Dozens of schoolboys have caught the attention of the media today, by wearing skirts in protest at their school's clothing policy.

The 30 pupils of the ISCA Academy in Exeter are unhappy they haven't been allowed to wear shorts in the hot weather this week.

The school said: "Shorts are not currently part of our uniform for boys and I would not want to make any changes without consulting both students and their families.

"However, with hotter weather becoming more normal, I would be happy to consider a change for the future."

Jenny Walrond
Health Correspondent, BBC Spotlight

The dental health of around half the population of Cornwall could be suffering - because they're not registered with a dentist.

That's the estimate of the social enterprise group Smile Together - which provides some dental services in Cornwall.

The so-called hard to reach groups include gypsies and travellers, immigrants - and some in the fishing community.

BBC Radio Cornwall

It's taken 16 firefighters to free a pony that got trapped in brambles near Camborne this morning.

Crews from Tolvaddon were called out at 09:00 to help the animal at Carn Entral.

They used a harness and ropes to get the animal out of the hedge.

BBC News Education

Head teachers in England are keeping up the pressure on school funding, sending a letter warning about "cash-starved" schools to almost two million families.

As the government prepares to set out its plans in the Queen's Speech, school leaders across 17 councils are calling for urgent action over a funding gap.

Claims over school funding shortages became an election battleground and a doorstep issue with voters.

The Conservative manifesto promised an extra £1bn per year from savings.

The letter will go to parents in the following councils: Brighton, East Sussex, Northamptonshire, Surrey, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Oxfordshire, Thurrock, Cornwall, Hertfordshire, Peterborough, Wokingham, Devon, Norfolk, Suffolk, West Sussex and Dorset.

Image source, iStock

The story of boys in Exeter wearing skirts in protest at not being allowed to wear shorts in school is trending on social media.

About 30 boys from the ISCA Academy are taking part in the protest today, and have generated a huge response.

Across the English Channel, bus drivers in France are among those who have been coping with soaring temperatures by ditching their trousers.

After finding it too hot to work in full-length leg wear, members of the CFDT Semitan Union in Nantes got around the no-shorts-to-work policy by wearing skirts.

Image source, PRESSE OCEAN-ERIC CABANAS

BBC News Travel

• On the trains, delays are possible between Bodmin Parkway and Par due to a road vehicle hitting a bridge earlier today
• In Plymouth, at Sutton Harbour the pedestrian footbridge across Sutton Lock remains closed due to a mechanical fault

James Law
BBC Sport Online

Plymouth Argyle have signed ex-Rangers midfielder Jamie Ness after his release by fellow League One side Scunthorpe.

The 26-year-old made 17 appearances for the Iron last season as they were beaten in the play-off semi-finals.

Image source, Getty Images

He played 18 times for Rangers before joining Stoke in 2012, where he managed just one substitute appearance.

BBC News Travel

• On the trains, services are suspended between Bodmin Parkway and Par due to a road vehicle hitting a bridge

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

A man who was selling illegal cigarettes from a burger van in Pool has been fined.

Roy Grenfell of Close Hill, Redruth pleaded guilty at Truro Magistrates' Court yesterday to the supply of illegal tobacco products.

Grenfell, 67, had at the time of the offence been working in a burger van in Camborne Retail Park, Pool where, as a side line to selling burgers, he was also supplying illegal tobacco.

When Grenfell’s home was searched by Cornwall Council's trading standards officers, a total of 298 pouches of hand rolling tobacco and a substantial amount of cash was recovered.

Grenfell pleaded guilty to a total of six charges and was ordered to pay fines, a victim surcharge and a forfeiture order totalling £27,209.49.

BBC News Travel

• In Plymouth on Tavistock Road inbound at the Derriford Roundabout there's an overturned vehicle. Queues in the area
• In Perranporth on Liskey Hill near Granny's Lane we've got reports there's an accident

There's been a big response to a story about boys at a school in Exeter who are wearing skirts in protest at the policy of not allowing them to wear shorts in hot weather.

About 30 boys at the ISCA Academy are taking part.

Here are some of the responses on Twitter:

@DaveLisney, external "That's a stupid rule. Good on the fellas for protesting in such a creative way."

‏@JerryLonsdale1, external "who on earth makes up these rules, surely health and well-being of children just as important as learning, are the rule makers fit to teach"

@iwaugh, external "Should be allowed to dress comfortably during this time of year. Which century are the school management actually living in? #ridiculous, external"

@alexiadaley1, external "There r students around the world who live in hot tropical climates year round.No AC in schools & they survive just fine. Whiny kids"

North Devon District Council has apologised after food waste put out by residents as part of a new recycling scheme earlier this month, has gone uncollected.

The authority says the amount that's been put out for collection has far exceeded what they were expecting.

Some of the areas affected include parts of Braunton and Barnstaple.

It says 80 tonnes - about eight skips full - has been picked up in the first fortnight.

The Bishop of Truro, the Rt Revd Tim Thornton has reacted to a report published, external into the abuse carried out by former bishop Peter Ball.

The independent review found senior figures in the Church of England colluded with the former bishop who abused young men.

Peter Ball, who is now 85, was jailed for 32 months in October 2015 after admitting sex offences against 18 teenagers and young men.

Image source, PA

Bishop Tim welcomed the recommendations, saying: "It is right that we acknowledge and apologise for what went wrong.

"Despite the report's acknowledgement that much has changed in the intervening years, it also makes it clear that the pace of change has been slow and we still need to make improvements and be quicker to do so."

Peter Ball had permission to officiate in the Diocese of Truro.

His brother was Bishop of Truro in the 90s.

New ratings for universities have been published.

The national Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) assessment, external has given gold ratings to the University of Exeter, Falmouth University and City College Plymouth.

Marjon University was awarded a silver, while the University of Plymouth was ranked bronze.

Forty-three Higher Education Institutions have been recognised as offering gold standard teaching, learning and student outcomes

Professor Sir Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, at the University of Exeter said: “It is vital that the Higher Education sector evolves to meet the changing demands and expectations from students, in both learning and teaching.

"The TEF is designed to ensure that high-quality teaching receives the merits it deserves, in the same way that the Research Excellence Framework does for world-class research."

Police are appealing for witnesses after a naked man chased a woman and her children in Padstow, Cornwall.

They say the man was wearing only a backpack when he came out of a churchyard as the woman and children were walking along Church Lane.

He pursued them for a short distance before running off into a nearby wooded area.

It happened at around 17:00 on Monday.

BBC Weather

Cloud will start to break and it'll become brighter with some sunny periods developing.

Although a very light shower remains possible, it'll be mostly dry today, but much cooler.

Winds will be from the west or southwest and mainly light or moderate, but fresh at times around the coast.

Maximum temperature: 21C

Some 30 boys have worn skirts to school in protest at being told they were not allowed to wear shorts.

The pupils from ISCA Academy in Exeter asked permission to modify their uniform because of the hot weather.

One of the boys who took part in the protest said: "We're not allowed to wear shorts, and I'm not sitting in trousers all day, it's a bit hot."

Claire Reeves, whose son is a student at the school, said she had asked the school about her son being able to wear shorts, but was "shot down".

"I feel extremely proud of them all for standing up for their rights. People are always talking about equal right for males and females and school uniform shouldn't be any different", she said.

The school issued a statement earlier.

Cornwall Live

A Charlestown pub has applied for permission to start charging people to park on its premises, external in a bid to block non-customers from taking advantage.