Landslide death: Susan Norman inquest says council 'ought to have known of real risk'
Non-emergency 101 service being used by police to contact colleagues blocking calls from the public
A total of four care homes owned by the Morleigh Group in Cornwall have now been rated inadequate and placed in special measures
Derriford hospital's outpatients department is no longer rated as inadequate, inspectors rule
A new scheme at Falmouth University designed to help postgraduates create digital businesses has been awarded £12m
More news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Monday
Sian Davies
BBC News Online
That's all from BBC Local Live in Devon & Cornwall for today, we'll be back on Monday at 08:00 to bring you all the day's news, sport, travel and weather updates.
Don't miss BBC Spotlight at 18:30 and the late bulletin at 22:30 tonight. Have a great weekend.
Two brothers amassed debts of £8m for their family hotel chain while working in roles they'd been disqualified from holding.
Andrew and Stephen Hughes have now been given further bans until 2028 by the Insolvency Service, external.
Image source, GoogleThe Devon based Heritage Properties & Hotels Ltd had four hotels before going into administration in 2014.
The bans mean they are disqualified from being directors or in any way managing a company.
Tonight will be clear at first then clouding over from the south with a few light showers by the morning. The minimum temperature will be 3C (37F).
Tomorrow will start off grey and cloudy for many. The cloud will linger through the day but it will stay largely dry, with some brightness in the west. The maximum temperature will be 8C (46F).
Police want to speak to this man, external in connection with an altercation at a Chinese restaurant in Liskeard.
Helen Hazeltine, the daughter of Susan Norman, who died in a landslide, will "never forgive" Cornwall Council. An inquest jury concluded a "failure" by the council caused her mother's death.
The daughter of a woman killed in a landslide expresses her anger with Cornwall Council
Sian Davies
BBC News Online
Police in Plymouth are appealing for information after a pair of diamond earrings worth £13,500 were stolen.
A theft took place at a property on Conqueror Drive, Manadon, between Monday 15 July and Friday 28 October 2016.
They were taken from a small metal jewellery box that was in the corner of the owner’s bedroom.
Image source, Devon and Cornwall PoliceThe earrings are described as a pair of matched quality round brilliant cut diamonds. The total diamond weight is 2.06 carats, mounted in a platinum four-claw peg setting with rail collet with post and butterfly fittings.
Anyone with information is requested to contact police on telephone number 101 or email 101@dc.police.uk, external quoting crime number CR/076617/16.
Sian Davies
BBC News Online
The family of James Woodhouse has paid tribute to the 30-year-old who was killed in Exeter - his body was found in a wheelie bin on Monday.
His family said: “We miss him dearly but will forever have many, many happy memories of him.
“We ask for privacy at this horrendous time while we as his family come to terms with our tragic loss.”
Image source, Devon and Cornwall PoliceBrett Williams Edwards, 37, from Okehampton Road, Exeter, was charged for the murder of James Woodhouse and is remanded in custody to appear before Exeter Crown Court on Thursday 22 December.
A 47-year-old local man was also arrested on suspicion of murder and bailed until 1 February 2017 pending further enquiries.
Sian Davies
BBC News Online
The Market Hall development in Devonport has received a significant funding boost as Chancellor Philip Hammond announced a £1m investment for the new 'digital creative space' in his Autumn Statement.
Image source, John AllenThe Market Hall is scheduled for completion in 2018 and will feature space for learning, skills development, expo and events, research and experimentation as well as a £15m immersive dome theatre - the first of its kind in Europe.
Plymouth City Centre leader, Ian Bowyer, said: "This is another important step forward in the economic development of not just Devonport but the whole of Plymouth."
Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online
Among weapons being handed in to Devon and Cornwall Police as part of a knife amnesty last week was a particularly unusual one.
It's an umbrella that has a potentially lethal spike concealed within it, as used by the Penguin character in Batman.
Image source, Devon and Cornwall PoliceMore than 200 knives of varying types were handed in at police stations across the force area.
Miles Davis
BBC News Online
At the conclusion of the inquest into the death of Susan Norman, who died in a landslide in Looe, her daughter Helen Hazeltine said: "She was taken away from us and she didn't have to be. She still should have been here with us for Christmas, birthdays and everything. It can't bring her back but at least it is some kind of justice."
The jury found Cornwall Council "ought to have known at the time of the real and immediate risk of death to Susan Norman".
