Summary

  • Updates on Thursday 12 May 2016

  • More news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Friday

  1. Support for BBC Radio Devon during white paper announcementpublished at 14:57 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    Press Association

    Peter Heaton-Jones, the Tory MP for North Devon, suggested there should be no cuts made to frontline services given that the BBC is now aware of its funding situation after the white paper was published earlier.

    He has asked Culture Secretary John Whittingdale: "Would you agree with me that with the BBC's income from the public now guaranteed to be fast approaching £4bn a year, that not only is it right that the corporation be more transparent and accountable but also that there is no reason for it to make cuts to frontline services.

    "I say, especially not to BBC local radio where I worked for so many years which is a hugely valued part of the community, especially BBC Radio Devon in my constituency?" Mr Whittingdale said: "I very much agree with you. The BBC does now have certainty about its funding over the course of the next licence fee period."

  2. Thursday's weather: Dry and bright with some heavy thundery showerspublished at 14:40 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    Bee Tucker
    BBC Weather

    It will remain largely dry with bright or sunny spells.

    Despite this, some heavy and possibly thundery showers may develop along the south coast through the afternoon. Maximum temperature: 22 Deg C (72 Deg F).

    Weather
  3. Ferraris needed to make boy's birthday wishes a realitypublished at 14:25 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    Matt Pengelly
    BBC Radio Cornwall

    Do you own a Ferrari? If so, you could make a terminally ill boy from Truro very happy. 

    Toby Penrose, 10, has the rare brain disease Adrenoleukodystrophy or ALD - it affects one in 20,000 boys - so his family are trying to make sure all his dreams come true.

    TobyImage source, Emily Penrose

    When he said he'd love to sit in a Ferrari, his mum Emily turned to Facebook for help. Now a special event has been arranged in Newquay on Sunday., external

  4. Police investigation after woman's body found in Brixham fieldpublished at 14:10 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

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  5. Mayor calls for resignation of councillor after Holocaust tweetpublished at 13:53 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    The Mayor of Truro says he wants a city councillor, who tweeted a link to a Holocaust denial website, to resign. 

    Lance Dyer, who represents Mebyon Kernow, has apologised for the message sent yesterday afternoon and has been suspended from his party. 

    Lance Dyer tweetImage source, Twitter

    Mayor Rob Nolan says he needs to step down from the council too. 

  6. Crime commissioner to face emergency panel meetingpublished at 13:38 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

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  7. Brittany Ferries 'dreadfully sorry' for problems with Pont Avenpublished at 13:24 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    Victoria Gould
    BBC Radio Cornwall

    Brittany Ferries has apologised to passengers after it had to cancel sailings between Plymouth and Santander because of problems with the Pont Aven.

    Pont AvenImage source, Brittany Ferries

    The ship is currently in dry dock in Brest because of propellor problems.

    Manager Nigel Wannacott said it will get in touch with each individual customer affected and added: "This is an unprecedented technical problem, but it is just one of those things, we're dreadfully sorry but we're doing everything we can to bring it back into service as soon as we can."

  8. Tide times for Devon and Cornwallpublished at 13:10 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    Bee Tucker
    BBC Weather

    If you are heading to the coast today, here are the next times of high water.

    Tide times

    I'll have a full forecast at 13:30 on BBC One.

  9. Castle Drogo repairs £2m over budget and behind schedulepublished at 13:00 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    BBC Radio Devon

    A huge project to make Castle Drogo, external watertight is more than £2m over budget and six months behind schedule.

    The castle in Devon was the last to be built in England and has had severe leaks for years. About 600 windows have been restored so far, but extra work is needed on 40 which are still letting in water. The original budget to fix the problem was £11m.

    The National Trust said it was confident its workers would catch up in the next phase and the project would finish in 2018.

  10. Royal Cornwall Hospital told again to improvepublished at 12:46 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    Jenny Walrond, Health Correspondent
    BBC Spotlight

    Cornwall's main hospital has been told it still has to get better, two years after it was given the same instruction by inspectors. 

