Updates for Thursdaypublished at 18:00
Live updates for Devon and Cornwall have finished for today, but we'll be back at 08:00 on Friday with the latest news, sport, travel and weather.
Summary
Updates on Thursday 28 January 2016
More news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Friday
Updates for Thursdaypublished at 18:00
Earthquake hits Cornwall with epicentre near Penryn recorded on seismographspublished at 17:58 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
An earthquake struck parts of Cornwall, external – sending a low rumble through houses around the area. But before anyone fears a seismic shift, splitting Cornwall from the rest of mainland Britain, the quake measured only 0.8 on the Richter Scale.
Minister investigating funding of rail reportpublished at 17:53 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
Rail Minister Claire Perry said she was "looking at ways of funding" a £500,000 study into improving rail services in the South West.
It follows criticism by Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw who accused of her not committing money to the project. Railway experts say a relatively small amount of cash is needed to fund some crucial studies, without which, no improvements are possible.
Weather latest: Mainly cloudy and windypublished at 17:48 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
David Braine, Weather ForecasterTonight will be cloudy and windy with outbreaks of rain at times, which may turn a little more persistent towards dawn. Temperatures should not drop much under the cloud. Minimum Temperature: 7 Deg C (45 Deg F).
Tomorrow is going to be a largely cloudy and windy day with the risk of gales along the coasts and moors. There will be some outbreaks of rain around, which should turn heavier and more frequent later on. Maximum Temperature: 12 Deg C (54 Deg F).
Council tax rise 'to fund gap'published at 17:45 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
Simon Hall, Home Affairs Correspondent
BBC SpotlightDevon and Cornwall’s Police and Crime Commissioner says council tax should increase to plug a gap in police funding.
Tony Hogg will ask his scrutiny body, the Police and Crime Panel (PCP), to agree the 1.99% increase for 2016-17 when it meets on 5 February at Plymouth's Council House.
Mr Hogg said: "Since 2009 we have delivered over £58m savings and an additional £13m is still to be found over the next four years."
Dinosaur-age attraction will be fun-filled for fossil fanspublished at 17:38 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
Hamish Marshall
BBC Spotlight"The buzzword is it needs to be fun," says Steve Hussey from the Devon Wildlife Trust about a new tourist attraction in Seaton based on the fossil-rich Jurassic coast.
The £4m 'Seaton Jurassic' is due to open later this year. The trust aims to attract 60,000 visitors a year.
Looe fisherman slams EU quotas after spotting French boats filling their nets in British waterspublished at 17:31 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
A furious Looe skipper has branded EU haddock fishing quotas "ridiculous" after French vessels were seen fishing for the species in British waters, while his crew were stuck in port, external.
Draft council tax budget for Cornwall shows 4% increasepublished at 17:24 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
Council tax in Cornwall could go up by four percent next year.
A draft budget has been published that would see payments in a band D property go up by £50 a year.
It's after the government allowed councils to increase bills to help fund the pressures facing adult social care services.
Bradshaw slams minister for failure to provide rail fundingpublished at 17:14 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw has blasted the rail minister Claire Perry for not confirming the "paltry" £500,000 needed for a study on improving rail services in the South West.
He told the Commons the "people of the South West rightly feel betrayed by this government". Railway experts say they need to fund crucial studies, without which, no improvements are possible.
Tonia Couch says synchro split with Sarah Barrow 'wasn't great'published at 17:08 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
James Law
BBC Sport OnlinePlymouth diver Tonia Couch has admitted her split with 10m synchro partner Sarah Barrow is not great preparation for next month's World Cup event in Rio.
Barrow had been dropped from the line-up following a series of shin injuries but the Plymouth divers have been selected as part of a 15-strong GB World Cup squad, which includes Tom Daley.
Image source, Getty Images"It wasn't great, to be honest," Couch, 26, told BBC Spotlight. "Especially as we're leading up to the World Cup in less than a month, so being apart for a month and a half was not great preparation for it."
