Summary

  • Man killed tombstoning in Plymouth had 'drunk substantial amount', inquest told

  • Man arrested after stabbing in Exeter as police refute rumours he was an 'escaped prisoner'

  • NHS referral centres 'lead to dangerous medical delays'

  • NatWest looks to 'permanently block area' in Truro where homeless had tents

  • Devon-based children's writer and Princess Smartypants creator Babette Cole dies

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

  1. Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:00 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Live updates for Devon and Cornwall have finished for the day, but we'll be back at 08:00 on Tuesday with the latest news, sport, travel and weather. 

    Don't forget Spotlight on BBC One later. There will also be news through the night on your BBC Local Radio station.

  2. Tom Jones' Eden Project performance available to watchpublished at 17:56 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Lisa Hay
    BBC News Online

    Tom Jones' performace at the Eden Project last summer is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

    Tom Jones played at the Eden Sessions in June 2016 – his first show in Cornwall in more than 30 years after performing at the now-closed Cornwall Coliseum in Carlyon Bay near St Austell in 1983.

    Eden SessionsImage source, Eden Sessions

    Marketing director Rita Broe said Eden was "so proud to have brought him to the Eden Sessions to perform in Cornwall for the first time in three decades".

  3. How to beat Blue Mondaypublished at 17:47 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Lisa Hay
    BBC News Online

    Today is Blue Monday - talked about as the most depressing day of the year because of broken New Year resolutions, low bank balances and get-fit quick struggles.

    So how can we beat the January blues?

    Ed Watkins, professor of clinical psychologyImage source, University of Exeter

    Ed Watkins is a Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Exeter and has also advised the government on fighting depression.

    These are his tips:

    • Think positive
    • Take the dog for a walk or do something physically active
    • Do things you can get absorbed in and hook up with people you like on a daily basis
    • Make plans for the future
  4. Art competition launches in Plymouthpublished at 17:40 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Lisa Hay
    BBC News Online

    The world’s turbulent social and political landscape is among the potential themes artists are being invited to consider for the 2017 Plymouth Contemporary.

    Following a successful launch in 2015, which attracted 1,200 entries from across the world, submissions for the second staging of the exhibition are now being invited, with prizes of up to £2,500 on offer.

    Plymouth ContemporaryImage source, Plymouth Contemporary

    Any entries must be within the theme of "visions". Organisers are inviting artists to explore what the concept might mean for us now: from the political and social, to alternative realities and other dimensions, imaginary or absurd, utopian or dystopian, concrete or literal.

    Successful submissions will be featured in a dual-site exhibition taking place from July-September at Plymouth University’s Peninsula Arts Gallery and at KARST’s gallery space.

  5. Weather: Cloudy with light rainpublished at 17:37 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Bee Tucker
    BBC Weather

    Tonight will be cloudy and damp, with some light rain and drizzle. There will be hill fog too but it will stay frost free. Minimum temperature: 6C (43F).

    Weather

    Tuesday will be similar to today, with cloudy skies and outbreaks of light rain and drizzle over high ground. It will be drier into the afternoon though. Maximum temperature: 9C (48F).

  6. Latest headlines in Devon and Cornwallpublished at 17:27

    Andrew Segal
    Local Live

    • An inquest concludes a man 39-year-old man died accidentally while tombstoning on Plymouth Hoe after drinking a substantial amount of alcohol
    • Tunisian security forces "wasted time" before responding to a massacre on a beach resort as 30 British tourists - including a man from Bodmin - were shot dead in 2015, a UK coroner is told
    • A 46-year-old man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a stabbing in Exeter on Sunday night remains in custody
    • A bank in Truro says it is looking at permanently blocking off an area where homeless people had pitched tents
    • Devon-based best-selling children's writer and illustrator Babette Cole dies at the age of 66
  7. Tombstoner death: 'I know what I'm doing'published at 17:21 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    John Danks, BBC Spotlight

    A man who died after jumping from a ledge on Plymouth Hoe had long struggled with alcohol and depression, an inquest has heard. 

    Thirty-nine-year-old former lab technician Vincent Wagstaff had drunk a substantial amount of alcohol before dying while tombstoning, landing on rocks near the Royal Corinthian Yacht club last October.

    Two other men went to the Hoe with him, also planning to jump in to the sea. One tried to stop Mr Wagstaff, but he replied: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." 

    He died from multiple injuries after hitting rocks before ending up in the water. Coroner Ian Arrow concluded it was an accidental death at the inquest in Plymouth.

  8. Police visit school exhibitionpublished at 17:16 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Sian Davies
    BBC News Online

    Members of Devon and Cornwall Police visited a secondary school in support of an exhibition about the life of Anne Frank.

    Sgt Paul Laity and PC Graham Little, from the Diverse Communities Team at Charles Cross station, visited Stoke Damerel Community College and were shown around the exhibition by a group of sixth form students.

    Stoke DamerelImage source, Stoke Damerel Community College

    Sgt Laity said: "We were really impressed with the amount of information in the exhibition - so much of it is relevant to today. We have a zero tolerance policy on hate crime in Plymouth, so this ties in really well with that, it’s a story that really needs to be told and shared among the younger generation. 

    "The students were passionate and informed and I’m sure they will remember this experience for a long time to come."

  9. Bank to 'look at permanently blocking area' where homeless pitched tentspublished at 17:03 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Andrew Segal
    Local Live

    A bank says it is looking at permanently blocking off an area outside a city centre branch in Cornwall after it moved on a group of homeless people who had pitched tents.

    NatWest said it moved on the group from outside its branch in Truro last week because of "safety and security concerns". There were claims some of the group had been intimidating people.

