Summary

  • Rugby player 'fatally injured' in tackle, inquest hears

  • London Tube bomb accused Damon Smith claims it was a prank

  • 'Dozing' driver jailed for four years for killing friends

  • Ex-footballer jailed for child sex offences

  • Cornwall's commercial spaceport plans to be submitted to the government

  • Pedestrian hospitalised after Exeter crash

  • 'Homes raided by burglars while owners asleep upstairs'

  • Three humpback whales spotted from Skybus

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

  1. Our live coverage across the daypublished at 18:01 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    Sophie Malcolm
    BBC News Online

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

  2. Devon student admits building train bombpublished at 17:57 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    BBC London News

    A student from Newton Abbot in Devon has admitted building a bomb and leaving it on a Tube train but said it was for a prank, a court heard.

    Damon Smith denies making or possessing an explosive substance with intent to endanger life but at the Old Bailey he admitted perpetrating a bomb hoax.

    Prosecutors said the IED on a Jubilee Line train contained ball bearings to act as shrapnel.

    Jonathan Rees QC, for the prosecution, said this was to "increase the destructive effect of the device".

    Damon SmithImage source, Twitter
  3. Tornado creates amazing Devon water spoutpublished at 17:46 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    Jonathan Morris
    BBC News Online

    These awe-inspiring pictures show a water spout whipped up by the wind over the Devon coast. 

    Media caption,

    Amazing pictures of water spout

    The swirling mass of water was created by a tornado over the sea.

    Fluctuating weather conditions have led to a spate of water spouts and funnel clouds in the area.  

  4. Weather forecast: Clear and possibly freezing nightpublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    David Braine
    Weather Forecaster

    Any showers should largely fade away this evening, leaving a mostly dry and clear night across the region. 

    Under the clear skies a widespread frost will develop across Devon, with perhaps the odd fog patch forming too. Minimum temperature: 0C (32F)

    Weather

    Tomorrow it will be a bright but frosty start, but cloud will gradually move in from the north, with some patchy rain arriving by lunchtime. 

    The afternoon will then remain rather cloudy and damp. Maximum temperature: 11C (52F).

  5. Family's plea to protect rugby players following daughter's deathpublished at 17:27 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    Sian Davies
    BBC News Online

    The parents of Lily Partridge have said they wanted to see rugby players at all levels receive proper treatment for head injuries, including brain scans. 

    Jeff and Liz Partridge said: "Lily loved playing rugby and her dream was to represent Devon. She was the victim of a tragic accident. 

    "Rugby is a hard game and Lily took all the precautions to protect herself. 

    "She had suffered a couple of concussions earlier in the year but had seen her GP and had followed the RFU protocols in taking time off not playing.   

    Lily PartridgeImage source, Irving of Exeter

    "A brain scan may have spotted any weakness caused by those head injuries. 

    "If we had known that her life may be in danger by playing rugby again, obviously she would have stopped immediately. 

    "It is a great game involving big, strong, heavy, fit athletes but we need to make it as safe as possible. 

    "There are many thousands of girls and women playing rugby and Lily, like us, wants that to continue."

  6. Churcher unsure about future at Redruthpublished at 17:05 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    Redruth rugby head coach Marek Churcher says he’s "undecided" about his future at the club.

    Churcher coaches three other teams as well as Redruth. 

    He works for Truro College and with the Exeter Chiefs academy.

    Churcher told BBC Radio Cornwall: “I’ve got a lot to think about in terms with my job. I’m a full time rugby coach and I’ll admit it, it’s been quite tough this season.”

    Marek ChurcherImage source, Redruth RFC
  7. Missing student nurse found 'safe and well'published at 16:55 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    Miles Davis
    BBC News Online

    A student nurse who was missing for two weeks has walked into a police station in North Devon.

    Anna Lewis, 27, was last seen leaving Bristol's Southmead Hospital at 12.15pm on April 13.

    An Avon and Somerset Police spokesman said: "We're pleased to confirm that missing 27-year-old Bristol woman Anna Lewis has been found safe and well."

  8. Youth project gets £2.5m funding boostpublished at 16:48 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    Exeter-based homeless charity Petroc has teamed up with housing association DCH to secure nearly £2.5m from the Big Lottery Fund. 

    The cash will be spent on a unique project for under privileged 18 to 24 year olds called Empowering Enterprise.

    It'll tackle the barriers youngsters face finding a job or getting ready for the world of work.

  9. Drivers need to report medical issues, police saypublished at 16:29 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    Scott Bingham
    BBC Spotlight

    Police have urged drivers to report any medical issues, following the sentencing of a grandmother who killed two women at the wheel of her car. 

    Teresa Sant, 58, was sentenced to four years in prison and banned from driving for five years at Plymouth Crown Court.   

    Sant had told police she had dozed off at the wheel before. 

    A police spokesperson said: "We hope that this can serve as a warning to other drivers that should they have problems with broken sleep patterns or ongoing medical issues, that they should face up to these issues and inform DVLA."

