Updates from Monday 12 February 2018 until Friday 16 February 2018
A generally cloudy and windy day with outbreaks of rain or drizzle.
It will become drier for a time this afternoon, but will start turning murky as cloud lowers.
Maximum temperature: 11C (51F).
An organisation in Cornwall is offering to help people suffering from extreme social anxiety.
Plymouth University research shows one in 10 people will be affected by the problem and youngsters are particularly vulnerable.
Quiet Connections, which helps people to increase their confidence, has been invited to work with students at Cornwall College.
Young people are encouraged to take part in craft workshops, which helps them open up.
The workshops are run by Hayley Stanton who struggled with social anxiety, but has since learnt to overcome it.
Quote MessageI thought it was the way I was [anxious], and I felt totally hopeless. I decided the only option I had was to end my life, so I overdosed at the age of 19.
Hayley Stanton, Quiet Connections
Plymouth Argyle put four past AFC Wimbledon at Home Park to move up to eighth in the League One table.
Read MoreA man has died and a motorcyclist has been injured in two incidents on the southbound carriageway.
Read MoreThe Environment Agency has issued 2 flood alerts for Devon and Cornwall for the Rivers Clyst and Culm and their tributaries.
The general forecast for tonight is that it will be mostly dry and clear initially. There will be a widespread frost too.
Skies clouding over with southerly winds strengthening later in the night.
Minimum Temperature: -4 to -1 (25-30F).
Outbreaks of rain will quickly move in from the west during tomorrow morning, with strong southerly winds also developing.
The rain will ease later in the afternoon.
Maximum Temperature: 4-7C (39-45F).
In surreal scenes this afternoon, huge HGV lorries are being towed uphill by a tractor because they have become stuck on backroads after avoiding the southbound M5 closure., external
Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online
Three Lithuanian men have admitted conspiracy to rob a jewellers shop in Truro last month.
The robbery happened at the Michael Spiers shop on Lower Lemon Street on 10 January.
Seven men appeared at Truro Crown Court today charged with a range of offences.
Rogertas Slekaitis, 25, Haroldas Ivanovas, 20, and Tomas Bakierskis, 24, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit robbery.
Andrius Buinevicius, 41, Harijus Jaciaskas, 33, Gytis Inokaitis, 35, and Agris Davidonis, 30, pleaded not guilty to the same charge.
Haroldas Ivanovas also admitted possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, while Rogertas Slekaitis, Andrius Buinevicius and Tomas Bakierskis pleaded not guilty.
In addition Tomas Bakierskis pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited weapon, namely a can of pepper spray, and Agris Davidonis pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.
Mr Davidonis is from Latvia, while the other men are from Lithuania.
An eighth defendant did not enter any pleas today. All have been remanded in custody.
The trial is expected to be held in July at Truro Crown Court.
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The southbound carriageway was closed this morning after "multiple vehicles" struck the body of a man at about 06:40 on the road between Cullompton and Exeter.
Cornish Stuff
Jenny Agutter, currently back on our screens in the 7th series of ‘Call The Midwife’ as Sister Julienne, visited Treliske to officially mark the opening of the new Birth Centre and Neonatal Unit, external.
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
Image source, PAIGNTON ZOOKeepers at a Devon zoo have bred a species of blue frog for the first time.
The blue poison dart frog is usually found in the forests of southern Suriname and northern Brazil, but can now be seen in Paignton Zoo’s reptile nursery.
The man who founded Paignton Zoo nearly a century ago - eccentric millionaire Herbert Whitley - was reputedly obsessed with the colour blue.
Zoo spokesperson Phil Knowling said: "He wanted to breed the colour blue into dogs and pigeons because it was rare and special – he also cultivated several plant species with blue flowers.
"This is a little different, but we do know that the colour blue is tricky for animals. Plants can produce blue pigments, but most animals cannot – the reason for this is not really understood."
The blue poison dart frog breeds seasonally, usually in the rainy months of February and March. The males sit on a rock and call until the females track them down. The females then fight over a male.
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
Plans for a £25m luxury holiday resort on the edge of St Ives have been approved by planners.
Truro-based Kingfisher Resorts plans to build a resort comprising of a 42-unit apartment hotel, extensive leisure facilities and up to 130 villas and apartments, on the site of a former touring caravan park, above Carbis Bay.
Kingfisher acquired the site in 2016 and will invest at least £25m in developing Una St Ives Resort with a collection of "iconic modern buildings".
Director Damian Sargent said: “We want to create a world-class resort with iconic architecture and are delighted that our plans have won approval. We expect to be on site before the end of the year and are aiming to complete the first phase of the scheme by Easter 2020.”
He added that the new resort will "take inspiration from historic Cornish quoits and the local landscape".
Image source, DCAThe new resort will include up to 130 villas and apartments
Between Exton and Ebford the A376 Exmouth Road is now open. The large fallen tree has been removed from the road.
Several flood alerts remain in place after heavy rain overnight...
It means flooding is possible and residents and motorists should be prepared.
Image source, Environment AgencyHayley Westcott
BBC News Online
Some of Devon's road will be gritted twice overnight as road surface temperatures drop, Devon County Council has said.
It added that wind and rain is expected tomorrow morning and with today's heavy rain, there may be a risk of ice.
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A fallen tree is blocking the Topsham to Exmouth cycle path at the boatyard in Topsham.
Image source, ALEX JOHN
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Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
The owners of a North Devon dairy farm have been fined more than £14,000 for polluting a stream with effluent.
The Environment Agency received a report of pollution in May 2016 in the Colam Stream near Muddiford in Barnstaple.
The pollution was traced to nearby Collacott Farm where its director admitted there had been spillages the previous day.
Effluent from a dirty water lagoon had been pumped into a field channel instead of being dispersed on the land by a sprayer.
A court heard there had been a history of pollution incidents at Collacott Farm involving silage, slurry and dirty water run-off that had resulted in warning letters and a caution from the Environment Agency.
Image source, ENVIRONMENT AGENCYThis slurry umbilical pipe was the source of some of the pollution at Collacott Farm
Image source, Highways England
Image source, Highways EnglandThe Hall for Cornwall in Truro has announced that its £20m refurbishment will go ahead.
It now has all the money it needs after the latest grant of £2m from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership.
The project will increase seating capacity to nearly 1,400 and allow the venue to attract west end shows.
The Hall for Cornwall will close for two years for the work on the inside and outside of the building
Chief Executive Julian Boast says the Hall for Cornwall will be closed for two years while the renovation works take place.
He said: "Whilst people are going to be sorry that we're closed for a while, there is an opportunity to come and see stuff before we do. When we reopen, we're going to have such a fantastic season."
Plans for a refurbishment started in 2015 when it was revealed the venue needed expanding in order to survive.
The project will increase seating capacity from just under 1,000 to nearly 1,400
Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online
The A376 remains closed between Exton and Exmouth because tree surgeons are having problems clearing the remains as well as finding another tree underneath.
Devon County Council says the road will stay closed for the rest of the afternoon but will hopefully reopen before rush hour.
