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Bringing you the news, sport, travel and weather for Devon and Cornwall

Housing Minister Kit Malthouse said the road would "support thousands of much-needed new homes".

Benjamin Field says he pretended to have "romantic feelings" for two people to gain from their wills.

Police are looking at links between the "suspected suicide" and the fatal stabbing of a man, 73.

Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Councillors unanimously chucked out plans that would have seen new homes built on the edge of Newton Abbot.

Persimmon Homes’ scheme to build 97 new properties on green space at Ogwell Mill Road was rejected by Teignbridge District Council’s planning committee.

The scheme had been recommended for approval by officers but councillors felt the plan would have an unacceptable level of harm on the landscape due to the number of houses proposed and the layout of them on the northern boundary.

Councillors also said that the scheme was fraught with issues, had "fundamental flaws", and was not good enough for the town.

A previous meeting in February saw the committee defer a decision on concerns over the affordable housing mix and layout, car parking provision, details of the play area, and the impact on the landscape.

Persimmon Homes had said that they had addressed issues and requested that in line with the officer recommendation, the scheme be approved.

But councillors were still concerned over the impact on the landscape and boundary treatments and they unanimously rejected the plans.

Image source, Google

Lucy Wilson
BBC Radio Devon

The plaques have both been commissioned by the Exeter Labour Women's Council.

One commemorates Edith Splatt, the first woman who was elected to the city council, who was also a dress-maker, writer, author and suffragettes supporter.

The other plaque marks the life of Rachel Allen, the first Labour woman to sit on the authority.

Ed Oldfield
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Householders have complained about more delays to kerbside recycling collections in Torbay.

In one road in Brixham, residents waited for eight days before their recycling and food waste was collected.

Contractor TOR2 has blamed “unexpected circumstances” leading to a shortage of drivers which left up to four rounds running late.

The latest reports of a backlog follow collection delays in the new year blamed on a larger than expected volume of cardboard being left out. That followed a summer of missed collections blamed on a shortage of drivers and problems with vehicles.

Torbay Council has ordered a fleet of new kerbside recycling vehicles which have greater capacity and are more efficient.

They will be leased to TOR2 and the first are expected to start operation in a few weeks’ time.

The council also decided to take back control of the service when its contract with TOR2 ends next year.

Food waste and recycling is collected weekly in Torbay, with landfill collected fortnightly.

Image source, LDRS

Miles Davis
BBC News Online

The Met Office has issued a weather warning with more heavy rain expected this afternoon across Devon and Cornwall.

Here is what the Met Office said to watch out for:

• Bus and train services affected with journey times taking longer
• Spray and flooding on roads will make journey times longer
• A few homes and businesses flooded
• Some interruption to power supplies and other services

The warning is in place until 19:00.

Image source, OpenMapTiles

The track in Dawlish has proven susceptible to flooding since it was repaired after the 2014 storms.

Sophie Pierce
BBC Radio Devon

The number of children being home educated in Devon has more than doubled in the last five years, according to figures from Devon County Council.

Councillors on its children's scrutiny committee will hear later how the number has increased from 750 to nearly 1,600 and how about a third of these children have special needs.

It's thought the growth in home education is due in part to the increasing number of parents of children with disabilities who feel the schools are letting them down.

Lyndsay Haywood is home educating her eight-year-old daughter who has autism.

She says she was forced into it after the school failed to meet her daughter's needs...

Earlier this year, regulator Ofsted said there were "significant areas of weakness" in the service provided by Devon for children with special needs.

Devon County Council said the situation is being exacerbated by continuing budget cuts from central government.

Councillor James McInnes, who chairs a national group of local councils lobbying the government for more education funding, conceded the situation was not ideal and was also worried about disillusioned parents taking their children out of school.

Almost a third of local authority secondary schools in England were unable to cover their costs, a study from the Education Policy Institute earlier this year suggested.

But the Department for Education said that, across all types of state schools, more than 90% are in surplus.

