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National Grid customers in Plymouth to get safety check visits

Plymouth residents are to get electric supply safety checks as part of an inspection programme, National Grid says. The utility provider said some domestic and small business customers in the PL1 postcode, including the city centre, Stoke and Devonport areas, were to be visited by approved contractors from 22 October to check "service termination points [known as cut-outs] inside properties are working as they should".Bosses said inspectors would visually check energy suppliers' equipment and record basic details. No…

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Devon carbon monoxide warning as poisoning cases rise

Devon carbon monoxide warning as poisoning cases rise

BBCThe fire service said carbon monoxide alarms saved livesResidents are being urged to install carbon monoxide detectors in their homes after a rise in poisoning cases. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the number of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning cases had doubled nationwide since 2020.It said call-outs to suspected poisoning cases across the country peaked this year at 7703, up from 3,876 in 2020.Mike Porter, manager for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, said an…

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Thousands evacuate Philippine coast as Tropical Storm Fengshen approaches | Climate Crisis News

The country is hit by some 20 storms and typhoons a year, striking disaster-prone areas where millions live in poverty.Published On 18 Oct 202518 Oct 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareThousands of residents of a Philippine island have fled their homes along the Pacific coast as weather experts warned of coastal flooding ahead of the approach of Tropical Storm Fengshen, rescue officials said.The eye of the storm was forecast to brush past Catanduanes, an impoverished island of…

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Trump administration furloughs nuclear weapons agency staff due to shutdown | Nuclear Weapons News

About 1,400 workers will be cut from the agency, which is responsible for overseeing the US nuclear weapons stockpile.The administration of United States President Donald Trump has announced that it will furlough about 1,400 workers at the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) starting next week due to the ongoing shutdown of the US government.A spokesman at the Department of Energy, of which the NNSA is a semiautonomous branch, said on Friday that nearly 400 workers would remain at…

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Hamas hands over remains of one more Israeli captive, vows to return rest | Israel-Palestine conflict News

Hamas has handed over the remains of an additional captive it recovered in the ravaged Gaza Strip, as the Palestinian group urges mediators and the international community to pressure Israel to open border crossings and allow aid in.The armed wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, said in a statement on Friday that its fighters handed over the remains at 11pm local time (20:00 GMT), without elaborating on where the body was retrieved.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of…

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Camborne balloon launches ‘new way’ to track space weather

Camborne balloon launches ‘new way’ to track space weather

Tomasz Maciulewicz/BBCThe new monitor could help understanding of the impacts of space weatherThe Met Office has launched radiation sensors strapped to a weather balloon to go more than 100,000ft (30,480m) above its site in Cornwall to improve forecasts.The monitor launched at Camborne is one of two sent up above the UK - with another going from Lerwick in Shetland.The readings will help weather experts understand radiation levels through the atmosphere and how they differ from ground level to…

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Doctor who exposed himself to teen McDonald’s worker struck off

Doctor who exposed himself to teen McDonald’s worker struck off

Getty ImagesThe incident happened at a McDonald's drive-through restaurant in BristolA doctor who exposed himself to a 16-year-old McDonald's worker at a drive-through has been struck off.Emmanuel Hakem committed the act after the girl gave him his order at a branch in Bristol in October 2022.Hakem, who was training in obstetrics and gynaecology at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust at the time, was erased from the medical register on Friday.After his arrest, Hakem was still allowed…

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Residents report unpleasant smell in Tiverton

A council is investigating a "mysterious" and "unpleasant" smell in a Devon town after a number of complaints.Mid Devon District Council has received multiple complaints from residents about a smell affecting parts of Tiverton, the cause of which is still to be determined.To help the council with its investigation, people experiencing the smell have been asked to complete diary sheets until the end of the month.The diary sheets should contain the type of smell and the impact it…

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Woman hit by car at Devon hospital suffering head injury

BBCPolice are appealing for witnesses and information following the collision at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital on FridayA woman has serious head and leg injuries after being hit by a car within the grounds of a Devon hospital, police have said. Devon and Cornwall Police said it received reports at about 10:35 BST on Friday to a collision involving a black Toyota Yaris and a pedestrian at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.Officers said the woman in…

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Former church leader denies sexual assault charges, court hears

A former Methodist church leader has pleaded not guilty to charges of sexual assault and indecent assault, a court has heard. Steven Wild, 71, of Steeple Close in St Ives, appeared at Truro Crown Court on Friday.Wild was charged with eleven offences which involved a number of women between 2004 and 2019. A trial has been set for November 2026 and he has been remanded on unconditional bail until a review hearing in September next year. Wild, who…

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Disgraced officer would have been dismissed, police panel finds

Disgraced officer would have been dismissed, police panel finds

A police officer who formed an inappropriate relationship with a woman he met on duty would have been sacked had he not resigned, a misconduct panel has ruled.In July Martyn Newitt from Liskeard admitted misconduct in public office and misusing a computer to secure unauthorised access to data and was given a 12 month suspended prison sentence at Bristol Crown Court. He was a temporary police sergeant when he visited the woman after an incident involving her ex…

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Newquay Zoo wins gold in first try at bloom awards

Newquay Zoo wins gold in first try at bloom awards

Newquay ZooThe zoo's head gardener is Damian KingNewquay Zoo has won a gold award with its first entry into the South West in Bloom contest despite it being put up for sale earlier this month. The zoo is home to 850 animals, including 49 endangered species, and is based in Trenance Gardens.A spokesperson said it was awarded a gold medal in the contest, hosted this year at the English Riviera Centre in Torquay, for its "vibrant planting schemes".Newquay…

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