BBC News England

A retired scientist battered his partner to death with a lump hammer after a row over a duvet, a court was told.

Edgar Fairhurst, 77, accused 83-year-old Marjorie Elphick of nagging him when she complained about the noise of him straightening his duvet. He launched an attack on his partner in which he "beat her to a pulp".

Mr Fairhurst, a former industrial chemist from north Devon, has admitted manslaughter but denies murder. The trial continues.

James Law
BBC Sport Online

Former Cornish Pirates full-back Rob Cook has retired from rugby at the age of 31.

He spent three seasons at the Mennaye Field before leaving in 2012 to join Premiership side Gloucester.

Image source, Getty Images

"I'd like to thank Chris Stirling, Harvey Biljon and Ian Davies for giving me the chance at Cornish Pirates and helping me progress as a player," Cook said on Twitter. "I'm frustrated that I'll be stepping away from rugby as I feel I had a lot more to offer, but that is the nature of professional sport."

Rachael Thorn
BBC News Online

The Exeter Book, a rare collection of Old English poems and riddles housed in the city's cathedral library, has been given a special status by Unesco for having "world significance and outstanding universal value".

But can you solve Riddle 85, which goes: 

My hall is not silent, nor am I myself loud; about; 

the Lord created for the two of us a journey together. 

I am swifter than he, at times stronger, he is more enduring. 

Sometimes I rest; he must run forth. 

I dwell in him forever, as long as I live; if we two separate I am doomed to death. 

Q. What am I?

If you think you know, why not drop us an email? We'll tell you the answer later. 

Rachael Thorn
BBC News Online

The mother of a nine-year-old girl who looked like "someone's sprayed acid on her" after using a popular sunscreen wants the product "just taken off the shelves, and for other people to be aware of it".

Image source, Louise Nickles

Louise Nickles, from Exeter, said she applied Banana Boat Ultramist Kids SPF 50 to her daughter, Olivia Bennett, while they were on holiday in Mexico in June. She said Olivia's legs broke out in blisters. 

Ms Nickles has instructed solicitors to consider whether she could take legal action against the company. A spokesman for Banana Boat said it was speaking to the family "to receive all the necessary product information so the origin and source of the product purchased in Mexico can be verified", but it added it also stood by "the quality" of its products.

Hamish Marshall
BBC Spotlight

Shop owners in Exmouth a few doors away from a tanning salon which caught fire say their premises have been affected by smoke and soot damage.

Image source, Paul Fox

Emergency services were called to the Consol Sun Centre in The Parade at about 07:00 and found the building "well alight". They were able to bring the blaze under control.

The business has been open there for about three-and-a-half years. A Just Giving page has been set up to help self-employed staff at the salon.

BBC Radio Cornwall

Patience is wearing thin in a Cornish village where a road remains closed more than three months after a hole appeared in the carriageway. 

Telegraph Street in St Day was shut by Cornwall Council when a deep mining hole opened up at the junction with Scorrier Street.

Now local people have had enough and are calling on the council to repair the hole and re-open the road. The council said it was working at finding a solution.

BBC Radio Devon

There are more reports of littering and fly-tipping in Devon.

Rotting fish, discarded nets and picnic remains have been dumped at Hope's Nose in Torquay.

Plymouth Herald

Lifeboat crews and a police launch helped in the rescue of a young woman who fell into the Sound near a popular tombstoning spot, external.

Matt Pengelly
BBC Radio Cornwall

Fire crews from Launceston, Liskeard, Callington and St Austell have been in action overnight after a reported explosion on a Launceston industrial estate, Cornwall Fire Service says, external.

The alarm was raised just before 01:30 by a member of the public who reported they'd heard an explosion and could see flames coming from a nearby property. On arrival at Pennygillam Industrial Estate, crews found three lorries to be well alight. 

There were concerns the fire could spread to nearby buildings, so back up was called before the fire was brought under control.

BBC Radio Devon

The Exeter Book, a rare collection of Old English poems and riddles housed in the city's cathedral library, is to be given a special status by Unesco. 

It's thought to have been written around 970 AD, and experts believe it is one of only four Anglo-Saxon books of its kind in the world. It came into the cathedral's possession between 1050 and 1072, external.

It's going on the Memory of the World, external register as it has "world significance and outstanding universal value".

Hamish Marshall
BBC Spotlight

Fire crews from as far as Totnes have been called in to deal with a blaze at a tanning salon in Exmouth, some 35 miles away.

Emergency services were called to the Consol Sun Centre in The Parade at about 07:00 and found the building "well alight". Roads have been closed off by police.

The Devon and Somerset Chief Fire Officer is at the scene, and the blaze appears to be under control.

Hannah Stacey
BBC Radio Cornwall

About £1.3m is being invested in a Cornish coastal factory to cope with an increase in global demand for salt, managers say.

Cornish Sea Salt said its newly-expanded plant on The Lizard was doubling production and creating 24 new jobs. 

Its flaked salt, which is taken from seawater just yards from the processing plant, is now being exported to 33 countries, including Bahrain, China and Scandinavia.

BBC Travel

• In Devon, on the A399 near Brayford, there are reports of an incident near Rockshead Hill 
• In Totnes, traffic lights have failed on Plymouth Road, at the junction with the Western Bypass. Approach with care
• In Exmouth, The Parade is closed and surrounding roads are affected due to a building fire

Hamish Marshall
BBC Spotlight

Plymouth Herald

People across Plymouth are celebrating the start of Refugee Week and welcoming a number of refugees into the city - Emily Smith hears 60-year-old Abdulsalam's story, external after he travelled from war-torn Syria to Plymouth.

Andrew Segal
Local Live

Eight fire engines have been called to a fire in a tanning salon in Exmouth, Devon and Somerset Fire Service says, external.

Emergency services were called to the Consol Sun Centre in The Parade at about 07:00 and found the building "well alight". The road has been closed off by police.

One eyewitness, who was about 100m from the scene, told the BBC the blaze had gone through the roof of the salon and had spread to the neighbouring building, a branch of Ladbrokes.

Holly Green
BBC Weather

Although mainly cloudy at first with some scattered outbreaks of light rain, it'll become brighter with some sunny periods developing.

However, towards the end of the day the cloud will increase again and patches of mist and low cloud will affect the south coast. Light or moderate southwesterly winds will back to the south during the day. Maximum temperature: 19C (66F).

Rachael Thorn
BBC News Online

A nine-year-old girl looks like "someone's sprayed acid on her" after using a popular sunscreen, her mother has claimed.

Image source, Louise Nickles

Louise Nickles, from Exeter, said she applied Banana Boat Ultramist Kids SPF 50 to her daughter Olivia Bennett while they were on holiday in Mexico in June.

Ms Nickles said her daughter's legs broke out in blisters and is calling for the product to be removed.

Banana Boat said it stood by "the quality" of its products.