BBC Local Live: Devon & Cornwall on Tuesday 24 January 2017

Summary

Businessman 'murdered by wife' had horrific injuries, inquest told
Forty-five firefighters tackle derelict pub blaze in Falmouth
The mother of a man who died in the Isles of Scilly has welcomed news of a new police investigation.
Another family of Syrian refugees could be coming to Devon
Air ambulance targeted by green laser
Man evicted from council house after fire crews find cannabis in the loft
Updates on Tuesday 24 January 2017

Live Reporting

Dead businessman's mother 'sure' of wife's guiltpublished at 14:23 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Sian Davies
BBC News Online
The wife of a millionaire businessman, mowed down by a speeding car, arranged to have him killed for his money, according to the victim's family.
Barry Pring, 47, from Devon was trying to catch a taxi on the hard shoulder of a dual carriageway in Kiev in 2008 when he was killed.
Image source, Family photograph
His Ukrainian wife Ganna Ziuzina, 19 years his junior, had returned to the restaurant where the couple had dined to find her missing glove.
Mr Pring's mother, Irene, told the inquest into his death she was "sure" her son was murdered, adding the car which hit him had false number plates.
Investigation's under way into cause of huge firepublished at 14:09 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
BBC Spotlight
An investigation's under way after a huge fire destroyed a derelict pub in Falmouth.
The fire broke out late last night at the Four Winds Inn on Dracena Avenue.
At it's height dozens of firefighters tacked the blaze. It's not yet known how the fire started. Police are at the scene.
Some local residents say the building's been a target for vandals and squatters.
Man caught in Exeter University night club with 16 ecstasy tabletspublished at 13:58 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Exeter Express & Echo
A roofer was caught with a stash of ecstasy tablets in Exeter University's night club, external after an anti-drugs operation, a court heard.
Beautiful Cornwallpublished at 13:51 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
BBC Weather Watchers
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Man evicted from council house after fire crews find cannabis in the loftpublished at 13:44 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Emma Thomasson
BBC Spotlight
A man's been evicted from his council house in Cullompton after he was caught growing cannabis in the loft.
Firefighters were called to the property to put out a fire from an electrical socket when they discovered the drug was being cultivated on a large scale.
Mid Devon District Council says the tenant could face jail if he tries to return.
Wealthy businessman inquest: 'No doubt Barry Pring was murdered'published at 13:18 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Anna Varle
BBC News Online
Image source, Family handout
An inquest into the death of a wealthy businessman from Devon has heard there is no doubt his Ukrainian wife either arranged or was compliant in his murder.
Barry Pring was killed by a speeding vehicle as he was trying to catch a taxi on the hard shoulder of a dual carriageway in Kiev nine years ago.
The 47-year-old was in the Ukraine to celebrate his first wedding anniversary to his wife Ganna Ziuzina.
Barry Pring's best man at his wedding, Peter Clifford told the inquest he has no reasonable doubt that Barry was murdered. The inquest continues.
Image source, Family handout
HSBC to close 62 more branches this yearpublished at 13:07 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
The BBC understands Redruth and Newquay branches of HSBC will close along with 60 others nationwide.
More than 180 jobs will be lost in the final stage of its restructuring programme, which will leave the bank with 625 branches in the UK.
HSBC says the number of transactions carried out in branches has fallen by about 40% over the past five years.
Image source, Getty Images
Gas cylinder and reports of children and rough sleepers hamper firefighterspublished at 12:56 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Lynne French, BBC News Online
A gas cylinder and reports of homeless sleepers and children seen near the site of a fire in Falmouth, made the blaze harder to tackle.
The derelict Four Winds Inn in Famouth was gutted by the fire which broke out at about 2300 on Monday night.
Image source, Kevin Fudge
About 50 firefighters tackled the blaze, with reports of flames up to 30ft (9m) high.
Fire investigation officer Justin Sharp said: "The structure was unstable and starting to collapse... added to which there were unconfirmed reports of homeless sleepers and children seen nearby."
Woman pulled from water in Falmouthpublished at 12:40 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Hannah Stacey
BBC Radio Cornwall
A woman in her 20s was rescued from the water off the Prince of Wales Pier in Falmouth last night, Coastguards have said.
The alarm was raised at 22:10 after a member of the public heard a woman shouting for help and saw her in the water.
She was rescued by lifeboat and taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital. She was described by the Coastguard as "conscious, but a little incoherent". It's not clear how she ended up in the water.
Image source, Google
MP's broadside over South Devon hospital closurespublished at 12:24 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Torquay Herald Express
Totnes MP Sarah Wollaston has criticised the findings of a consultation, external into the proposed closures of South Devon hospitals.
