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Man in his 70s suffers life-threatening injuries in e-bike smash

Devon and Cornwall Police
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Man in his 70s suffers life-threatening injuries in e-bike smash

Police are appealing for witnesses and footage following a serious road traffic collision in Plymouth.

Officers attended Mannamead Road at around 8.10pm on Wednesday 27 May following a report of a single vehicle collision involving an electric pedal assisted bike.

The rider of the bike – a man in his 70s from Plymouth – sustained life-threatening injuries and remains in hospital at this time. His next of kin are aware.

The road was closed while an investigation was carried out at the scene.

Officers from the Roads Policing Team would like to thank the public for their patience while the road was closed.

Anyone with any relevant information and dash-cam footage which may assist the investigation is asked to contact Police via our website, or by calling 101, quoting log number 956 of 27 May.

Big Brother van hits Paignton streets in crackdown on crime hotspots

Devon and Cornwall Police
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Big Brother van hits Paignton streets in crackdown on crime hotspots

Police in Paignton are pleased to announce they now have the use of a new CCTV van as they strive to improve and maintain public safety.

The highly visible state of the art vehicle can record and gather information and evidence, as well as acting as a deterrent to potential offenders   

Paignton Neighbourhood Police Team will be making use of the mobile CCTV unit which can be deployed across the town whenever and wherever it is needed, including at large public events.

The van has two high-definition 360-degree cameras that can be set to a height of 8m (26ft) and can capture activity up to 6.2 miles (10km) away from the van.

Paignton Sector Inspector Pete Giesens said: “This fantastic additional resource will help us monitor areas affected by anti-social behaviour, gather evidence, reassure the public and support our ongoing work to keep communities safe.

“The mobile CCTV van will be deployed in busy hotspot locations including White Rock, The Esplanade and Paignton town centre. We hope the presence of this unit will act as a deterrent and provide reassurance to residents, businesses and visitors alike.

“We are urging the public to continue to report incidents of anti-social behaviour so we can target patrols and resources where they are most needed.”

The CCTV van will help collect vital evidence and aims to tackle crime before it happens. The mobile unit is part of a strategy aimed at deterring people from committing crime and giving the community a greater sense of safety and reassurance.

Officers can use the CCTV van in areas identified as hotspots for anti-social behaviour and crime. It can operate during the day and at night to record and monitor activity in the area in real time.

To report incidents please dial 101 or visit the Devon & Cornwall Police website Home | Devon & Cornwall Police

You can also report anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555111.  For regular updates please follow Paignton Police on Facebook.

Family’s fury after ‘strawberry bandits’ caught on camera at fridge shop

Devon Today
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Family’s fury after ‘strawberry bandits’ caught on camera at fridge shop

Trust was left bruised at a small honesty fridge after seven punnets of strawberries were allegedly taken without payment.

Bri & Gills Fridge Shop Cullompton said the fruit, worth £10.50 in total, had been grown, picked, packaged and put out for sale by an elderly couple.

The shop said the strawberries were being sold for £1.50 a punnet through an honesty fridge system based on trust.

In a Facebook post, the business claimed two boys made a “couple of visits” and took seven punnets.

It said they had been caught on doorbell camera and CCTV, with audio, allegedly discussing prices while helping themselves.

The post added that one boy in a white shirt put a hood or dark jumper around his head during the second visit.

The business said: “For anyone wondering why this has wound me up so much: these are elderly people getting up early, working long hours in all weathers, trying to run an honest little setup based on trust.

“And today that trust got completely taken the piss out of.”

The shop said footage and images would be handed to police unless the £10.50 owed was paid back “ASAP”.

It added: “Frankly, it’s not even about the money now — it’s the principle and the sheer disrespect.”

The business appealed for anyone who recognises the boys, or saw them nearby, to send a private message.

It also urged the parents of the youngsters to “teach your kids some honesty” and pay what is owed before the matter goes further.

Fears for Exmoor ponies as moorland grazing shake-up sparks outrage

Aaron James
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Fears for Exmoor ponies as moorland grazing shake-up sparks outrage

Conservationists and farming communities on Exmoor are watching with alarm as Natural England’s new grazing contracts threaten to remove up to 90% of Dartmoor’s semi-wild hill ponies, with serious concerns that similar proposals could soon be imposed on Exmoor, home to one of Britain’s most endangered native breeds.

The contracts, which could come into force as early as late 2026, would for the first time count Dartmoor’s hill ponies within overall livestock grazing quotas, forcing commoners to remove them in favour of cattle and sheep. Campaigners warn the move is ecologically illiterate, the ponies are among the most effective grazers of invasive Molinia grass, which is choking out native species across moorland habitats.