Image source, Family handoutMs Hazeltine said: "This should never happen again and I don't want anyone else to go through this, at all, ever. At the end of the day it was their fault and that's what I wanted from it - somebody to stand up and say it shouldn't have happened. They (Cornwall Council) are at fault and that's exactly what the jury said."
BBC Travel
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The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found four Morleigh Group homes in Cornwall "were providing grim, shoddy and unsafe care".
The Morleigh Group said staff had been removed from Clinton House and a "thorough review" had been carried out.
Writing on BBC Radio Cornwall's Facebook page, here's what our listeners said:
Sian Davies
BBC News Online
Weapons handed in in Devon and Cornwall Police's knife amnesty included ornate fantasy-type knives, a variety of swords, machetes and even an umbrella sword, where the handle pulls out to reveal a long spike, as used by the Penguin character in Batman.
Image source, Devon and Cornwall PoliceActing Det Supt Ben Deer said: “I’m really pleased with the response we’ve had. Clearly people have taken this opportunity to hand these potentially dangerous items in which will now be safely destroyed."
Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police"Devon and Cornwall does not have a particular problem with knives compared to some other parts of the country but it would be wrong to suggest crimes involving knives don’t happen here, because they do.
"The thing I want to point out though is that people who carry knives for no legitimate reason risk arrest and if used in a confrontation are highly likely to be injured from it themselves."
Sian Davies
BBC News Online
Cornwall Council's chief executive has apologised to Susan Norman's family and friends.
Kate Kennally, speaking on behalf of Cornwall Council and maintenance provider Cormac, said: "Having heard the evidence and findings of the jury we recognise that there are a number of matters which require the attention of the council and its staff."
Image source, Cornwall CouncilShe said: "Our priority has been, and continues to be, the safety of the public and both the council and Cormac will give careful thought to the conclusions and matters that have been raised.
"However, you will appreciate that, as court proceedings have already been lodged against the council and CORMAC, it would not be appropriate to comment in more detail about what has been said today."
Sian Davies
BBC News Online
A jury of five men and six women heard more than two weeks of evidence from more than 30 witnesses into the death of 68-year-old grandmother Susan Norman.
They returned a narrative conclusion and said: "The landslide was caused by water which more than minimally contributed to surface water moving from St Martin's Road onto the rear of Veronica; an insufficiently high kerb; inadequate drainage; blocked drains and the camber of the road.
"Susan Norman died as a result of being buried by a landslide."
They continued: "Evidence of historic landslips - Cornwall Council did not listen to regular consistent and frustrated complaints by the residents.
"Cornwall Council did not respond to an independent report highlighting risk.
"The landslide was caused, or more than normally contributed to, by a failure of Cornwall Council to prevent the surface water moving from St Martin's Road onto the rear of Veronica."
Sian Davies
BBC News Online
Cornwall Council has been criticised after a grandmother died when her home was engulfed by a landslide during torrential rain.
Susan Norman, 68, was killed instantly when her ground-floor flat was destroyed by tonnes of mud and rubble that fell from a cliff behind her rented property in Looe, Cornwall, in the early hours of 22 March 2013.
Image source, Mrs Norman's FamilyThe mother-of-three was wearing pyjamas and was most likely watching the television when the landslide wrecked the two-storey house following 72 hours of rainfall.
A jury of five men and six women recorded a narrative verdict and said Cornwall Council ought to have known about the risks.
Sian Davies
BBC News Online
The jury in the inquest of Susan Norman, 68, has returned a narrative verdict and said Cornwall Council "ought to have known at the time of a real and immediate risk of death" to Mrs Norman.
She died in March 2013 when the landslide, during torrential rain, poured into her flat in Looe, Cornwall, burying her in her bed.
Image source, Family handoutPenzance's outdoor art deco pool will be heated with geothermal energy from next year.
Image source, Nixon DesignJubilee Pool will be the first facility of its kind in the country to use this type of heating.
A £1.4m European grant will fund the work - being carried out at the end of the summer season in 2017.
BBC Travel
Claire Jones
BBC News Online
A spokeswoman for Derbyshire Constabulary said its first internal message warning officers not to use the 101 number was issued because "officers and staff were calling 101 rather than using our online telephone directory".
"The workforce responded positively to that message. The number of this type of call has fallen dramatically as a result," she said. "The second message was issued when there were problems with 101 that reduced the number of lines carrying the calls."
Image source, Derbyshire Constabulary"This was a temporary problem but to alleviate the pressure on call handlers the message was issued to officers and staff.
"The recent introduction of mobile data equipment will reduce the calls from officers to 101 even further."