    Teresa SantImage source, Paul Slater
  10. Warmer and stormier for the southpublished at 16:11 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    Climate change will affect gardens in the north and south of the UK in very different ways, according to a report by the Royal Horticultural Society

    The study says the north will be milder but also wetter and stormier, with floods more likely, while the south will become hotter and drier, suitable for growing desert plants.

  11. Rugby player had suffered two previous concussions before deathpublished at 15:56 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    Sian Davies
    BBC News Online

    A young woman who died after suffering a head injury during a rugby training session had suffered two concussions in the year before she died, an inquest has heard.

    Lily Partridge, 22, died from "an acute bleed" as a result of a trauma and suffered a cardiac arrest while playing rugby for Exonian Ladies at Topsham RFC, Devon.

    Team captain Katie Lunnon said she saw Lily walk off the pitch and complain of a headache in December 2015.

    She said: “I didn't really think anything of it as it was very cold and we were soaked through.

    "Lily was kneeling down for a bit and then she said she felt sick and was leaning forward on all fours.

    Lily PartridgeImage source, Irving of Exeter

    She said Lily then passed out, and first aid-trained coaches gave her CPR when she stopped breathing.

    The senior university lecturer added that Lily had suffered two concussions earlier that year, for which she had sought medical attention.

    Consultant radiologist Dr Michael Thomas told the hearing Lily’s two previous rugby concussions were not connected to her death.

    He said a CT scan showed that the blood clot and bleed occurred "within hours of the scan".

  12. How the Royal Marines won the first battle of the Falklands War 35 years agopublished at 15:44 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    Plymouth Herald

    As icy weather rolled in over the southern dependency island of South Georgia, a fleet of British warships, hidden in a bay, planned an attack to reclaim the island, external.

  13. Traffic update: Accident in Penzancepublished at 15:27 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    BBC News Travel

    In Penzance, The Coombe is blocked in both directions at the junction with the Strand due to an accident.

  14. Public advised to stay away from sinkholepublished at 15:20 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    Sophie Malcolm
    BBC News Online

    A sinkhole found in East Devon is being investigated by the UK Coastguard.

    A cordon has been placed around the hole at Orcombe Point in Exmouth after it was discovered earlier. 

    The UK Coastguard has asked people to stay away from the hole while it assesses it.

    Sinkhole 2015
    Image caption,

    In 2015, sinkholes also appeared in sand at Orcombe Point, near Exmouth

  15. London Tube bomb accused Damon Smith claims it was a prankpublished at 15:04 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    BBC London News

    A student has admitted building a bomb and leaving it on a Tube train but said it was for a prank, a court heard.

    Damon Smith denies making or possessing an explosive substance with intent to endanger life but at the Old Bailey he admitted perpetrating a bomb hoax.

    The prosecution said Mr Smith intended the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) to explode and endanger the lives of people on the Jubilee Line train.

    Prosecutors said the IED contained ball bearings to act as shrapnel.

    The court heard the student had moved to Rotherhithe in south-east London with his mother from Newton Abbot, Devon, when he started a computer forensics degree at London Metropolitan University.  

    Damon SmithImage source, Twitter
  16. Newquay sex offender pleads guiltypublished at 14:59 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    Cornwall Live

    A 21-year-old sex offender from Newquay has pleaded guilty, external to breaching a court order and obstructing a police officer in his duty.

  17. Slow traffic in Kilkhampton and Torquaypublished at 14:50 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    BBC News Travel

    • In Kilkhampton on the A39 there's slow traffic in both directions between Dipper Lane and East Road due to a building fire near the road
    • In Torquay, Riviera Way is partially blocked at the junction with A380 Hamelin Way due to an accident. Queues outbound back to Browns Bridge Road  
  18. Parents 'immensely proud' of rugby player who saved lives after deathpublished at 14:42 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    Sian Davies
    BBC News Online

    A young woman who died after a rugby training session in North Tawton, Devon, helped save the lives of scores of strangers with her transplanted organs and tissue. 

    Lily Partridge, 22, suffered a head injury and collapsed at the side of the pitch with a heart attack in December 2015. She died a day later in hospital.

    Lily PartridgeImage source, Irving of Exeter
    Image caption,

    Lily Partridge is pictured wearing the blue hat

    After the inquest at Exeter's County Hall, Lily's parents, Jeff and Liz Partridge, said they would "never recover" from the loss of their "beautiful daughter". 

    But they added that they were "immensely proud of the gift of life" she gave through organ donation.

  19. A developer is spending £5m to improve life in Derrifordpublished at 14:27 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    Plymouth Herald

    Millions of pounds is being invested in vital Plymouth infrastructure as a result of the 800 home development at Derriford, it has emerged, external.

  20. Fire crews tackling Kilkhampton blazepublished at 14:17 British Summer Time 26 April 2017

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    A fire in a large agricultural shed at Kilkhampton in north Cornwall is being dealt with by fire crews from Bude, Delabole, Holsworthy and Hartland. 

    The building is a 15m by 15m wooden shed.

    Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus are using two high pressure hosereel jets. 

    Devon and Cornwall Police are at the scene managing traffic.