Rebecca Thorn
BBC News

A man has been seriously injured in a crash on the A30 near Lewannick in Cornwall.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the man had been taken to hospital after becoming trapped in his vehicle.

His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or changing, the force said.

A second man suffered minor injuries in the two-vehicle crash.

Police said the road had been reopened after becoming blocked in both directions.

BBC Spotlight

Family doctors in Devon will begin giving the coronavirus vaccine to local people from today as eight vaccination centres open serving 49 of the county’s practices.

The sites - which have been specially adapted - include Exmouth Tennis and Fitness Centre, The Staddy Function Centre in Plymouth, and the Riviera International Centre in Torquay.

At the tennis centre, patients from 10 local practices will be vaccinated on one of the indoor courts.

Lundy, off the Devon coast, is looking for people "of a hardy nature" to live on the isolated island.

The Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital is under "huge pressure" due to the impact of coronavirus.

Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service

The number of patients in hospital across Devon and Cornwall following a positive Covid-19 test has fallen in the last seven days.

Image source, Reuters

NHS England figures , externalshow that as of 8 December, there were 231 patients across Devon and Cornwall, in hospital after a positive Covid-19 test.

This compares to 255 as of 1 December.

Patient numbers within hospitals in Cornwall have decreased, as they have at the Royal Devon and Exeter, Derriford Hospital, Torbay Hospital and at Livewell South West facilities, while the numbers at North Devon District Hospital are unchanged.

The Nightingale Hospital in Exeter has seen an increase in the number of patients, rising to 32 from 20 as of last week.

The figures show there were 88 patients in the Royal Devon and Exeter (down from 101), 36 in Derriford Hospital in Plymouth (down from 45), 23 in Torbay Hospital (down from 28), 37 in North Devon District Hospital (unchanged), five at the Royal Cornwall Hospital (unchanged), two in Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust hospitals (down from 6).

There were seven patients at Livewell SouthWest facilities (down from 12) and one at Devon Partnership Trust facilities (unchanged).

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service

The number of new coronavirus cases confirmed across Devon and Cornwall in the previous seven days has fallen below 1,000 for the first time since the start of October.

A total of 869 new cases have been confirmed across the two counties, the lowest since the week ending 2 October, with 104 cases confirmed on Friday the lowest since 12 October.

But while cases are falling in most areas, there have been very small rises in Mid Devon, East Devon and Teignbridge.

Torridge has seen cases drop by more than two thirds, while the South Hams has seen just 16 cases confirmed in seven days.

A council-led development in Truro includes schools, offices, restaurants, and shops.

BBC Radio Devon

The number of new coronavirus cases confirmed across Devon and Cornwall in the previous seven days has fallen below 1,000 for the first time since the start of October.

A total of 869 new cases have been confirmed across the two counties, the lowest since the week ending 2 October, with the 104 cases confirmed on Friday the lowest since 12 October.

But while cases are falling in most areas, there have been very small rises in Mid Devon, East Devon and Teignbridge.

Torridge has seen cases drop by more than two thirds, while the South Hams has seen just 16 cases confirmed in seven days.

Sumatran tiger sisters Padme and Carrie are moving from Denmark to Devon.

BBC Radio Devon

Thousands of businesses in the South West dependent on tourism will close if parts of the region remains under tier two Covid restrictions, tourism leaders have said.

The placing of areas in each tier in England will be reviewed every 14 days, with the first review due by 16 December.

The head of Visit Devon has called for government grants to support the hospitality sector for the current tier two county.

Sally Everton said one of the main problems was cash flow.

"There are no cash reserves for any of these businesses, so cash is what they need to survive," she said.

"Furlough is fine, but it doesn't pay the rent, it doesn't pay the overhead bills. That's where they need their help, and they certainly need that to survive through until Easter."

Cornwall is currently in tier one.

Latest news and updates from Devon and Cornwall.

The county could receive just 5% of replacement funding, according to a local councillor.

The exhibition is using artwork from residents to raise money and awareness for homelessness.

BBC Radio Devon

Police officers in Newton Abbot have thanked a local Women's Institute who knitted them 17 little cuddly bears to be used as ‘Police Buddies’.

The teddy bears are to be carried in patrol cars and used to comfort young children who are distressed or experiencing a traumatic event - in the hope they will help comfort them as well as reassuring them that police are there to help.

The Newton Abbot WI group said they did it as a way of thanking the police for their work throughout the Coronavirus pandemic.

Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service

The number of patients in hospital across Devon and Cornwall following a positive Covid-19 test has fallen in the last week.

NHS England figures show that as of Tuesday morning, there were 231 patients across Devon and Cornwall in hospital after a positive Covid-19 test, compared to 255 as of 1 December.

Patient numbers within hospitals in Cornwall have decreased, as they have at the Royal Devon and Exeter, Derriford Hospital, Torbay Hospital and at Livewell South West facilities, while the numbers at North Devon District Hospital are unchanged.

The Nightingale Hospital in Exeter has seen an increase in the number of patients, rising to 32 from 20 as of last week.

The number of patients in mechanical ventilation beds has fallen as well, dropping from 19 to 12, with four at the RD&E, five at Derriford Hospital and three in North Devon District Hospital.

There are no mechanical ventilation beds in Cornwall or Torbay being occupied by patients following a positive Covid-19 test.

The figures show the amount of patients in hospital following a positive Covid-19 test who are currently occupying a bed:

• Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital has 88 patients, down from 101
• Derriford Hospital in Plymouth has 36 patients, down from 45
• Torbay Hospital has 23 patients, down from 28
• North Devon District Hospital is unchanged at 37 patients
• Royal Cornwall Hospital has five patients (unchanged)
• Cornish Partnership Trust hospitals have two patients, down from six
• Livewell SouthWest facilities have seven patients, down from 12
• Devon Partnership Trust facilities (unchanged) has one patient (unchanged)
• Nightingale Exeter has 32 patients, up from 20

Not every patient would necessarily have been admitted to hospital due to Covid-19, with a number of patients either contracting the virus inside the hospital, or being admitted for unrelated reasons but subsequently testing positive asymptotically when given routine tests.

BBC Radio Cornwall

A theatre in Truro is getting £2m from the government to help with renovation and assist with the loss of fundraising during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Hall for Cornwall is due to open in 2021 after an extensive refurbishment project.

It is hoped the 175-year-old building will attract A-list acts and West End tours.

Julian Boast, CEO, said the government money will enable the theatre to open next September and deal with "all the things that have gone wrong".

"I'm the luckiest boy today to be able to say that to the residents of Cornwall" he added.

No children were injured when the school bus collided with a wall in Newton Abbot.

The unmanned aircraft took an NHS supply box to the islands and returned with local produce.

James Dundon
BBC Radio Cornwall

Eighty-five per cent of businesses visited by Cornwall Council's Covid rules enforcement team are complying, Cornwall Council has said.

In a weekly press briefing, Councillor Rob Nolan said since the second lockdown 400 out of 700 businesses they are "supporting" to meet Covid safety guidance have been visited, and of those 85% were compliant.

Council marshalls are on patrol in towns during the day and also at night during weekends.

Councillor Nolan urged the public to respect the roles of the marshalls to help keep infection rates low.

He said it was important to help Cornwall to avoid going from tier one into tier two from Monday 16 December when the government undertakes a review.

Image source, Google