John Ayres
BBC Spotlight

Efforts are being made in Devon to increase the number of students learning practical woodworking skills.

Design and technology was once one of the country's most popular GCSE subjects but numbers are declining.

The new project - funded by the Arts Council - is encouraging children to have a go at making things with their hands.

Raj Patel is the coordinator of Old Skills, New Ways...

The finished products will be sold at Totnes Market.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

HMS Monmouth has sailed back to her home port in Plymouth.

The Type 23 frigate was deployed with the UK's newest aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth in August.

She arrived at Devonport at about 10:00.

During Monmouth's deployment, she travelled over 20,000 miles, celebrated the ship's 25th birthday and narrowly avoided two hurricanes.

The Bracton Law Society at the University of Exeter has been disbanded following a major review.

BBC Spotlight

Police officers in a "stealth cab" have fined a trucker £200 and issued him with six penalty points for texting while driving.

Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police

The "stealth truck" was on Devon and Cornwall's roads from 4 to 7 December with the aim of targeting driving offences on the A38 in Devon, the A30 in Cornwall, the M5 and in and around Plymouth.

The unmarked HGV cab has a police driver and observer.

Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police

Police also caught...

• Driver seen not wearing his seatbelt while driving on the A30 in Cornwall, and it turns out he didn’t have insurance. The driver was reported for the offences and the vehicle seized.

• One driver was seen filming and singing to himself whilst driving in Plymouth. He was stopped and was over the drink-drive limit. He was arrested and charged.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A bungalow was damaged after a fire started in a shed, a fire service has said.

Crews were called to Taw View in Fremington at about 03:15.

The blaze in the shed spread to a neighbouring shed as well as a bungalow, firefighters added.

The property was 50% damaged by fire and completely damaged by smoke.

The cause of the fire is unknown, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said.

Ed Oldfield
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Torbay’s elected mayor is being asked to reverse a proposed cut in road repairs next year.

Councillors are asking Gordon Oliver to put back the £320,000 planned reduction from this year’s £2.1m spend on roads maintenance to prevent even worse problems in the future.

The mayor has put together a draft budget for the next financial year from April which includes £7.5m of savings and extra income due to government funding cuts.

The budget setting process includes a committee of councillors going through the details of mayor’s plans as part of a consultation.

The authority’s overview and scrutiny board set out a series of recommendations in response to the draft, including reinstating the cut to the road repair budget.

Committee chairman Chris Lewis said: "Many roads are in a very grave state, and by cutting finance next year will only have a knock-on effect in future years, where the roads will get even worse."

BBC Radio Devon

Image source, Google

Dog owners are making a mess of Totnes Rugby Club's ground, according to players.

They argue "persistent" fouling by dogs is putting players and members of the public who use the park at risk.

Club chairman JT Williams said: "We’re fortunate to have a great space here in Totnes, and lots of youngsters and adults who want to use it to get into rugby, but it really does spoil it when every time we arrive we have to carefully walk the pitch back and forth to make sure that it’s safe."

Councillor Rufus Gilbert of South Hams District Council warned dog fouling risked on-the-spot fines of £100 and it would be increasing patrols.

"If we catch you allowing your dog to foul and not clearing up after it, we’ll fine you," he warned.

BBC Weather

A chilly start to the day with sunny spells.

This afternoon is likely to become cloudier and breezier but it should stay dry until after dark.

Maximum temperature: 6C (43F).

Adrian Campbell, Environment Correspondent
BBC Spotlight

Devon and Torbay councils are hoping to save £7m a year by standardising the way they collect and recycle waste.

At the moment different types of collection are made depending on where you live.

They hope the move could also encourage more people to recycle more.

Conservative county councillor Andrea Davis said: "Analysis of 2,000 bags of rubbish found that nearly 41% could have been recycled under current arrangements."

• Plastic recycling: Your questions answered

Leadership remains inadequate at the trust but patient safety has improved, inspectors say.

Adrian Munday was befriended and then killed by violent criminal Stuart Hodgkin in October 2015.

Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans for a 130-bedroom hotel on the site of a former caravan and camping park just outside Exeter have been revealed.

Hill Pond Caravan and Camping Park have applied to build a new L-shaped hotel on the site of the existing park just off the A3052.

The site is adjacent to the Hill Barton Business Park, and is across the A3052 from Exeter City’s training ground and Crealy Adventure Park.

The application, submitted to East Devon District Council planners says there is a need for the hotel in the area and that will provide new jobs and boost the economy.

It adds: "The proposal seeks to recognise the evolving needs of the area and the site’s location in a developed, mixed use zone of East Devon that sits close to Exeter, the M5, and the rapidly enlarging tranches of development in the area."

East Devon District Council planners will debate the application at a later date.