    Truro NatWest

    A temporary metal fence is currently in place.

    After moving the group on, the bank said it did not have plans to make such a block permanent. However, on Monday it said it "now looks like we are looking at blocking off that area".

    Meanwhile, Cornwall Live has reported, external members of the group have moved to disabled spaces at a nearby car park.

  10. Croll extends Exeter loan spellpublished at 16:54 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Brent Pilnick
    BBC Sport

    Crystal Palace defender Luke Croll has extended his loan at League Two Exeter City until the end of the season.

    The 22-year-old centre-back has made 12 appearances for the Grecians this season, with the side keeping four clean sheets in those games.

    Luke CrollImage source, Rex Features

    But Croll, who has yet to make a first team appearance for Palace, has not featured since Troy Brown returned to fitness in November.

    Croll's loan runs until 6 May but can be extended if City make the play-offs.

  11. Council nominated for tenant engagement awardpublished at 16:46 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Lisa Hay
    BBC News Online

    Mid Devon District Council is one of five local councils in the south of England to be nominated for an award because of how it communicates with tenants.

    The council will find out in early February whether it has won the Tenants Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) Award.

    Mid Devon CouncilImage source, Mid Devon Council

    Councillor Ray Stanley said their success is due to the contribution from their Tenants Together group in scrutinising performance and challenging officers.

    "They make a valuable contribution in discussions to performance and service reviews," he said. "Their work has been thorough and thought provoking, may they continue”.

  12. Samaritans turn 'Blue Monday' into 'Brew Monday'published at 16:38 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Naomi Kennedy
    BBC Radio Cornwall

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    People visiting Truro train station have today been offered a free teabag to try and brighten their spirits. 

    It's because today is Blue Monday, the day when people feel a bit down because Christmas is over and the credit card statement has arrived.

    Brew Monday teabags

    The Samaritans have been spending the day chatting and hoping to turn Blue Monday into "Brew Monday".

  13. Torquay 'becoming a training team'published at 16:29 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Brent Pilnick
    BBC Sport

    Torquay United manager Kevin Nicholson says he is frustrated by his side's inability to take their form on the training ground into matches.

    The Gulls lost 2-1 at home to fellow strugglers Woking, their third game without a win.

    Kevin NicholsonImage source, Rex Features

    "We're becoming a training team, an academy type team," Nicholson told BBC Radio Devon. "If you came to watch them in the week you'd think you were watching one of the top teams.

    "The way they move the ball, the way they pass it, the way they move, everything's quick and precise and proper, we need to take that out onto the pitch."

  14. £1.8m to be spent improving Plymouth schoolspublished at 16:20

    Lisa Hay
    BBC News Online

    About £1.8m is to be spent on new classrooms at two Plymouth primary schools.

    Pomphlett Primary School. Pic: GoogleImage source, Google

    City council leader Ian Bowyer said he had approved the improvement work at Pomphlett and Oreston primaries. Pomphlett gets most of the spend - £1.6m to make room for an extra 30 reception pupils. Oreston will take an additional 15 pupils from September, thanks to a £226,418 expansion.

    Cllr Bowyer said: “Continued investment in our schools is absolutely crucial if we are to maintain high standards and encourage families to raise their children in Plymouth.”

    The work is on top of almost £1.2m spent on improvements at Mount Tamar, Mount Wise and Compton primary schools.

  15. Three charged with murder of man found in St Austell in Crown Courtpublished at 16:11 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Cornwall Live

    Three men, charged with the murder of a 31-year-old in St Austell who was discovered unconscious by a dog walker in a park, have appeared before a judge in Plymouth, external.

  16. Tanner and Garita extend Argyle loanspublished at 16:03 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Brent Pilnick
    BBC Sport

    Plymouth have extended the loans of Bristol City striker Paul-Arnold Garita and Reading midfielder Craig Tanner until the end of the season. 

    Garita (pictured right), 21, has scored two goals in 14 appearances for the Pilgrims but missed a penalty in Argyle's FA Cup second-round replay against Newport County. 

    Craig Tanner and Paul-Arnold GaritaImage source, Rex Features

    Tanner (pictured left), who spent all of last season on loan at Home Park, has netted five times for the Pilgrims this season. The 22-year-old's contract at Reading runs out in the summer. 

    "Both of them have come into the football club and had a lot of game time," manager Derek Adams told BBC Radio Devon. "They've helped the team by scoring goals and assisting with goals and they've been important players for us."

  17. Tombstoner had 'drunk substantial amount'published at 15:46 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    John Danks, BBC Spotlight

    A man who died after tombstoning on Plymouth Hoe had drunk a substantial amount of alcohol, an inquest has heard.

    Thirty-nine-year-old Vincent Wagstaff died after landing on rocks near the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club on 13 October last year. 

    An inquest at Plymouth Coroner's Court was shown mobile phone footage of Mr Wagstaff jumping off a 10m wall. Concluding it was an accidental death, Coroner Ian Arrow said he was satisfied Mr Wagstaff misjudged the jump after "significant intoxication".

    Mr Wagstaff's family described him as a loving and caring family man. He is survived by three children and a partner.

  18. Ground broken for new Plymouth History Centrepublished at 15:37 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Heidi Davey
    BBC Spotlight

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    The new centre involves the refurbishment, extension and transformation of the city's existing museum and art gallery on North Hill.

    It is expected to open in time for the Mayflower 400 commemorations in Spring 2020.

  19. Daughter alerts parents after fire breaks out at Exmouth home while they sleeppublished at 15:27 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2017

    Exeter Express & Echo

    A daughter alerted her parents in the early hours of Monday morning after a fire had broken out, external at their Exmouth home.