BBC Radio Cornwall

A Camborne day care centre for the elderly is set to close in March because it is running into debt.

The Donald Thomas Centre has run for more than 40 years but now its trustees say thousands of pounds is being lost - £15,000 between April last year and December.

Image source, Google

The Camborne Community Centre Trust say it is worried other services, such as the town band, the citizens advice bureau and girl guides, would be at risk if it continues.

The town's mayor and vice-chairman of the centre, Val Dalley, has told the BBC that the number of people using it has fallen to about 13 people a day but says the building will stay open for community events.

An online petition has been set up to try to save the service.

BBC Radio Devon

Animal rescuers in north Devon have saved a lost ferret which was seen wandering the streets of Barnstaple.

Image source, North Devon Animal Ambulance

The ferret, which was "so weak, and close to death", was wrapped up and looked after in North Devon Animal Ambulance's special care unit.

He was found to be starving, dehydrated and have hypothermia.

New owners have since been found for the animal, the service said.

Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport

Cornish Pirates coach Alan Paver says his players must not take Rotherham lightly in the Championship.

The Pirates face one of their longest away trips of the season as they travel to a Titans side who are bottom of the league and have lost all 13 of their Championship matches.

Image source, Brian Tempest

"I respect any man that puts that shirt on and goes on that field," he told BBC Radio Cornwall.

"The one thing we've talked about is that mental aspect of getting up there and matching their passion because these guys will be fighting for their lives, fighting for their careers and contracts elsewhere, so they'll be a dangerous animal."

BBC Radio Devon

A runaway car was left wedged precariously in a shop window on Thursday night.

Image source, Apex

Image source, Apex

The empty Audi crashed into the disused shop in Tiverton, Devon, on Thursday evening after careering down Angel Hill, over a bollard and into the shop window.

No-one was injured in the crash.

Firefighters and police attended as there were concerns a gas main in the building may have become damaged in the crash.

The vehicle has since been removed.

Torquay United manager Gary Owers says disgruntled fans should direct their anger at him rather than his players.

BBC Radio Devon

Training healthcare assistants to step up to become nursing associates is key to solving the problem of nurses quitting the NHS says Totnes MP Sarah Wollaston.

Image source, Science Photo Library

Ms Wollaston, chair of the Health Select Committee, said: "There is an important opportunity for healthcare assistants to develop their skills.

"It will help bring more hands on deck."

She rejected claims it was "nursing on the cheap".

"We support degree nursing but there are many people who missed out on grades to be a degree nurse but have fantastic skills," she said.

"We had a 40% turnover in healthcare assistants because there was no progression.

"They can then go on to train to become a full degree nurse over time."

She also admitted that morale was "very low" in some parts of the NHS, but particularly in mental health care.

Earlier in January, the BBC reported more than 33,000 nurses left the NHS last year, piling pressure on understaffed hospitals and community services.

BBC Radio Cornwall

A St Ives art gallery which was engulfed by seawater during Storm Eleanor in early January is preparing to reopen its doors.

Image source, Porthminster Gallery

"Our beautiful pristine gallery was unrecognisable," said owner Dee Bray.

"The front door had been ripped off and the letterbox was floating in 10in (25cm) of water.

"Plinths of wood were floating about, the sheer force of the water was incredible."

The gallery hopes to reopen on 7 February.

• Storm Eleanor leaves 'tidal wave of waste' in Cornwall
• Shifting sands: Storm Eleanor changes shape of Cornwall beaches
• Devon and Cornwall battered by Storm Eleanor

Devon Live

A man raided a home on Christmas morning and made off with a pair of trousers, external - as well as bank cards and film-making equipment, a court has heard.

BBC Radio Cornwall

Pop star Will Young has quit as patron of a Cornwall horse charity that he says he is "not comfortable with".

Bodmin-based Shires Holt said in a statement that it was "concerned that a number of unfounded allegations have been made about the welfare of our horses and ponies under our care together with personal attacks about our honesty on social media.

"To that end I have contacted all the pertinent bodies including the National Equine Council, The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and Redwings and through our vet we have alerted the RSPCA.

"Twenty-seven of our horses were assessed by World Horse Welfare after Christmas and found to be in good condition.