Latest headlines for Devon & Cornwallpublished at 17:01 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
Claire Hawke
BBC Local Live- A draft budget release by Cornwall Council is proposing to increase council tax by 4% next year to help fund the pressure on adult social care budgets
- Labour's accusing David Cameron of failing to honour his promise to spend whatever is needed to improve the South West's rail network
- The Leader of the Commons, Chris Grayling, has criticised Network Rail for not giving enough notice of a main road closure in St Blazey in order for level crossing work to take place
- Exeter-based Flybe has confirmed the launch of new direct flights from Exeter to Norwich
Butterfly habitat loss 'extreme'published at 16:54 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
The leader of a project aimed at extending the habitat of the rare Pearl-bordered Fritillary says it has been a success.
Image caption, The Pear-bordered Fritillary
Quote MessageThe overall loss in its habitat has been extreme, so this project was vitally important to securing the future of the Pearl-bordered Fritillary here in Devon.
Jenny Plackett, Project leader
Cheers to the best gastropubspublished at 16:43 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
Jonathan Morris, BBC News OnlineSix Devon and Cornwall pubs have been named among the top 50 in the UK for eating out, external.
Image source, The Publican's Morning AdvertiserThis year's awards, organised by The Publican's Morning Advertiser include the Journey's End in Ringmore, the Treby Arms in Sparkwell, the Cornish Arms in Tavistock, the Masons Arms in Knowstone, the Old School Bar and Kitchen in Mount Hawke and the Gurnard's Head in Zennor. Cheers!
Falmouth grandfather faces imminent deportationpublished at 16:34 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
A grandfather who has lived in Falmouth for the past 40 years has been told he must leave the country by Saturday., external
Image source, West BritonTravel news for Devon & Cornwallpublished at 16:22 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
BBC Travel- In Plympton on St Maurice View around the Ridgeway we've got reports there's an accident
- In Exeter at the Swing Bridge heading outbound, there's been an accident and traffic is slow moving
- There has also been an accident in Padstow on Porthilly View
- And look out for a collision in Exeter on Topsham Road at the Countess Wear Roundabout
Brixham man who was caught having sex in cannabis farm collapses in courtpublished at 16:13 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
A court case ended dramatically when a Brixham drug grower, who had been been caught by police while having sex with his girlfriend, collapsed in the dock at Exeter Crown Court, external. Andrew Steer, 25, of Rea Barn Road, Brixham, slumped to the floor and had to be taken to hospital.
Is coastal living healthier? Scientists put sea to testpublished at 16:05 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
A new six million euro research project launches this month, aiming to shed light on how coasts and rivers affect the health of populations across Europe.
Image source, Exeter UniversityThe European-funded BlueHealth programme is being led by researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School, external’s Truro campus.
Environmental psychologist Dr Mathew White, external said: "We’re hoping to use our findings to develop guidelines on how health should be considered when creating and improving access to aquatic environments."
Knitted uteruses and breasts made by Cornish women used in Sierra Leone to train medical staffpublished at 15:54 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
Chris Ellis
BBC News OnlineUteruses and breasts have been knitted to help train the next generation of medical staff in Sierra Leone after hundreds were affected by Ebola.
A group of women from Cornwall have knitted the props to teach them about pregnancy and breast feeding.
Experts said there were similarities between the "ribbed knitting pattern and muscle tone patterns".
Albion boss Dawe passes on knowledge to Englandpublished at 15:44 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
Claire Hawke
BBC Local LivePlymouth Albion's website is reporting that Director of Rugby Graham Dawe is helping the England team, external prepare for their opening Six Nations match against Scotland.
It says Dawe was invited up to Pennyhill Park by new national coach Eddie Jones to do some work with the England scrum.
Anger over plans to close main road reaches Commonspublished at 15:33 Greenwich Mean Time 28 January 2016
A senior government minister has criticised Network Rail over its decision to close one of Cornwall's busiest roads for ten days at "short notice".
From tomorrow, rail workers will start upgrading the level crossing over the A390 at St Blazey.
Business owners and commuters fear huge loss of earnings and major disruption to travel. The issue has been raised in the Commons by Stephen Double, the Conservative MP for St Austell and Newquay:
