Summary

  • Man's body found in sea at Hell's Mouth

  • Wheelie bin murder accused denies killing 30-year-old man

  • Four months of roadworks on A38 in Cornwall

  • Plymouth Argyle are through to the third round of the FA Cup to face Premier League giants Liverpool

  • 'Generous donors' send aid from Cornwall to Aleppo

  • Vandals damage Bodmin Christmas tree for second time this year

  • Rail passengers from Devon to London warned to expect disruption

  • A mile-long stretch of trees along the A38 has been chopped down - because of squirrels

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

  1. Vandals damage Bodmin Christmas tree for second time this yearpublished at 11:11 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Johnny O'Shea
    BBC News Online

    Bodmin's Christmas tree has been targeted by vandals for the second time this year.

    TreeImage source, Bodmin Town Council

    Bodmin Town Council said it was "extremely disappointed" to report further vandalism and criminal damage to the Christmas tree and lights at the Mount Folly.

    It happened on Wednesday evening when the lights were severed in five places and the folly area was left littered with broken glass.

  2. Weather: Mostly dry with spells of sunshinepublished at 11:06 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    BBC Weather

    Most places will be dry today with spells of sunshine.

    Weather

    Some showers will affect areas mainly close to the north coast, although one or two will move further inland to the southeast. 

    Light or moderate southwesterly winds will be fresher near the north coast. The maximum temperature will be 11C.

  3. Bark nibbling squirrels 'cause a danger to traffic'published at 10:48 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Christine Butler
    BBC Radio Cornwall

    Squirrels have been blamed for the devastation of a mile-long stretch of trees on the A38 between Dobwalls and Bodmin in Cornwall. 

    The Boconnoc Estate, which owns the land, says squirrels have been nibbling the bark off the beech trees and dropping it on the road below, making it a danger to the traffic - and so the trees had to be chopped down. 

    Squirrel and trees

    Locals are unhappy about the felling but the estate says it was told by Highways England to carry out the work.

    One local resident Libby Pidcock said: "I'm appalled, it looks like the trees have been vandalised... they look like jagged teeth".

  4. More than £6,000 of perfume stolen from Boots storepublished at 10:38 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Sian Davies
    BBC News Online

    More than £6,000 worth of Chanel and Dior fragrances have been stolen from a Boots store in Cornwall.

    Police believe it happened on Sunday at about 14:15 at the West Cornwall Shopping Park in Hayle. 

    BootsImage source, Google

    A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesperson said: "Whoever did this is likely to be offering cheap Chanel or Dior perfumes. 

    "If anyone is offered such products and is uncertain of where it was sourced from, please contact us."

  5. Excitement over Argyle tiepublished at 10:30 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    BBC Radio Devon's Gordon Sparks hasn't wasted any time after Plymouth Argyle secured a FA Cup third-round tie against Liverpool by beating Newport County last night #Greenarmy

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  6. 'UK's first crop' of Sichuan pepper to be grown in Devonpublished at 10:20 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    BBC Radio Devon

    What is thought to be the UK's first commercial crop of Sichuan pepper will be grown in Devon, as part of a scheme to grow trees and crops together in the same fields.

    The peppers will be grown alongside apple and elderflower trees. 

    It's said to be a more efficient way of using land. Marina O'Connell will be growing apple trees on the site near Dartington.

  7. Two elderly people airlifted to hospital after crashpublished at 10:11 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Sian Davies
    BBC News Online

    Two elderly people have been airlifted to hospital after a crash on the A390 at Penpillick, near St Blazey.

    The crash happened at about 15:15 on Wednesday between a Volkswagen Polo and a Nissan NV200 people carrier.

    The two elderly people in the Polo were airlifted to Derriford Hospital and are being treated for serious injuries. 

    The two people in the other vehicle were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

  8. Festive Royal Marines land on Cornwall beachpublished at 10:01 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    BBC Radio Cornwall

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  9. Travel update: Overturned horsebox blocks lane on A30published at 09:57 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    BBC Travel

    On the A30 between Okehampton Services and Whiddon Down, heading towards Exeter, one lane is blocked due to an overturned horsebox. There is slow traffic in the area.

  10. Rail passengers from Devon to London warned to expect disruptionpublished at 09:41 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    BBC Radio Devon

    Rail passengers from Devon planning to travel to London Paddington this Christmas are being warned to expect disruption.

    The station will be closed from Christmas Eve to Thursday 29 December.

    Trains will stop at Ealing Broadway and passengers will be able to use the underground.

  11. Carey targets Liverpool FA Cup upsetpublished at 09:30 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Brent Pilnick
    BBC Sport

    Liverpool-supporting Plymouth Argyle midfielder Graham Carey hopes they can cause an FA Cup upset when they visit Anfield in round three.

    Carey's penalty in the second period of extra-time sealed a 1-0 win at Newport County in a second round replay.

    Graham CareyImage source, Huw Evans picture agency

    "We're going to go there and try and get a result," 27-year-old Carey said. "No-one will give us a shot at getting a result, but we've showed we can battle as a team and it's the FA Cup so you never know.

    "My whole family are mainly Liverpool fans, so I'm sure some of them will make the trip over," added the Irishman, who is rated as one of Argyle's top players, having scored 10 goals in 27 games this season.

  12. Child maintenance payments shortage in Cornwallpublished at 09:18 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Matt Pengelly
    BBC Radio Cornwall

    A campaign group fighting for the rights of single parents says £21.8m of child maintenance is owed to parents in Cornwall.

    The figures from the charity Gingerbread, external have been drawn from official statistics.

    Jo Stone, a family lawyer with Stephens Scown in Truro, told BBC Radio Cornwall he's not surprised by the figure as "there's very little" single parents can do to recover the money that hasn't been paid.

    Jo StoneImage source, Stephens Scown

    A new system introduced in 2013 means the onus is on parents to work out how much maintenance should be paid. Previously the courts could assess cases individually.

  13. Lettings agency boss arrested in fraud and money laundering investigationpublished at 09:08 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Plymouth Herald

    The director of a Plymouth letting agency has been arrested by police, external on suspicion of theft, fraud and money laundering, The Herald has learned.

  14. Travel news: Lane blocked on A30 due to overturned vehiclepublished at 08:57 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    BBC Travel

    • On the A30 around Okehampton Services, heading towards Exeter, there are reports that one lane is blocked due to an overturned vehicle. Traffic is slow moving
    • All Skybus flights are operating to time this morning
    • Near Saltash at the Carkeel Roundabout on the A38 and A388 there is busy traffic
  15. Police appeal after motorcyclist suffers 'potentially life changing injuries'published at 08:49 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Sian Davies
    BBC News Online

    Police are appealing for witnesses following a crash that left a motorcyclist in hospital with "potentially life changing injuries". 

    At about 16:45 on Wednesday a Honda 125 motorcycle and a Renault Clio crashed on the B3274 near St Austell. 

    The 23-year-old motorcyclist was taken by ambulance to Derriford Hospital with serious injuries to his arms, pelvis and legs.

  16. Waldrom can be top try scorer - Baxterpublished at 08:36 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Brent Pilnick
    BBC Sport

    Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter says Thomas Waldrom is capable of being the Premiership's top try-scorer for a third successive season.

    The forward, 33, is joint top-scorer with six tries this season, with the former England player having crossed 16 times in 2014-15 and 13 last season.

    Thomas WaldromImage source, Getty Images

    "I would love to say he has a great opportunity to be top scorer for three seasons in a row because I'm hoping he stays playing very well and I hope the club plays very well," Baxter said. "It would be fantastic to see that, but ultimately we just have to focus on the day-by-day to make the bigger picture happen.

    "He puts himself in the positions to score tries, a lot of them are relatively close range, but that relies on the team getting us there and getting us close to the line," he added to BBC Sport.

  17. Devon men aiming to deliver aid to rebuild Aleppo hospital reach Turkish-Syrian borderpublished at 08:26 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    BBC Spotlight

    Two men from Devon, delivering aid and medical supplies, have reached the Turkish-Syrian border.

    Paul Conroy and Mark Hannaford

    War photographer Paul Conroy from Crediton, who was badly injured in an attack in Syria in 2012, and Dr Mark Hannaford from Beer in East Devon left London on Saturday. 

    The supplies will be used to rebuild a children's hospital near Aleppo.

  18. Bright and breezy with the odd shower possiblepublished at 08:15 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    Holly Green
    BBC Weather

    It will be a bright and breezy day for all parts with sunny spells for many. 

    The odd shower is possible too, especially towards the north and west. The maximum temperature will be 11C (52F).

    Media caption,

    BBC weather for Devon and Cornwall on Thursday 22 December

  19. Mile-long stretch of trees chopped down because of squirrelspublished at 08:09 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    BBC Spotlight

    A mile long stretch of trees along the A38 in Cornwall has been chopped down - because of squirrels.

    A38

    Locals say they're upset the trees along the Glynn Valley have been felled. But the Boconnoc Estate, which owns the land, says they had become dangerous as a result of squirrel damage, causing branches to drop on to the A38, so they had to be cut down.

    But locals are unhappy about the way it has been carried out. 

  20. Travel news: Trains running normally after earlier disruptionpublished at 08:03 Greenwich Mean Time 22 December 2016

    BBC Travel

    • Trains are now running normally between Exeter St Davids and Salisbury, following disruption caused by a shortage of train staff
    • Two ferries are running at Torpoint after an earlier delay getting the second ferry into service due to electrical problems. The third ferry is still out of service so expect longer waiting times
    • Traffic is flowing smoothly on the Tamar Bridge