Tory MP told to repay £930 in expensespublished at 18:01 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
The expenses watchdog says breaches in Johnny Mercer's phone bill expenses were "oversights".
Read MoreSummary
Life-changing injuries for crash victim
Growing concern after three dogs die of Alabama rot
Paignton flat destroyed by fire
Dismay over removal of children's 'unauthorised' speed signs
Updates on Thursday 24 January 2019
Tory MP told to repay £930 in expensespublished at 18:01 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
Crash death mum 'distracted by children'published at 17:07 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
Laura Hopes and her son Alfie were killed in the pile-up on the A38 in Cornwall, an inquest hears.
Read MoreRose's track a hit for school record labelpublished at 16:55 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
A track written and recorded by a 14-year-old from Cornwall has been downloaded around the globe.
"Flight" is just one track that's come out of Mounts Bay Academy's own record label Qube Records.
Media caption, Artist, 14, a hit around the globe
Brotherly squawks help recapture parrotpublished at 15:18 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
Owner Michelle Chubb says she coaxed Sausage the parrot back with the recording and a banana chip.
Read MoreApology to customers left without power in generator blazepublished at 15:08 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
Western Power Distribution has apologised to customers affected by a fire on a generator truck which was supplying electricity to 162 customers.
Image source, Margaret HawesA spokesman said the truck had been on site during cable repairs.
The firm had sent a replacement from Bristol which would be connected later.
The cause of the fire was "unknown" and an investigation was under way.
"We apologise to anyone affected by this incident but thankfully nobody was hurt," he said.
Fire crews were called to the blaze at 11:47.
Western Power vehicle blaze in Bigbury on Seapublished at 14:41 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
Rob Byrne
BBC News Online
Image source, Steph GoodingFire crews are still at the scene of a vehicle blaze in Bigbury on Sea, leading to Marine Drive being blocked.
A Western Power Distribution vehicle caught alight, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said.
They were called to the blaze at 11:47 and are still on site.
No-one was injured.
South Pole explorer alone for 39 dayspublished at 13:58 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
Ex-marine Baz Gray shares his video blog after a 700-mile unsupported trek to the Pole.
Read MoreMan, 18, 'attacked with iron bar' in Plymouth city centrepublished at 12:51 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
A teenager was attacked with an iron bar by two men in Plymouth's city centre on Monday afternoon, police said.
The assault happened in the Market Way area by Colin Campbell car park between 16:00 and 16:15 on Monday 21 January.
Two men got out of a silver Peugeot car and attacked the 18-year-old, before fleeing in the car after two members of the public came to the aid of the injured man, Devon and Cornwall Police said.
The suspects are described as white, in their mid-20s, with one wearing a grey hooded tracksuit and the other a dark hooded tracksuit.
The victim was treated for a head injury and released from hospital on Monday evening, police added.
They are appealing for witnesses, external and would like to speak to the two people who assisted the man.
Johnny Mercer: Plymouth MP pays £931 in expenses backpublished at 12:37 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
Rob Byrne
BBC News Online
Image source, PAPlymouth Conservative MP Johnny Mercer has repaid £931 after an investigation into his expenses by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA).
It follows complaints by two members of the public.
The investigation centered, external on office costs in respect of website use and other e-presence, telephony costs and use of domain names, IPSA said.
Following an investigation the Plymouth MP repaid £931 for "telephony costs", meaning no further action was required, IPSA added.
In a statement, Mr Mercer said he had co-operated with investigators and that the fine related to "two administrative errors by a proxy" and "telephone hacking entirely outside my control".
"Again the vast majority of complaints have been dismissed. The tedium of this process for all involved - including the excellent investigative team at IPSA - does not seem to cease the appetite for my political opponents for wasting everybody's time, behind a cloak of anonymity I find entirely inappropriate," he added.
Permission for Ottery church statue of poetpublished at 11:18 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
Fundraising is to begin for a statue of poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in his home town of Ottery St Mary.
Planning permission has been granted by East Devon District Council for a life-size statue in the grounds of St Mary's Church.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe £100,000 statue of the 18th Century poet, who wrote the Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan, has been designed by sculptor Nicholas Dimbleby.
Dismay over removal of children's 'unauthorised' speed signspublished at 10:19 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
People in Grampound say they're disappointed that Cornwall Council has removed signs aimed at tackling speeding drivers.
The banners, including one which said "kill speed - not me", were designed by local children and erected in the village in December.
The council said it "applauded the message on the banners and the initiative shown by the children", but it wasn't safe to leave them where they were.
The signs were too big, had been erected on the wrong type of scaffolding and situated where they could be a distraction to drivers.
However, a spokesman said the council was prepared to meet residents to discuss the matter.
Three-month backlog of information requests to policepublished at 10:16 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
Devon and Cornwall Police has referred itself to a watchdog, external over delays in responding to Freedom of Information requests.
Ambulance boss called before MPspublished at 09:33 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
The chief executive of the South Western Ambulance Service NHS has been called to Parliament, external by MPs to answer vital questions about its work culture after being exposed as having a culture of sexism, bullying and harassment.
Snake escape reveals home building 'flaws'published at 09:24 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
A new home tenant has claimed the block of flats where he lives in Exeter was found to be missing vital fire safety barriers after his 14ft (4.2m) African Rock Python escaped into the walls, external.
Life-changing injuries for crash victimpublished at 08:57 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
Lynne French
BBC News OnlineA man is in hospital with life-changing injuries after being knocked down in Plymouth last night.
Emergency services were called to the accident opposite the YMCA in Honicknowle Lane just after 19:30.
The injured man is a 56-year-old from Plymouth. The 48-year-old driver of a silver Citroen C4 was unhurt.
The accident is being investigated and police have asked anyone with information to contact them.
Judge's Pirates influence is praisedpublished at 08:46 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
Cornish Pirates coach Gavin Cattle says Christian Judge's influence is rubbing off on his team-mates.
Read More'I think every school should have a record label'published at 08:42 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
A group of students have gone from playing music in their lunch hour to launching their own record label.
Qube Records was set up by Mounts Bay Academy in Penzance to help young people release music that they had created.
Last summer 20,000 people downloaded their songs and the students went on a European tour.
Student Rose released a song called Fight last year....
Growing concern after three dogs die of Alabama rotpublished at 08:39 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
There's a growing concern among dog owners in Cornwall after three dogs died of Alabama rot, external in three months.
The cause of the disease is not known, but most cases occur over the winter months when it's muddy.
Clare Harrington from Portreath lost her dog Ted on Christmas Eve after spotting a sore on his paw.
While Nigel Lake in Redruth lost his dog Tyzer at new year.
They're trying to raise money to fund more research into the deadly disease...
MP resignation threat over no-deal Brexitpublished at 08:29 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
Sarah Newton, the MP for Truro and Falmouth, has said she will resign her ministerial position, external if it comes to a no-deal Brexit.
Paignton flat destroyed by firepublished at 08:11 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2019
Lynne French
BBC News OnlineA flat in Paignton has been gutted by a fire.
Crews were called to the blaze in the first-floor property in Manor Road just after 19:00 on Wednesday.
Six appliances, including an ariel platform, were used to tackle the fire.
No-one was injured, but Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the flat was "totally destroyed by the heat and flames".
