Updates on 24 February 2015
More news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Wednesday
Jonathan Morris
BBC News Online
That's all from BBC Local Live in Devon & Cornwall for today, we'll be back at 08:00 to bring you all the day's news, sport, travel and weather updates.
Don't miss BBC Spotlight at 18:30 and the late bulletin at 22:30 tonight. Cheers all.
The top stories at 1800 include
Cornwall's hospitals remain on black alert, the highest level the NHS has, but NHS Kernow says things are getting better.
A Devon MP says politicians shouldn't be barred from having second jobs - despite the latest "cash for access" scandal.
The Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital has just escalated its status from red to black, the highest level the NHS has.
The alert indicates a hospital has officially confirmed its services are overwhelmed by demand.
Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and the Royal Cornwall Hospital are also on black alert.
Concern about possible hospital bed closures in Ilfracombe and South Molton have been raised by North Devon Liberal Democrat MP Sir Nick Harvey.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he understood the concerns and it was "absolutely essential" that NHS managers maintained enough beds to deal with pressure during the winter.
Ben Howard's West Country fans will be delighted after it was confirmed he is headlining the Eden Sessions, external on 17 July.
Howard, who grew up near Totnes in Devon, released his second studio album I Forget Where We Were in October last year.
Charities are to benefit from thousands of pounds overpaid to parking meters in Devon.
Image source, GoogleTorridge District Council, external unanimously approved giving away the estimated £40,000 it gets every year from overpayments.
The machines at its 22 car parks do not give change so many people overpay.
Miles Davis
BBC News Online
Health Minister Dan Poulter MP is visiting the Royal Cornwall Hospital tomorrow to "discuss the current challenges the trust is coping with".
Sarah Newton, Conservative MP for Truro and Falmouth announced the visit and said she would be meeting with the chief executive "to discuss what more can be done to support the RCHT during this challenging time".
West Briton
Newspaper
Some powerful pictures of repairs to storm-damaged Mullion harbour in the West Briton., external
Image source, West BritonThe cove, owned by the National Trust, was extensively damaged last year, and contractors have been brought in to repair both piers in the harbour.
Here's a chance to have fun and raise money for the RNLI, external with a chance to take a 100m ride on a water slide in Plymouth.
Image source, Chris RussellThe slide will be coming to North Cross roundabout on 28 March.
Anyone interested to be in with a chance of sliding should text SLIDE followed by their first name and last name to 88010 before midnight on 18 March. Texts cost £1.50.
The 360 lucky winners will get the chance to have a go in front of their friends and families.
The top stories at 1700 include
A search is under way around Stithians Lake for a man who police say they're concerned about.
Teenage pregnancies in the South West have dropped to a record low according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics.
BBC Spotlight
What's it like to be among the hundreds of people who have had operations cancelled at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth?
Matthew Beadnall, 23, from Torpoint has been waiting five months for an operation to cure abdominal pains he told BBC Spotlight.
An appointment was due on 2 February but it was cancelled four days before.
He is hoping another due on Monday will not be cancelled.
Exeter Express and Echo
Police in East Devon are urging the public to report sightings of possible poaching after a dog walker found three dismembered deer legs in an East Devon beauty spot yesterday morning, the Express and Echo reports., external
Image source, Express and EchoSue Cade, from Buckerell near Honiton, made the gruesome discovery at a secluded area popular with walkers between the villages of Broadhembury and Dunkeswell, a few miles from Honiton.
Julie Skentelbery
Presenter, BBC Radio Cornwall
Two beach walkers on the Isles of Scilly say they were left 'utterly dumbfounded' after spotting a young whale off St Martin's.
Image source, Anna Cawthray Anna Cawthray and Fay Page were walking on Par Beach when they spotted the creature, it's not known what species it was but they reckon it was about 25ft long. Hear the full story on BBC Radio Cornwall after 17:00.
There's been a new twist in the saga over a sign for a park in Mevagissey, the Cornish Guardian reports., external
Image source, Cornish GuardianThe parish council put the plans to reinstate the Hitlers Walk sign on hold after protests.
Now a document has revealed that Cornwall Council contractor, Cormac, had already refused a request to reinstate the sign.
Waves of about 15ft high are expected along the South West coast according to forecaster Magic Seaweed, external.
Image source, Carrian JonesTrevaunance Cove was getting the first taste of the swell this morning in this Vine, external from Carrian Jones.
And you can hear from big wave surfer Andrew Cotton on the Simon Bates show on Radio Devon tomorrow morning.
Brent Pilnick
BBC South West Sport
Truro City chairman Peter Masters says the Cornish Pirates are welcome to share his planned new stadium.
The Pirates, along with Truro and Penwith College, are hoping to build a stadium of their own.
The stadium would be close to the Silver Bow site of City's planned site.
"If people want to come and join our party, which is already funded, i.e. the college or even the Pirates, there's an open invitation there," Masters told BBC Radio Cornwall.
The top stories at 1600 include
Cornwall's hospitals will remain on black alert despite improvements at Treliske in Truro, St Michael's in Hayle and West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance says NHS Kernow.
A former Royal Marine from Tiverton has admitted fraudulently claiming almost £50,000 in disability benefits.
Miles Davis
BBC News Online
There are reports of the police helicopter and five or six police vehicles in the area around Stithians lake.
Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed officers are in the area following concerns for a missing man.
Brent Pilnick
BBC South West Sport
Torquay United's match with Lincoln City this evening in the Conference Premier has been called off.
Plainmoor is waterlogged after recent heavy rain. No new date for the game has been set yet.
BBC Sport
Veteran Redruth forward Damien Cook says "things are coming together" under head coach Steve Larkins.
Image source, Dan Barbary/Redruth RFCAfter years of debt and turbulence in the dugout, this season Redruth are firmly embedded in mid-table in National Two South, having won 10 of their 12 home games.