BBC Spotlight

The rainy winter has been causing problems for farmers who've been struggling to work the land.

Cornwall has had some of the wettest weather so far in January, with west Cornwall seeing 56% more rain than average.

One farm near Exeter says crops are in danger of being damaged because of recent frosts followed by a thaw.

Delays in working the soil also disrupt the planting of new crops.

On the Tamar Valley in south east Cornwall, livestock farmer Martin Howlett, added that one of the problems was "the constant rain".

He said: "We don't get more than three or four days to let the ground dry out. It's just running all over the fields."

The weather station at RNAS Culdrose has recorded 177mm of rain this month (Jan average = 113.3mm) that's a 56% rise.

Kevin Thomas
BBC Weather Forecaster

We'll have a full forecast later.

BBC Radio Devon

On the A38 near Plympton, before the Deep Lane junction, heading towards Plymouth, there are reports there's an accident. Traffic is slow-moving

A new two-day music festival called Ocean City Sounds will take place in Plymouth this summer.

The event, which replaces MTV Crashes, will take place on The Hoe on Thursday 26 and Friday 27 July.

No artists have been announced yet, but previous acts to have played include Little Mix, Rudimental, Kaiser Chiefs and Clean Bandit.

MTV will continue to support the event and will produce a TV highlights' show for the music channel.

This year, the first evening will see contemporary, chart-topping acts take to the stage, while the second will have a more retro feel, featuring classic acts from the 1980s and 90s.

BBC Radio Devon

• In Plymouth, on the A38 Parkway at Marsh Mills roundabout, there are reports of an accident
• Between Marldon and Berry Pomeroy, Totnes Road is closed in both directions due to an accident and gas leak. The road may be shut for some time
• On the A380 around Kingsteignton, there are lane closures and a 40mph speed restriction due to roadworks. Traffic is slow moving heading towards Penn Inn

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BBC Radio Devon

A swimmer has died after getting into difficulty on a south Devon beach.

The man was pulled from the water at Preston Sands in Torbay at about 14:00 on Tuesday said coastguards.

The unnamed man died later in hospital.

Police say there are no suspicious circumstances.

BBC Spotlight

A Cornish charity says it is struggling to keep up with the number of military veterans seeking help to improve their lives through sail training.

Falmouth's Turn to Starboard, external used to teach about 20 veterans a year but that figure is now up to 400.

It's running a campaign to try to raise £100,000 to buy another vessel.

A nail art project is improving recovering addicts' self esteem and motivating them with mini messages.

A teen accused of a stabbing another boy held a knife "to strengthen" his fist, a court hears.

Martyn Oates
BBC South West Political Editor

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has responded to pressure from South West MPs for movement on rail upgrades in the region after the MPs threatened not to support the government in HS2 Bill today.

In a letter to the MPs, Mr Grayling said government would "set out its strategy" for South West rail upgrades by the end of next month in response to a report by the Peninsula Rail Task Force calling for more resilience.

He added that there was an aim to "begin full work at Dawlish quickly" in response to the town's coastal railway line being washed away in storms in 2014.

The minister is also "currently reviewing costs and business case" for partial electrification of the mainline between Totnes and Plymouth.

He said he had also told train operator GWR to "prepare plans to introduce regular services to Okehampton, with objective of securing a credible and costed plan for delivering an all-week, all-year train service between Exeter and Okehampton as soon as reasonably practicable".

BBC Weather

There will be some light rain around this evening but also a few drier spells at times.

Through the early hours, heavy outbreaks of rain will arrive with strengthening winds.

Minimum temperature: 6C (43F).

The rain will clear during Wednesday morning to leave sunshine and scattered blustery showers, and a significant wind chill.

The showers may be heavy at times, with a risk of hail and thunder.

Maximum temperature: 9C (48F).

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

A 16-year-old boy who stabbed a 14-year-old outside a community centre in Truro has told a court he "wouldn't want to stab anyone".

The boy, who can't be named for legal reasons, has admitted wounding, but denies a charge of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm during the incident on 27 September last year.

At Truro Crown Court, while being asked what he makes of the charge by his barrister, Ramsey Quaife, he said: "I wouldn't want to stab anyone and get myself into trouble. Treat people how you want to be treated."