    Royal Cornwall HospitalImage source, bbc

    The Care Quality Commission report , externalrated the Royal Cornwall Hospital as "requires improvement". Chief inspector, Professor Mike Richards, said it was "disappointing" that "not enough progress" had been made since the 2014 report., external

    Hospital bosses insisted changes had been made and care was getting better.

  11. Injured Torquay United defender's contract offer not 'charity'published at 12:31 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    Brent Pilnick, BBC Sport

    Torquay United manager Kevin Nicholson says his decision to keep injured right-back Durrell Berry at the club is not an act of 'charity'.

    Durrell BerryImage source, Getty Images

    The 23-year-old broke his leg at Dover in March and is not expected to be fit until well into next season.

    "It's not sympathy, it's not charity, it's done because I know what a good player he is," Nicholson said. "When he gets back fit and back on that pitch I think everybody will realise I've made a good decision."

  12. Electoral Commission intervenes in Conservative party expenses rowpublished at 12:16 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

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  13. Former police child protection officer sentenced for child pornography offencespublished at 12:02 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    Johnny O'Shea
    BBC Radio Cornwall

    A former police child protection officer has been given a suspended sentence for possessing and making child pornography. 

    Robert Branney

    Robert Branney, 69 from Treverbyn Gardens, St Austell was sentenced to eight months, suspended for 12 months at Truro Crown Court. 

    His Honour Judge Christopher Harvey Clark QC said "I ask myself how could you sink so low? You who were a child protection officer. You should leave this court with your head bowed in shame."  

  14. PCC Alison Hernandez election expenses to be probed by police watchdog as she starts her first daypublished at 11:52 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    Simon Hall, Home Affairs Correspondent
    BBC Spotlight

    The police watchdog has been called in to investigate allegations of undeclared election expenses by Devon and Cornwall's police and crime commissioner who starts her first day in office today.

    The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) will review claims Alison Hernandez didn't fully declare expenses when she was general election agent in Torbay last year.

    Alison Hernandez

    Because of the seriousness of the allegation, the referral was made by the chief executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Andrew White. Alison Hernandez denies any wrongdoing and says she wants to get on with her job, serving the people of Devon and Cornwall.

  15. Actor Robson Green helps with cliff rescuepublished at 11:40 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

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  16. Problems with Brittany Ferries flagship Pont Avenpublished at 11:26 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    Brittany Ferries has had to cancel Sunday's sailing from Plymouth to Santander after its flagship ferry broke down. 

    Pont AvenImage source, Brittany Ferries

    The Pont Aven, external is currently in dry dock in Brest in France after the captain noticed a problem with its propeller. 

    The company says it is unable to say how long it will remain out of service, but it is working with passengers who were due to travel this weekend and is considering providing fuel allowances for people to drive to Spain from Roscoff or Caen. 

  17. Blood-soaked bench found in cemetery leads to police investigationpublished at 11:14 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    Exeter Express & Echo

    Police have launched an investigation after a blood-soaked bench, external was found in the grounds of Torbay Cemetery.

  18. Giant Ross Poldark causes stir in newsroompublished at 10:59 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

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  19. County show cancels rabbit competition over deadly disease fearspublished at 10:47 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    Chris Ellis
    BBC News Online

    The Devon County Show has cancelled its rabbit competition because of fears over a deadly disease.

    Viral haemorrhagic disease (VHD) was recently confirmed close to the site. Show secretary Ollie Allen said the decision had not been taken lightly and the situation had been discussed at length with veterinary advisers and the organisers of the rabbit show.

    Devon County Show

    “Although VHD poses no threat to human health, there would obviously be a danger of further spread within the rabbit population if the classes were held. We hope that the rabbit show will be back bigger and better in 2017.” 

  20. Latest travel news: Fallen tree causes long queues on A396published at 10:36 British Summer Time 12 May 2016

    BBC Travel

    • In Tiverton, the A396 Great Western Way is partially blocked between Broad Lane & Tumbling Fields due to a fallen tree. Long queues in the area.  
    • In Instow, Anstey Way is partially blocked near Marine Parade due to an incident.
    • In Woodbury, Woodbury Road is blocked in both directions between Bond's Lane and Town Lane due to an incident.