offices."
The Post Office has launched a consultation, but it is only asking for people's views about access, not the staff transfer, saying Truro's branch was due to be operated by WH Smith from 20 February.
It said it was talking to staff affected "on an individual basis about their options which include transferring their employment to WHSmith in line with TUPE [Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment), external] legislation".
Dogs trapped in mineshaft for four dayspublished at 14:42 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
One hunting hound dies but five are rescued after getting stuck 20m underground.
Read MoreFormer Plymouth Royal Marine to attempt Atlantic rowpublished at 14:25 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Today Programme
BBC Radio 4A former Royal Marine from Plymouth is set to attempt an unsupported solo row across the Atlantic Ocean - which would make him the world's first physically disabled person to row the route solo.
Lee Spencer lost his leg in a freak car accident when he stopped to help a stricken motorist.
The trip he has planned for next month will see him row single-handed to Venezuela and he needs to complete the 3,500-mile trip in under 96 days to set a new record.
The current able bodied record for the route was set by Stein Hoff in 2002.
Mr Spencer says "nobody should be defined by disability"...
The attempt will raise money for the Royal Marines Charity and the Endeavour Fund.
Brexit: Chamber Tells MPs to 'get on with it'published at 14:14 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Cornish StuffThe Cornwall Chamber of Commerce has written an open letter to all six Cornish MPs, external pleading with them to accept Theresa May’s Brexit deal and to "get on with it".
Hunt for missing owl from Cornwall continuespublished at 13:25 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Eleanor Parkinson
BBC SpotlightThe hunt for a giant eagle owl called Charlie who went missing in Cornwall more than a week ago is continuing.
Charlie escaped from her aviary at a sanctuary near Praze-An-Beeble while it was being cleaned.
Her owner, Caroline Curtis, says Charlie was born in captivity and there are fears for her survival because she's never had to hunt for food.
On Tuesday night, there was a positive sighting at Troon near Camborne with a motorist claiming he saw a huge owl in a lane "eating something it had killed".
However, it had gone by the time Caroline arrived there.
Image source, Evelyn CalvertImage caption, Charlie the owl
Devon travel: Fallen trees partially block roadspublished at 13:06 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
- In Plympton, Plymouth Road outbound is partially blocked due to a fallen tree near Cot Hill
- Between Sampford Courtenay and Exbourne, the A3072 is partially blocked due to a fallen tree
Trapped dogs: Four animals rescued from minepublished at 12:54 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Andrew Segal
BBC South West
Four dogs who have been trapped down a mine shaft for four days have been brought to the surface in a rescue operation near Truro.
One is thought to have died and the last is thought to be seriously injured and still underground.
The hounds, from the Four Burrow Hunt in Cornwall went missing during a trail hunt in the St Allen area on Saturday, a hunt member said.
Firefighters have been leading the rescue operation after members of Cornwall Search and Rescue found them after consulting mining maps.
The dogs managed to get underneath wire mesh covering a mine shaft after some erosion beside it, hunt staff said.
People have been warned to not visit the site.
Bus drivers 'not leaving retirement because of shortage'published at 12:50 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Andrew Segal
BBC South WestA bus operator has denied claims by a union that bus drivers in Exeter are being lured out of retirement because operators are finding it difficult to recruit new staff.
Mick Lynch, from the RMT union, who was giving evidence to a committee of MPs, said young people did not see bus driving as an attractive career and they could not handle the stress.
He added that he met a 71-year-old driver in Devon last week who was still working after being asked to come back from retirement "because they can't get any bus drivers in the Exeter area".
Stagecoach said the claim was "misleading" and it continued to employ a small pool of relief drivers "as many bus companies do" to cover unexpected events such as staff sickness.
Image source, Getty ImagesQuote MessageWe have certainly not asked any drivers to return from retirement. Like any business, we continue to manage our staffing levels and our services are operating as normal."
Stagecoach
Brexit: Chamber tells Cornish MPs to 'get on with it'published at 12:43 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Cornish StuffThe Cornwall Chamber of Commerce has written an open letter , externalto all six Cornish MPs pleading with them to accept Theresa May’s Brexit deal and to "get on with it".
Dog dies after six animals trapped down mine shaftpublished at 12:23 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
Andrew Segal
BBC South West
A rescue operation is under way after six hunting dogs became trapped down a mine shaft four days ago.
One dog has been brought to the surface, one is thought to have died and four are still underground from the Four Burrow Hunt in Cornwall, near Truro.
They went missing during a trail hunt - where they follow a laid down scent across country - in the St Allen area on Saturday, hunt members said.
Fire crews from Truro and Bodmin are leading the rescue operation.
The dogs managed to get underneath wire mesh covering a mine shaft after some erosion beside it, hunt staff said.
People have been warned to not visit the site.
Brexit: Sheryll Murray and Michael Gove on UK fishingpublished at 12:08 Greenwich Mean Time 28 November 2018
BBC PoliticsThere have been heated exchanges in parliament over the future of fishing for the South West.
MPs are grilling the Environment Secretary, Michael Gove, about what will happen after Brexit.
The Conservative MP for South East Cornwall, Sheryll Murray pointed out that British fishermen are suffering now.
She said sticking to EU rules on fishing until the end of the transition period - in December 2020 - could have a devastating effect.
Michael Gove said that the current arrangements aren't "equitable" and Britain will be negotiating as an independent coastal state from December 2020.
He added he and his ministers will be held accountable.
