Plymouth Herald

Human remains found in South Devon may belong to a man who went missing in November 2014, police have revealed, external.

BBC Radio Devon

A north Devon businessman is being described as the toast of Westward Ho! after taking over the council car park and is letting drivers use it free of charge. 

Rob Braddick's grandfather used to own the field where Seafield Car Park was built, until the land was bought by the local council in the 1960s. He has now gained a 50-year lease for the site.

Mr Braddick says he wants to boost local trade and cheer up the local community. He said: "It's nice to give something back ... they're very appreciative of it."

Hamish Marshall
BBC Spotlight

A site in Devon, which has been at the centre of a row about orchids, is one of the best for the rare flowers in the county, if not the whole UK, a wildlife expert says.

The National Trust is to move a fence after it was accused of endangering green-winged orchids at Orcombe Point because people could trample over them. After complaints, the trust is now to erect a new 200m-long fence running on the old line.

Roger Smith, Devon recorder for the Botanical Society, warned of the dangers posed if people could walk on the land. He said: "As the plants are damaged, there will be no seeds produced. This means in the longer-term there will be no recruitment to the population, and the plants will gradually decline in number - and possibly disappear altogether."

Andrew Segal
Local Live

Police are investigating a suspected arson attack on a car, the fire service says, external.

Fire crews extinguished the blaze after being called to Thurlow Road at about 03:00.

The service said: "Police were also requested as the cause of the fire is thought to be deliberate."

BBC Weather

It will be a mostly bright or sunny afternoon with patchy, mainly high cloud, turning the sunshine a little hazy at times. Cloud amounts will increase through the afternoon, with a chance of an isolated shower late in the day. Winds will be light easterly, becoming onshore moderate. Maximum temperature: 17C (63F).

Overnight, it will be quite cloudy with a few showers around. Winds will be light mainly easterly. Minimum temperature: 10C (50F).

Miles Davis
BBC News Online

An inquest into the death of a teenager whose body was found at a school in Cornwall has been opened and adjourned.

Image source, Facebook

Sixteen-year-old Dagmara Przybysz was pronounced dead at Pool Academy, near Redruth, on Tuesday 17 May.

An inquest in Truro heard that a post-mortem examination had been carried out but that the cause of her death was not yet available because there had been a request for toxicology reports. The hearing was adjourned, awaiting those results.

• A man has been speaking out after he was falsely accused of killing two people in a hit and run near St Agnes by his best friend
• An 87-year-old woman has died following a house fire at St Columb Minor near Newquay on Wednesday 
• More than 150 people have been caught driving at 70mph and over in a major roadwork scheme across Bodmin Moor 
• A North Devon businessman has become a local hero after he took over a council car park - and is now letting drivers use it free of charge

Janet Kipling
BBC Radio Devon

Latest figures show nearly 20,000 disabled drivers have lost their government-funded cars since the introduction of a new benefit. 

Are you affected? Let me know on today's phone-in by calling 0345 3011034.

BBC Travel

• In Cornwall, one lane is closed in both directions of the A30 between Scorrier and Redruth and traffic is slow due to repairs to central reservation
• Also on the A30, between the turning for St Just and the B3283 we have reports there's an incident  
• In Devon, Lower Kingsdown Road in Teignmouth is partially blocked near Kingsdown Road due to an incident
• The A3125 Belle Meadow Road in Barnstaple has reopened but still has slow traffic

BBC Radio Cornwall

Recent research published in support of dredging in Falmouth Harbour has been presented to the public at an exhibition in the town.

Image source, Andrew Segal

The plans have so far been blocked since first proposed in 2004, due to environmental concerns. The research, commissioned by Harbour Commissioners, and carried out by the University of Plymouth, say it shows marine life could be preserved by lifting the sea-bed and then replacing it after the dredge. 

Harbour bosses say the work is needed to accommodate larger cruise ships. Opponents of dredging have yet to comment, saying they need more time to examine the document.

Jenny Walrond, Health Correspondent
BBC Spotlight

The South Western Ambulance Service says an unprecedented increase in demand for services, coupled with a national shortage of paramedics, meant it had to spend more than £500,000 on private ambulances in the last financial year; almost all for emergencies.

A BBC investigation showed the NHS was spending three times as much on private ambulances for 999 calls compared to four years ago.

South Western Ambulance said that although many paramedic vacancies had now been filled, it was an ongoing challenge for the organisation.

Laurence Reed
BBC Radio Cornwall

A motorist has been banned from driving after speeding through roadworks at Temple. Indeed, more than 150 have recently fallen foul of the cameras for the dualling roadworks on the A30.

We'll have full reports. And call the show with your views on average speed cameras on 01872 222222.

Hamish Marshall
BBC Spotlight

The National Trust has reversed a decision which opened up one of the best sites in the South West for a rare orchid, after it was accused of endangering the flowers.

A fence, which kept walkers off the land where green winged orchids (pictured) grow at Orcombe Point, near Exmouth, was repositioned earlier this year. That allowed walkers to trample on orchids before they flowered.

After complaints, the trust is to erect a new 200m-long fence running on the old line.

Andrew Segal
Local Live

An elderly woman has died following a house fire near Newquay, police say, external.

Emergency crews were called to the home of the 87-year-old in Ashton Court, St Columb Minor, at about 14:30 on Wednesday. She was airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital with life-threatening burns and died at about 03:30 this morning. 

She was the only person in the home and her next of kin had been informed, officers said. An investigation had been started into the cause, but there were are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances, they added.

Plymouth Herald

A mum has accused her son's school of hypocrisy after she discovered he had apparently been made to wash cars during lesson time, external.

BBC Spotlight

A man whose best friend tried to frame him for a fatal crash says he was left "gobsmacked" and "confused" by his actions.

Image source, Matt Bonnar

Rupert Thompson was not near the crash site but was arrested the next day and kept on police bail for five months. He said he cannot understand why best friend Ryan Morrish, who was jailed last week for six years, tried to pin the crash in St Agnes on him.

Morrish told police he thought his friend stole his car as a joke. He was also convicted of perverting the course of justice over the deaths of Calvin Trevena and Ann Varran (pictured).

BBC Radio Devon

More beavers have been released in East Devon as part of the five-year project to see if the animals can be reintroduced into the wild. 

Image source, Devon Wildlife Trust

One adult female and one adult male beaver were released at a secret location on Monday evening, on private land close to the River Otter. 

The colony is said to be England's first licensed beaver re-introduction and monitoring project.

West Briton

A builder who set upon a Royal Marine in an unprovoked and cowardly attack taunted his victim on Facebook, external after being spared jail.