"However, in the light of these allegations I have asked that an assessment of all our horses be made as soon as possible whether they are at conservation grazing, under our care or rehomed.

"I must stress that we have not received any complaints in writing, and we are saddened by this."

BBC Radio Devon

Lifeguard cover will continue in south Devon the RNLI has promised, despite a threat of £40,000 cuts to funding.

Image source, RNLI

South Hams District Council, which faces a £640,000 shortfall, is planning to drop its subsidy for RNLI lifeguard cover at four beaches - Hope Cove, Slapton Sands, Thurlestone and Sedgewell (Bigbury) beaches - it states in the budget debate earmarked for next Thursday., external

Simon Crayfourd of the RNLI in the South Hams, said: "We carry out a review of our lifeguarded beaches at the end of every year working closely with local authorities and private beach owners.

"The provision of lifeguards on beaches in the South Hams will not change for 2018.

"Lifeguard patrols will return to Challaborough, Bigbury-on-Sea, Sedgewell Cove, Bantham, Thurlestone, Hope Cove, Slapton Sands and Blackpool Sands."

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BBC Radio Devon

Political parties need to work together to solve the problem of NHS funding says Totnes MP Sarah Wollaston.

Image source, PA

Ms Wollaston, chair of the Health Select Committee, said "We need a proper review of funding.

"And we need to see political parties working together to get it delivered.

"We know all the possible solutions and people expect parliament to get their act together on how we are going to deliver it."

• Funding the NHS: Is it finally time for a new approach?

Plymouth Herald

Plymouth's taxi drivers could soon be banned from wearing jeans, football tops, hoodies and trainers in a bid to “enhance the professionalism" of the cab trade., external

BBC Radio Devon

Nearly twice as many children in Torbay have decayed teeth than in Plymouth it has emerged.

Image source, Science Photo Library

Public Health England said in Plymouth the figure for missing or filled or decayed teeth is 15% but in Torbay it's 27%.

Prof Liz Kay from the Peninsula Dental School in Plymouth said it was a "possibility" that the disparity was because of outreach work in the community by the school.

Across England 25% of under fives have either decayed, missing or filled teeth, Public Health England said.

"Sadly I'm not surprised, but it's ridiculous that we allow little children to suffer from a disease that we know how to prevent," Prof Kay added.

Totnes MP Sarah Wollaston says nurses need to feel more valued in order to keep them in the job.

Earlier in January, the BBC reported more than 33,000 nurses left the NHS last year, piling pressure on understaffed hospitals and community services.

Cornish Stuff

A Conservative candidate for Cornwall Council has shared, and then re-shared, Nazi themed memes, anti-immigrant jokes and shown support for far-right demonstrations on his social media feeds., external

BBC News Travel

Cornwall

• On the A30 between Higher Carblake and Temple there are lane closures in both directions for verge maintenance work. Slow traffic in the area

Devon

• Between the M5 and Tiverton on the A361 there are lane restrictions and a contraflow due to roadworks. There's busy traffic in both directions
• In Plymouth on Tavistock Road there's heavy traffic approaching the Derriford Roundabout in all directions due to the roadworks. Traffic is also very slow on Forder Valley Road
• Traffic's moving well on the Tamar Bridge and there's a 10-minute wait with three ferries running at Torpoint

Alex Osborne
BBC Weather

Showers at first, mainly towards Bideford, Tavistock and in Cornwall.

The showers will quickly become less frequent this morning, before drying up to leave a dry afternoon with sunny spells across the South West.

Maximum temperature: 10C (48F).

BBC Radio Cornwall

A St Ives beachfront gallery battered by storms earlier this month is hoping to reopen after repairs.

Waves whipped up by Storm Eleanor crashed through the doors of the Porthminster Gallery causing serious damage inside and out.

The flood water also knocked out the electricity and telephone systems.

Staff told the BBC they were shocked to see the scale of the damage but hope to reopen in early February.

BBC Radio Devon

Image source, Google

Many of Britain's best divers are in Devon today for the British Championships.

The three day event at Plymouth's Life Centre will see divers hoping to do well in the run up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The British Elite Junior Diving Championships will also be hosted at the Life Centre in April.