Travel updates for Devon and Cornwall: Stubborn fog lingeringpublished at 12:12 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
BBC Travel
- Foxhole Hill is blocked in both directions at Christow due to an incident between Wet Lane and the B3193
- In Bampton the B3190 partially blocked, external due to an incident near Frog Street
- At Pathfinder Village, Five Mile Hill is blocked both directions due to an incident between A30 Fingle Glen Junction and Heath Lane
- In Devon on the M5 around Exeter there's fog
Cause of Falmouth blaze investigatedpublished at 11:59 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Lynne French, BBC News Online
Fire investigators say they have an "open mind" into the cause of a blaze which gutted a derelict pub in Falmouth.
At the height of the fire, about 50 firefighters tackled the blaze at the Four Winds Inn in Dracena Avenue.
Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, external fire investigation officer Justin Sharp said it had been a difficult operation due to an unstable structure and unconfirmed reports of homeless sleepers and children being seen in the area.
How Devon table tennis club the Wrinklies are beating dementiapublished at 11:40 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Jonathan Morris
BBC News Online
John Clapham is turning the tables on dementia.
Media caption,
How table tennis is beating dementia
He's a member of the Wrinklies - that's what they call themselves - who play table tennis in Ottery St Mary, Devon.
They've got an average age of 80 and their oldest player is 94.
And in cases such as John's it has changed lives for the better.
Mother welcomes new police probe into son's deathpublished at 11:22 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Sian Davies
BBC News Online
The mother of a man who died in the Isles of Scilly has welcomed news of a new police investigation.
The body of 23-year-old Josh Clayton, from Taunton, was found on rocks near Tresco in September 2015, 10 days after he went missing from a party on the privately-owned island.
The inquest into his death was halted earlier this month when new evidence came to light, prompting Tracey Clayton to say she had no confidence in the ability of Devon and Cornwall Police to carry out an effective investigation.
The force said as a result of the new evidence, a fresh investigation will take place and, in addition, Dorset Police, external will review the previous investigation.
Mrs Clayton said: "I'm pleased that it's being taken seriously and we're actually being listened to... hopefully we can finally get some answers."
Burns victim airlifted to hospitalpublished at 11:06 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Lynne French, BBC News Online
A man has been airlifted to hospital suffering from burns to his arms and head.
The Cornwall Air Ambulance said it was called to Camborne after a 999 call on Monday. It is not clear how the man injured himself.
He was flown to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.
Suspect in Christmas Eve crash which broke teen's legs is given bail againpublished at 10:54 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Plymouth Herald
A 27-year-old man from Plymouth arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury, external to teenager Ruby-Tuesday Hobbs by dangerous driving on Christmas Eve has been rebailed by police.
Tide times for Devon and Cornwallpublished at 10:38 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Holly Green
BBC Weather
If you're planning a trip to the seaside today, here are the times of high water around the coast of the South West.
There'll be a full weather forecast with Holly in the Spotlight lunchtime news at 1330 on BBC One.
Breezeblocks hurled on to passing vehiclespublished at 10:26 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Jonathan Morris
BBC News Online
A car and a lorry windscreen were damaged by breezeblocks thrown from a Plymouth overpass.
Image source, Google
The blocks were hurled from Elliot Road overpass onto Gdynia Way between 20:45 and 21:05 GMT last Thursday said police.
PC Glenn Hawkins said: “The incident involved damage to a car and a truck and could have resulted in a serious incident.
“We ask any witnesses who saw something during these times to get in touch with Devon and Cornwall Police.”
Penzance public toilet was found covered with needles and drug paraphernalia at the weekendpublished at 10:20 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Cornwall Live
A Penzance resident was shocked to discover a horrific sight, external when he entered a public toilet in town at the weekend.
Cheers for new cheetahspublished at 10:07 Greenwich Mean Time 24 January 2017
Lynne French, BBC News Online
A greyhound lure is to be used at Dartmoor Zoo for two of the world's fastest animals to exercise.
The cheetahs, Tibo and Baro, have been brought over to the Devon animal park from Landau Zoo in Germany, as part of its conservation and breeding plans.
Image source, Evie Gotham/Performance Photo
Numbers of the animals in the wild have fallen in recent years, moving them from "vulnerable" to "endangered" according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, external.
"We have spent the last few weeks re-landscaping the ground to make a good sized running track, and we will put in a greyhound lure as soon as we can to exercise these magnificent animals and see if they really can reach 65 miles an hour in three seconds," director and owner Benjamin Mee said.
"Our large cheetah enclosure is a purpose built breeding enclosure with separation facilities built in to be able to introduce the female when the time is right."
Image source, Evie Gotham/Performance Photo