The outage came amid warnings of ice and snow in Devon as temperatures are expected to drop to freezing overnight.

One woman wrote on Facebook: “Couldn’t be worse weather for this to happen. Please check on any elderly/vulnerable neighbours tonight.”

Offers of help including a spare electric heater for the vulnerable were being made on social media.

The Codfather fish and chip shop in Kingsbridge announced it would not be opening as a result of the outage.