In questioning from the prosecution, barrister Brian Fitzherbert put it to the defendant: "You held his shoulder and deliberately stabbed him in the back."

"No," the defendant replied.

He said the small blade of the knife with 21 attachments he was carrying, and said he was holding to "strengthen my fist", was already out when he had it in his pocket.

"Not long before I was shaving a stick", he told the court.

A further charge of possessing a knife has been removed from the indictment.

The trial continues.

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

A 16-year-old boy who stabbed a 14-year-old outside a community centre in Truro has told a court his victim was about to confront him.

The boy, who can't be named for legal reasons, has admitted wounding, but denies a charge of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm during the incident on 27 September last year.

The defendant said of the victim: "I had a lot of disrespect for him. Things I'd heard I didn't agree with."

He told Truro Crown Court he was smoking a cigarette outside the centre when he heard the victim was coming to confront him.

He moved around the corner and then put a sleeve over his head to conceal his face. He also held the knife in his right hand "to strengthen my fist", the court heard.

When the victim appeared with his fists raised, he punched the 14-year-old in the head before the victim went to rugby tackle him in the stomach, he said.

He told the jury he intended to punch the boy in the back, but the blade of the knife, protruding downwards from his hand, then caused potentially life-threatening injuries to his victim, puncturing a lung.

The trial continues.

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

A 16-year-old boy who stabbed a 14-year-old outside a community centre in Truro forgot he was holding a knife, a court has heard.

The boy, who can't be named for legal reasons, has admitted wounding, but denies a charge of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm during the incident on 27 September last year.

He told Truro Crown Court he punched the victim in the head and then intended to punch the boy in the back.

He said that "by the time I punched him, and with the adrenaline, I completely forgot I had a knife in my hand" after he had been holding it "to strengthen my fist".

The trial continues.

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BBC Radio Devon

Police stopped the wrong bus while hunting for a stolen public transport vehicle in east Devon.

They chased down a bus after receiving reports that an out-of service Stagecoach vehicle was stolen from its depot and dumped at Louisa Place in Exmouth.

Officers were called at 22:45 on Sunday, and a man was seen leaving the bus and fleeing the area, but police couldn't find him.

A number of police cars chased and stopped an out-of service bus near Marsh Barton after reports of an out-of-service bus heading towards Exeter. Officers soon confirmed that it wasn't the stolen vehicle - it was being driven by an employee.

The stolen bus has since been found and brought back to its depot. Stagecoach said there was no damage to the vehicle and no one was injured.

It added: "An internal investigation into this incident has commenced and CCTV has been recovered from the vehicle. We are also assisting the police with their investigation."

Laurence Reed
BBC Radio Cornwall

Cornwall Council has launched a campaign to push the government to give more money to the county.

The Liberal Democrat leader of the authority, Adam Paynter, said the historic funding formula was wrong and unfairly penalised the county.

He said hundreds of people had already pledged support and he was hoping that a better deal would be cut for Cornwall in 2020.

He said: "At the moment, the government are saying: 'We know you need more money,' but, rather than actually give us more, they say: 'We'll let you charge more in council tax.'

"That really isn't fair because it's hitting people on fixed incomes."

Devon Live

Torbay Council is being urged to draw up a list of the worst eyesores in the Bay, external and reasons why development has stalled.

The list – which could include sites like Oldway, Crossways or the Pavilion – would be open for communities to nominate eyesores of concern to them and be regularly reviewed by the council.

Andrew Segal
BBC Local Live

Hundreds of items have been seized from a property in north Devon, including suspected explosive materials and chemicals, after a bomb disposal team was called to a village last week, police say.

Officers and bomb disposal specialists started searching a property in Bishop's Tawton, near Barnstaple, last Wednesday after a man was arrested on Barnstaple High Street.

Supt Toby Davies, of Devon and Cornwall Police, tweeted the "main searches with regards incident in Bishops Tawton have now been completed".

Supt Davies, who previously said the incident was not being treated as a terrorist-related, thanked local community "for their support".

A 55-year-old man has been charged with two counts of possessing explosives and one of possessing a bladed weapon. He is due before Exeter magistrates on 1 February.