THREE deaths in Newton Abbot in nearly as many hours made it a manic Monday for over-stretched emergency services yesterday.

They dealt with a trio a tragedies in Spencer Road, Quay Terrace and on the Buckland estate.

The most recent and dramatic was in Spencer Road off East Street where a 31-year-old man in the property was pronounced dead after paramedics battled to save him.

Police and officers from the Royal Navy Explosive Ordnance Department were called in later in the afternoon amid fears chemicals found at the property might be explosive.

Some 40 properties in the neighbourhood were evacuated as a 200m cordon was established around the dead man’s home.

The cordon was only lifted in the early hours of this morning.

A police spokesman said afterwards: ‘Residents were allowed to return to their homes as we were content that the items found were not a risk to the wider public.’

He added: ‘We currently believe that the chemicals found within the property are not explosive, however specialist trained officers remain at the scene to continue testing items within the property.’

The Spencer Road drama kicked off at 4.15pm. An hour earlier a similar cordon was set up in Quay Terrace where the body of a 21-year-old man was found.

And just before midday, officers were called to an address in Hockmore Drive, off Haytor Drive in Buckland, with the discovery of the body of a 47-year-old man.

Police said none of the deaths was suspicious or related to each other.

Next of kin of all three men have been informed – as has the South Devon coroner.