The warning is especially acute for Exmoor. The Exmoor pony is listed on the Rare Breed Survival Trust’s Category 2 Endangered List, and the indigenous core population living on Exmoor is considered critically endangered. With around 500 ponies living on the moor and fewer than 4,000 worldwide, the breed is one of the most genetically vulnerable native horse breeds in existence. Following a severe genetic bottleneck after the Second World War, the current Exmoor pony population is descended from fewer than fifty foundation animals. Any further reduction in free-living moorland herds risks pushing the breed beyond the point of genetic recovery.

James Wright, a farmer on Exmoor and Conservative campaigner, said: “What Natural England is doing on Dartmoor today, they could be doing on Exmoor tomorrow. These ponies are not an inconvenience, they are part of the ecological fabric of this landscape, and they have been here far longer than the London bureaucrats now deciding their fate. If we allow this to happen on Dartmoor without challenge, we are handing Natural England a template for every moor in England.”

A petition started by campaigner Tara Leader has already gathered nearly 15,000 signatures, and supporters plan to deliver it to Downing Street on 2nd September, accompanied by six Dartmoor hill ponies. Supporters are urging the DEFRA Secretary of State and local MPs to call for an immediate pause and independent ecological review of the contracts before they come into force.

The petition can be found here https://c.org/PMjHDtSX5V

CCTV appeal after thief swipes thousands of pounds in beauty goods

Devon and Cornwall Police
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CCTV appeal after thief swipes thousands of pounds in beauty goods

Officers have issued an image of a woman they would like to identify following the theft of more than £4,400 worth of beauty products from a Torquay store.

A person entered Boots at Wren Park during opening hours and stole more than 100 items including facial skincare products, electric toothbrush heads and Nicorette mouth sprays.

Police investigating the 28 March theft would like to identify the woman pictured as she may be able to assist with their enquiries.

Anyone who recognises her or has any information which may assist with the investigation is asked to come forward.

Please contact police online or by telephone on 101, quoting crime reference 50260079997.

Information can also be passed anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555111, or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Motorcyclist dies after horror crash on quiet Devon country road

Devon and Cornwall Police
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Motorcyclist dies after horror crash on quiet Devon country road

A man has died following a single-vehicle collision near Barnstaple.

Emergency services were called at around 8.20am on Friday 22 May, to an unnamed road between Filliegh and Swimbridge to a serious collision which involved a Honda motorcycle.

The motorbike rider, a 63-year-old man from Swimbridge, sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to hospital.

Officers were notified that he has since died of his injuries. His next of kin have been informed.

We are continuing to appeal for information and dashcam footage following the incident.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, or has any information or dash-cam footage, is asked to contact us via our website here or by calling 101 quoting reference number 50260129430.

Barnstaple’s new SpudBros branch launches free potato giveaway for fans

Devon Today
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Barnstaple’s new SpudBros branch launches free potato giveaway for fans

Potato lovers in North Devon are being offered the chance to pick up a free jacket potato just weeks after one of social media’s biggest food brands opened its latest store in Barnstaple.

SpudBros, which recently launched its new Express outlet at Roundswell Roundabout in Barnstaple, is giving away 100 free jacket potatoes to customers on Saturday, May 30, to mark International Day of the Potato.

The Barnstaple branch opened on Tuesday, May 19, and is one of 15 new locations confirmed by the company during 2026 as part of plans to open 30 roadside SpudBros sites across petrol forecourts over the next three years. The store is located at Roundswell Roundabout, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 3NP and is open daily from 11am until 10pm.

As part of the nationwide promotion, the first 100 customers purchasing a jacket potato at the Barnstaple store from opening time on Saturday will receive a complimentary potato. The offer is being rolled out across all participating SpudBros Express locations.

The SpudBros brand began in 1955 as a family business operating from Preston’s Flag Market. Brothers Jacob and Harley Nelson later expanded the business, building a substantial following through social media and growing the brand across the UK.

Jacob Nelson, co-founder of SpudBros, said: “It’s crazy to think something as simple as a jacket potato has built this kind of community.

“International Day of the Potato felt like the perfect excuse to give something back to the people who queue up, support us online and have helped turn SpudBros into what it is today.

“We can’t wait to see everyone in store and celebrate properly with free spuds across the country.”

The company said the Express format is designed to bring its loaded jacket potatoes to high-footfall locations while supporting the continued expansion of the business nationwide.

Future of Plymouth venue hangs in balance after police intervention

Lewis Clarke
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Future of Plymouth venue hangs in balance after police intervention

The future of a Plymouth nightlife venue is hanging in the balance after police secured the suspension of its premises licence while allegations of serious crime and disorder are examined.

Devon & Cornwall Police submitted an application for a summary review of the premises licence for The Complex, at 8 Keyham Road, Keyham, under Section 53A of the Licensing Act 2003. The application states the premises is associated with both serious crime and serious disorder.

According to a report prepared for Plymouth City Council’s Licensing Sub Committee, the application was received on Tuesday, May 5. Superintendent Reid submitted a certificate and review application requesting that the venue’s licence be reconsidered.

The premises licence is held by The Complex @ No.6 Limited. The sole director of the company is Huw Jones, who is also the designated premises supervisor for the venue.

A meeting of the Licensing Sub Committee was held on Wednesday, May 6 to consider whether interim measures should be introduced while the review process continues. After considering the information available at the time, councillors decided to suspend the premises licence.

A licensing officer subsequently attended the premises on the afternoon of May 6 to display a site notice, while a similar notice was published online later that day.

The council report states the Licensing Authority must determine the review within 28 days of receiving the application.

The venue’s licence permits a range of activities including live music, recorded music, dance performances, late-night refreshment and the sale of alcohol, with opening hours extending into the early hours of the morning.

The report notes that no representations were received from Environmental Health, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, Trading Standards, planning officers, child protection services, the Health & Safety Executive, Public Health, Immigration Enforcement or the Licensing Authority.

Seven letters supporting the licence holder were submitted by residents. A further four representations were rejected because they did not relate to the licensing objectives.

When determining the review, councillors must consider the promotion of the licensing objectives, including the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm.

The committee has a number of options available, including modifying licence conditions, removing licensable activities, removing the designated premises supervisor, suspending the licence for up to three months or revoking the licence entirely.

Any decision may be appealed to the magistrates’ court within 21 days of notification. The report states any interim steps will remain in force during the appeal period.

Historic Plymouth pier could be saved after storm damage sparked repairs plan

Lewis Clarke
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Historic Plymouth pier could be saved after storm damage sparked repairs plan

A storm-hit historic pier could be brought back from the brink under plans to repair damage and stabilise its structure.

Plymouth City Council has applied for listed building consent for structural repairs and reinstatement works at West Hoe Pier, off West Hoe Road in Plymouth.

The scheme would see repairs made to the pier and its steps following storm damage, including work linked to a breach caused by Storm Bram.

The Grade II listed maritime structure dates from the late 19th century and sits within the Plymouth Hoe Conservation Area.

According to the heritage statement, the pier forms part of Plymouth’s historic coastal infrastructure and contributes to the seafront landscape.

The proposed works include removing defective grout infill from previous repairs, investigating voids and damaged areas, and recovering displaced historic face stones from the seabed.

Stonework would be carefully dismantled and rebuilt in three main areas, with original stone reused where possible.

The plans also include modern inert grout at lower levels, fibre-reinforced concrete infill at higher levels, and reconstruction of the existing stone steps with concealed structural pinning.

The heritage statement says the work would cause “less than substantial harm at the lowest end of the scale”, but says this would be outweighed by public benefits including long-term conservation, structural stability, continued public access and preservation of the conservation area.

It adds that doing nothing was not considered viable because of ongoing structural failure.

Tavistock housing plan could see 143 homes built beside Violet Lane

Lewis Clarke
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Tavistock housing plan could see 143 homes built beside Violet Lane

A major housing plan could see fields on the edge of Tavistock transformed into a 143-home estate, with new access roads, open space and ecological areas forming part of the scheme.

Tavistock LVA LLP has submitted an outline planning application for land at SX 491 745, off Violet Lane, with all matters reserved except access.

The proposal includes up to 143 homes, including affordable housing, public open space, dedicated ecological areas, drainage, landscaping and ancillary works. Access would be taken from Mount Tavy Road, Violet Lane and Green Lane.

The site is made up of three parcels of agricultural land next to the eastern edge of Tavistock and measures about 7.61 hectares.

Planning documents say the application seeks to provide 30% affordable housing on site.

A design and access statement says the illustrative masterplan shows how the site could deliver up to 143 homes alongside public open space, with finer details to be decided at reserved matters stage.

The landscape assessment says the northern field would remain as green public open space, while homes would mainly be built on the southern and western fields.

A community consultation ran from Friday, November 28 to Friday, December 19, with leaflets delivered to 221 local properties and letters sent to 38 homes accessed from Violet Lane.

The consultation received 46 responses. Around 91% objected, while about 9% neither supported nor objected. Concerns included housing demand, traffic, landscape views, infrastructure and wildlife.

A meeting was also held with Tavistock Town Council’s development management and licensing committee on Tuesday, January 27.

The landscape report concluded there were “no compelling arguments” to refuse the development on landscape and visual impact grounds.

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