Minor Counties cricket is to change its name after 124 years to the rebranded National Counties Cricket Association in 2020.

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

Barry Quick from Ipplepen has sent us this great photo of a sheepish encounter he had while out near Haldon forest, near Ashcombe.

Image source, Barry Quick

Have you any pictures you want to share with us? If so, please email them in.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at a North Devon college will be taking strike action this month in a fight for fair pay.

Walkouts at Petroc are due to take place on Tuesday 29 January and Wednesday 30 January.

College staff initially walked out for two days in November.

The dispute centres on what the UCU calls the "failure of colleges to make a decent pay offer to staff who have seen the value of their pay decline by 25% in the past decade".

UCU members are walking out on strike at 16 colleges in England as part of the campaign for fair pay.

Image source, Google

Cornwall Live

A Cornish pasty shop could soon be serving food to ravenous revellers until the early hours of the morning, external.The Pasty Shack in Falmouth, which is home to more than 5,000 students, has applied for a licence to remain open until 03:00 on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Jenny Kumah
BBC South West politics reporter

Four sites in Plymouth could get new protection against unauthorised Gypsy and travellers encampments.

Plymouth City Council members have approved plans to fine anyone using caravans and camping at Central Park, Prince Rock playing fields and land at William Prance Road and Towerfield Drive.

They also agreed on plans to set up temporary stopping places for travellers who've been evicted for trespassing.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A man wearing yellow Wellington boots was "seriously assaulted" in Wadebridge, police have said.

It happened on Friday 4 January at about 00:00 on The Platt.

Officers added the man was approached by a group of people in the road.

They are keen to hear from witnesses and are asking them to contact Devon and Cornwall Police via 101.

Image source, Google

It is thought Jon Lewin had a seizure while surfing on holiday in Sri Lanka and was unable to be revived.

BBC Radio Devon

More than 10,000 trees have been planted in Exeter since the year 2000, according to the city council.

It said many of the trees were planted across the city as part of the council's urban woodland project, but that others had been introduced into parks and open spaces over the years.

The council said it placed a "high value on trees across the city".

It said: "Damaged trees are replaced with new ones and the council works hard to ensure the city stays green, benefiting the lives of residents, visitors and the environment itself."

Devon Live

There has been outrage after a seal was pictured trapped with its head inside a blue plastic bag, external at Brixham marina.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Work to develop plans for Plymouth Sound to be designated the UK's first national marine park is officially being started.

Plymouth City Council said it will lead the project - working with local partners and stakeholders.

It added it will also work with government departments to ensure the marine park has national recognition as well as continuing to get extra funding.

• What is a marine park?, external

To have your say on the plans and find out more, click here., external

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A driver was clocked travelling at 124mph (199kmh) on the A38 in Plymouth, police have said.

The results are from day one of Devon and Cornwall Police's "fortnight of speed enforcement".

Officers said four other motorists were caught driving in excess of 100mph (160kmh) on the A38 too.

Devon and Cornwall Police officially launched its "No Excuse" , externalteam in October - where seven officers are dedicated to targeting offences on the regions roads and to assist and enable fellow roads policing and response officers to do the same.

Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

Police in Kingsbridge are investigating "numerous vehicles" being damaged and a spate of thefts from them.

Officers said on Facebook, external that vehicles parked around Hurrell Road and the Trebblepark estate had their tyres slashed in the early hours of 13 January.

Police are also investigating thefts from between Kingsbridge and Stokenham overnight between 8 and 9 January which saw "some having windows smashed, some had been left secure, and some insecure".

Officer said people should not "leave anything of value in your vehicle".

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

Bat boxes put up at a Devon reservoir have provided "valuable insight into the activities and preferences of eight protected species", those behind their installation say.

One-hundred-and-twenty boxes of five different designs were erected in three woodlands around Burrator in 2010, South West Water and South West Lakes Trust said.

Since then, volunteers had undertaken nearly 7,000 box checks in all types of weather, every month between April and October.

Project leader Paul McNie, from South West Water, said: "Bats are important because they represent over one-third of British mammal species and are indicator species for the health of the environment".

Image source, Burrator Bat Box Scheme

Species of bat found using the boxes have included:

• Common pipistrelle
• Soprano pipistrelle
• Brown long-eared
• Daubentons
• Natterers
• Whiskered
• Barbastelle
• Noctule

The cost of preparing Dorset Police's planned merger with Devon and Cornwall's force is revised.

Kevin Gale, who has paranoid schizophrenia, was unfit to stand trial over the stabbing of Lee Turner.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

An 11-year-old boy was left bruised and shaken up after a hit-and-run in Cornwall, police have said.

It happened in Port Gaverne near Port Issac on Friday 11 January at about 16:00.

The boy was struck by a silver Mercedes car, which failed to stop and subsequently drove off at speed, officers added.

The car is described as "sporty looking" with blacked out windows.

Any witnesses are asked to contact Devon and Cornwall Police via 101.

Image source, Google

Richard Whitehouse
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans to demolish a house in Carbis Bay, St Ives and replace it with eight new ones have been thrown out unanimously by councillors.

Cornwall Council's west sub-area planning committee considered the application from Andrew McGivern when it met on Tuesday morning.

The application was to demolish the house known as Little Hendra in Boskerris Road and replace it with eight houses.

Planning officers at the council had recommended the plans for approval but the committee voted unanimously to refuse planning permission.

St Ives Town Council said it had the "strongest possible objection" to the plans with concerns about them being an overdevelopment of the site with an excessive amount of hard landscaping and a loss of green space.

Image source, LDRS

Sarah Ransome
BBC Radio 5 live

Image source, Family Handout

A north Devon man who stabbed to death a complete stranger in a supermarket car park has been sentenced to be detained indefinitely in a secure hospital.

Kevin Gale, who suffers from schizophrenia, stabbed Lee Turner in broad daylight after Mr Turner (pictured) had bought milk at Tesco in Barnstaple last August.

Following a three-day trial, a jury at Exeter Crown Court ruled 51-year-old Gale carried out the attack.

Psychiatrists told the court Gale was unfit to plead. He did not attend court then or for his sentencing on Tuesday afternoon.

The court heard Gale's family had repeatedly asked local mental health teams for help without success.

Judge Peter Johnson said it was a "particularly tragic" case.

Last week, the Devon Partnership NHS Trust said it had commissioned an independent investigation into the incident.

Charlie Dennis was pictured apparently playing the card game Solitaire.

Robert Monks' partner Kelly Pearce died as a result of his "appalling" driving, a judge said.