Chris Ellis
BBC News Online

Rescue teams are trying to free a humpback whale that has become caught in fishing gear off the South Devon coast.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue says two people have been out to check the condition of the creature in Start Bay and are now on the lifeboat next to the creature.

One member is on board a nearby fishing boat. The organisation says the idea is to disentangle the whale as soon as possible.

"We don't want to stress the whale out," a spokesperson said.

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

Staff inside Parliament have been told to stay inside their offices after a police officer was stabbed and an alleged attacker was shot by police.

The attack is being treated as a terrorist incident.

There are also reports of people being injured by a car on Westminster Bridge.

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

A humpback whale that has become caught in fishing gear off the South Devon coast, is caught around the tail.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue says two people have been out to check the condition of the creature in Start Bay.

Image source, Henry Kirkwood

They have now gone back to shore where they will collect equipment and prepare a plan. A lifeboat is offering support.

Julia Cable, from the organisation, said: "I believe it's a relatively simple attachment. We want to get it free soon while the whale is calm, before the situation worsens." 

BBC Radio Devon

A police officer has been stabbed in the Houses of Parliament in central London , Commons Leader David Lidington has said.

He told MPs the "alleged assailant was shot by armed police" following a "serious" incident.

Staff inside Parliament were told to stay inside their offices.

Image source, AP

Chris Ellis
BBC News Online

• A whale which has been attracting crowds of onlookers off the south Devon coast is believed to have got into trouble
• The charity, British Divers Marine Life Rescue says it seems to have become entangled in lobster pots off Blackpool Sands
• The alarm was raised just before midday when the Coastguard received a VHF Radio call from a fishing vessel reporting that a whale was entangled in some fishing gear in Start Bay, Dartmouth
• British Divers Marine Life Rescue and Dartmouth RNLI inshore lifeboat are currently on scene attempting to help the whale
• Dartmouth Coastguard Rescue Team have also been sent to the location
• The whale, estimated to be about 50ft long, is reportedly still surfacing for air and is currently situated around 1km offshore

Cornwall Live

A foul-mouthed drunk breached a banning order within 48 hours, external , launching a tirade of foul-mouthed abuse at a police officer in front of children, and is now behind bars.

BBC News England

Onlooker Henry Kirkwood said "The whale is trying to dive, it's humping it back but the flukes never come up."

The humpback whale has been seen offshore on and off for the past three weeks.

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

Work is under way to disentangle a humpback whale that is caught up in fishing gear off the south Devon coast.

The Coastguard was called just before midday by a fishing boat in Start Bay, Dartmouth.

Angus MacIver, Coastguard Duty Controller, said: "We are asking for members of the public to be mindful of their own safety if they're trying to find a viewing vantage point, so that the emergency services can support the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) in responding to this incident."

Image source, Henry Kirkwood

BDMLR and the Dartmouth inshore lifeboat are currently on the scene attempting to help the whale. Dartmouth Coastguard Rescue Team have also been sent to the location. 

The whale, estimated to be about 50ft long, is reportedly still surfacing for air and is currently situated around 1km offshore.

Gordon Sparks
Presenter, BBC Radio Devon

Plymouth Argyle's South Western Peninsular League Cup semi-final against St Austell - due to be played at Saltash this evening - has been called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

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Emma Thomasson
BBC Spotlight

Following reports that a humpback whale has become entangled in lobster pots off the South Devon coast, a lifeboat has launched.

The Dart inshore lifeboat is at the scene, awaiting advice from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue. 

It's believed the whale is about 500 yards off shore near Blackpool Sands.

Image source, Henry Kirkwood

BBC Radio Devon

The humpback whale which has been seen off the south Devon coast for the past three weeks appears to have become entangled in lobster pots off Blackpool Sands, the charity, British Divers Marine Life Rescue has told the BBC.

Witnesses say the whale is about 500 yards off shore and rising to the surface every five minutes to blow air. The charity says it has members at the scene and others on the way.  

More to follow.   

Matt Small
BBC Radio Cornwall

Two men have had to be cut from a car after it went over a low cliff and on to a beach near Newquay.

The driver in his 40s, and passenger in his 70s, have both been taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital - one by air ambulance.

A dog that was also in the car is thought to be uninjured.

Police say they were called to Porth Beach at 09:50 GMT, to reports that a blue estate car went over a low cliff and on to the beach.

Both men remained in the vehicle until they were cut free by emergency services.

Neither are thought to have life threatening injuries, and emergency services hope to get the car removed as soon as possible.

Police are appealing for information about a missing Newquay man who hasn't been seen since 12 March. 

Darren Mitchell, 41, is described as white with a shaven head, 6ft 4in tall with a Chelsea tattoo on his upper right arm. 

He was last seen at Burger King in the town at 21:00. Police describe him as a high risk missing person and anyone who has information should call 101. 

BBC News Travel

• The A30 at Lanivet closed westbound because a lorry is facing the wrong way - police are on the scene
• On the A30 near Sourton Cross one lane remains blocked Cornwall-bound due to an earlier accident. There are queues of slow moving traffic westbound
• In Plymouth on Wolseley Road there's slow traffic between Saltash Road and St Levan Road and Segrave Road due to roadworks

BBC News Travel

On the A38 towards Plymouth at the roundabout after Trago Mills (near Dobwalls) there has been a crash involving about 10 cars - no emergency services at the scene just yet

Devon Live

The public are being asked to look out for a 14-year-old boy who is missing from Dawlish, external .

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

The police say there have been two accidents on a stretch of the A30 this morning.

The first involved at least six vehicles near Okehampton at around 10:50 GMT, and affected both sides of the carriageway.

A number of people were injured, although none thought to be serious.

Police said it will take some time to recover the vehicles.

Image source, Google

At 11:15 GMT there was a second accident on the A30 between Launceston and Okehampton, when a Jaguar is thought to have aquaplaned and hit the central barrier.

Road users are asked to avoid the area. 

The police said: "There are currently no reports of anyone seriously injured, but believed to be a number walking wounded." 

Matt Small
BBC Radio Cornwall

The driver of a car that came off the road and fell off a cliff on to a beach near Newquay has been airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

A second man who was a passenger has been cut free from the vehicle, a blue estate car, and taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital by land ambulance.

It's believed the car went over the edge of the road and rolled several times on to Porth Beach.

Three fire engines have been at the scene, along with police and coastguards.

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

A man who served in the Royal Navy for 16 years has been jailed for making and distributing indecent images of children as young as five.

Andrew Grove, 41, from Parc-An-Maen, Porthleven, previously pleaded guilty to offences involving a total of 308 images and videos.

Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police

Truro Crown Court heard how some of the images showed children grimacing and crying. They were found on four laptops seized from his address in 2015.

Prosecuting counsel Phillip Lee told the court how Grove also shared images using a Skype account, where he also falsely boasted of abusing children.

Grove served in the Navy for 16 years, before leaving in 2013. 

Judge Robert Linford sentenced him to two years in prison and gave him a sexual harm prevention order.