Updates on Monday 29 February 2016
The latest News, Sport, Travel and Weather from 08:00 Tuesday
An investigation's underway into what's caused a sudden and sustained increase in the number of people attending the emergency department at the Royal Cornwall Hospital
The father of severely disabled adult twin brothers in Paignton says he may have to put them into care following the closure of a respite unit
Devon MP Kevin Foster has backed calls for sentencing guidelines to be toughened up for criminals who steal dogs
A fully restored 1950's american diner has been put on the market in Cornwall
The Times
More than 50,000 badgers will be shot under plans to introduce culling to many more areas in an attempt to protect cattle from tuberculosis, as ministers prepare to approve applications by farmers for culling across nine counties, external, from Cornwall to Cheshire.
James Law
BBC Sport Online
Truro City manager Steve Tully has urged his players to "keep reaching for the stars" after their 3-0 National League South win at Bishop's Stortford.
Goals from Isaac Vassell, Ryan Brett and Matt Jay earned them the points and put them back in the play-offs.
Image source, Truro City FC"The lads put in a shift and we're delighted to come away with three points," Tully told BBC Radio Cornwall. "It was a good professional performance - I thought the lads put in effort and we fully deserved the result."
Jenny Walrond, Health Correspondent
BBC Spotlight
A hospital NHS trust has had to temporarily close part of its Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Department because of vacancies for doctors.
Two consultants have recently left the North Devon Trust department. Bigger and more complex operations are being done at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.
North Devon has about 10% of doctors' posts vacant, compared to an average in England, Wales & Northern Ireland of 7%. Medical professionals we spoke to were at pains to emphasise that patient care wasn't being affected.
Andrew Segal
Local Live
A 34-year-old St Austell man has been arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life after a fire in a block of flats in the town, police say.
A number of homes were evacuated after emergency services were called to the blaze in a ground floor flat at Blowing House Close at about 06:40. No-one was injured.
Police said a "number of families will need temporary accommodation" as a result of the blaze.
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Claire Hawke
BBC Local Live
- A woman has died as a result of a house fire at Tolgus Mount, near Redruth
- Devon and Cornwall Police says the case of a dog which has been kept in a cage for two years without exercise, is "extremely rare"
- A court is told that an experienced police sergeant in Exeter followed procedure "in almost every respect" as he dealt with a man, who died after having a heart attack in a police cell
- A number of families are in need of temporary accommodation after a large fire in a block of flats in St Austell this morning
More than half the Plymouth shops tested in a recent undercover operation sold e-cigarettes to children, it has been revealed, external.
Bill Buckley
BBC Radio Devon
A BBC investigation has found dogs seized by police can be kept in kennels for years with no exercise and limited human interaction.
Is it ever OK to lock up animals in this way? Let me know on today's lunchtime phone-in by calling 0845 3011034.
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James Law
BBC Sport Online
Cornish Pirates boss Ian Davies has criticised referee Greg Macdonald after their 26-19 home defeat by Doncaster.
Tries from Jack Arnott and replacements Jack Innard and Tyler Gendall earned them a losing bonus point, leaving the Pirates ninth in the Championship table.
Image source, Brian Tempest"Whoever put the ball in (the scrum) got the penalty, that's the way the world of rugby is going," said Davies. "Hopefully when we play them again we'll have a referee who understands the maul and scrum, because we didn't have that and it affected the game."
Hamish Marshall
BBC Spotlight
A court has been told that an experienced police sergeant in Exeter followed procedure "in almost every respect" as he dealt with a man, who died after having a heart attack in a police cell.
The barrister for Jan Kingshott was giving his closing speech in the trial where the 44-year-old - and two civilian detention staff deny charges of manslaughter.
32-year-old Thomas Orchard, who had mental health problems, died after being restrained at Heavitree Road Police station, Exeter in 2012.
Patrick Gibbs QC urged the jury to look at CCTV pictures, saying: "You will not find any anger, any sudden movement or over-reaction at Mr Orchard's behaviour or any brutality. What you will find is force. We need to be straight with ourselves about the practical realities of force." The trial continues.
Inpatient beds at a community hospital in Cornwall are to be closed after a fire safety review, NHS bosses have confirmed.
Peninsula Community Health said the 12 beds at Edward Hain Community Hospital would close on Wednesday to carry out remedial works following the "proactive" review.
Image source, GoogleIt added that "NHS partners are now working together to minimise disruption to patients and their families". Outpatient clinics are to remain open during the works "as normal".
Claire Jones
BBC News Online
A worker at a kennel says it is "not OK" that dogs can be kept in cages for prolonged periods without exercise because of legal advice.
Stella (pictured) was kept in a cage for two years after being seized in Devon in 2014. Laura Khanlarian, who worked as an assistant at the private kennel, said Stella left her kennel twice during her stay, only for behaviour assessments. A destruction order has been issued for the dog.
Image source, Laura KhanlarianMs Khanlarian said: "We were always told not to exercise or go into a kennel with any dogs, regardless of character, that had been brought in under the Dangerous Dogs Act ... Animal welfare comes before anything, and that was my job. I don't believe I would be doing it properly if I would sit back and think that's ok. It wasn't OK - it's not OK."
Jenny Walrond, Health Correspondent
BBC Spotlight
As many as one in 10 hospital doctor posts in South West hospitals are currently vacant, a BBC snapshot survey has revealed.
Freedom of Information requests for all five South West hospital trusts revealed three had a vacancy rate for doctors under or around the national average in England, Wales & Northern Ireland of 7%.
However, two - Derriford (pictured) and North Devon - were higher with about 10% of posts vacant.
Laurence Reed
BBC Radio Cornwall
Police in Newquay are warning of the dangers of internet scams after one local woman fell victim.
And is the beach at Rock a safe place to swim? Over the past few years, dozens have been rescued. We investigate.
Call me on today's lunchtime phone-in on 01872 222222.
Andrew Segal
Local Live
Police are investigating after two suspected arson attacks in Cornwall last night.
In the first incident, firefighters were called to a property, external on Morrab Road in Penzance. They discovered a mattress and a small amount of rubbish alight. It spread to two nearby bicycles.
And just after 22:00, emergency crews were called to a fire in an abandoned car, external at Twelveheads, near Truro.
BBC Travel
- An accident is causing problems on the A39 near Bideford around Northam.
- In Plymouth, Rendle Street is partially blocked, that's also due to an accident.
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A Truro secondary school branded "insensitive and outdated" after it promoted fitness classes for teenage girls to get "fit for prom" has pulled the advert after criticisms, external.
Claire Jones
BBC News Online
Police kept a dog in a 1m x 3m (3ft x 9ft) cage for two years without ever exercising it, the BBC can reveal.
Image source, Laura KhanlarianStella was seized after her owner was arrested on an unrelated matter in Devon in 2014. A worker at the kennels said they were told by police not to exercise dogs held under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
Devon and Cornwall Police refused to give specific reasons why the dog could not be exercised, but said she was considered potentially dangerous.