BBC Spotlight

A boxer from Cornwall has made history after becoming what is believed to be the first Cornishman in more than 100 years to win a professional boxing title.

Brad Paul, 26, knocked out Darren Codona in the third round of their bout on Saturday to take the Southern Area title in London.

Known as the Newquay Bomb, he started boxing aged 10 and turned professional four years ago. He remains undefeated.

He tweeted, external his latest win had helped turn "my dreams to reality" and "meant the world to me".

He added: "Thanks every single person who supports me. Really lucky from the support I get."

Image source, Brad Paul

National One side Plymouth Albion appoint former player Ben Gulliver as their new head coach.

Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport

Ben Gulliver has been appointed as the new head coach of Plymouth Albion.

The 38-year-old replaces Kieran Hallett at the National One side and returns to the club where he spent two seasons as a player from 2006 before moving to the Cornish Pirates.

"I feel so privileged to be asked to be head coach at Plymouth Albion. It really feels like I’m coming home,” said Gulliver, who also spent time with Premiership side Worcester.

“I know a few of the guys at Plymouth from my playing days there and I have a good understanding of them as individuals and I think that will help us develop as a team.

Image source, Getty Images

"I’ll be going in with a blank canvas and I want to get to know the players better. We’ll work hard but there will be fun. I think there’s a very good, strong squad here and it gives me something to get my teeth into.”

Albion’s managing director Max Venables commented: "Ben has a wealth of experience and knowledge, both on and off the field, and is really passionate about Plymouth Albion.

"Ben shares our vision of where we want the club to get to, so - combined with the work that we have been putting in quietly behind the scenes - we believe that we will have a very strong squad and sense of direction for the forthcoming season.

“I am feeling extremely positive about Plymouth Albion and the direction it is going in right now.”

BBC Spotlight

Community groups and charities in Honiton have been pitching for funding by impressing a panel of "dragons", a la television programme Dragon's Den.

In the TV show (pictured below), entrepreneurs pitch for investment from five multi-millionaires willing to invest their own money in exchange for equity.

In Devon, people applying for cash had to persuade both the Devon dragons and an audience that their projects deserved support.

Organisations including a breast feeding support group and a youth club were among the successful bidders.

East Devon District Council said it was a more fun way of applying for grants than filling in forms.

BBC Radio Devon

A man has died in a road crash near Kingsbridge on Sunday morning.

The 30-year-old, who was local to the area, was involved in a single vehicle crash on the A381, near Pier's Cottage in West Alvington, police said.

Emergency services were called at about 05:50 and found him trapped in his vehicle. He died at the scene.

Police have appealed for witnesses.

BBC Radio Cornwall

One person has been injured after a fire broke out on Sunday night at a house near St Austell.

Four fire appliances were sent to Beacon Road in Foxhole at about 20:00 after a 999 call was made by a person who then "abandoned the call", Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said.

One person who suffered smoke inhalation was treated at the scene by paramedics.

Cornwall Live

A freak rain deluge caused flooding along one of Truro's shopping streets on Sunday afternoon.

Businesses owners in New Bridge Street have been left mopping up the mess after the downpour, external.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Two people have been arrested after a suspected hit-and-run in Cornwall, police have said.

Officers were called to Coliza Hill near Sticker in St Austell at about 02:35 on Sunday.

A 24-year-old pedestrian was hit by the car and is currently in hospital with "serious head and chest injuries", Devon and Cornwall Police said.

The car involved did not stop at the scene and was found - damaged - nearby.

A 23-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man were arrested for driving offences.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Devon and Cornwall Police via 101.

BBC Radio Devon

Councillors in Torridge will later debate whether to ban noisy fireworks displays in Bideford.

Locals say the site usually used for main displays in the town is right next to a popular roosting area for starlings at Bideford Long Bridge.

A petition has already been handed to Torridge District Council by people who are concerned by the alleged distress and harm caused to wildlife by what they call "inappropriate firework displays".

Bideford Town Council says it's already considered the matter at a number of meetings and is looking at a number of other options, including laser shows, silent fireworks and moving main displays to a new venue.