Summary

  • Mass protest by 'slaves' over arrest of bosses

  • Tributes paid to woman who died in multiple-vehicle crash on M5

  • Crown Censure for MoD over ship death

  • Kickboxer shot children with BB gun 'for a laugh'

  • Glider pilot who died took off despite 'turbulent conditions'

  • HMS Ocean sails into home port for final time

  • Cornish snowboarder to compete at Winter Olympics

  • Updates from Monday 5 February 2018 until Friday 9 February 2018

  1. M5 crash: One person has diedpublished at 07:51 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    M5 traffic

    One person has died in a crash involving three vehicles on the M5 through Somerset, a spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police has said.

    The force expects a lengthy closure of both carriageways between Wellington and Taunton.

  2. Flower farm arrests: One man released under investigationpublished at 07:48 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    One of the three men arrested in connection with modern slavery allegations at a west Cornwall flower farm yesterday has been released under investigation.

    Two men were arrested on suspicion of modern slavery offences and one man was taken into custody on suspicion of gangmaster offences on Thursday morning.

    About 200 workers live on the farm, in Manaccan, and 14 of them opted to receive help from a national scheme.

    Police on farm

    Last night, about 100 migrant workers gathered at Camborne Police Station to show support for their bosses, and object to the claims they are modern slaves.

    Shaun Sawyer, Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police said of the protest: "it's good, legitimate democracy".

    "Why wouldn't those who don't understand want to go to a British police station and express their views very legitimately? I think that is democracy."

  3. Weather: A chilly start with sunny spells laterpublished at 07:37 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    Alex Osborne
    BBC Weather

    A cool start across the region with a risk of some ice in places.

    It will then be a bright and breezy day with some decent sunny spells and a few showers.

    Maximum temperature: 6C (42F).

    weather map
  4. Man, 25, missing from Newton Abbotpublished at 07:33 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    Hayley Westcott
    BBC News Online

    A 25-year-old man has gone missing from Newton Abbot, police say.

    Bradley Turnstill was last seen at about 21:30 on Thursday.

    Devon and Cornwall Police are becoming "increasingly concerned" for his welfare.

    Mr Turnstill is described as a white male, about 6ft (1.8m) tall, of slim build, with short cropped blonde hair and facial stubble.

    He was last seen wearing a grey North Face sweater, dark jeans and black Adidas trainers.

    Anyone with information is being asked to contact police via 101.

  5. Travel update: Slow traffic due to lane closurespublished at 07:25 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    BBC Radio Devon

    • In Devon, on the A380 around Kingsteignton, there are lane closures and a speed restriction in place due to roadworks. Traffic is slow moving heading towards Penn Inn.
    • In Cornwall, on the A30 between Higher Carblake and Temple, there are lane closures in both directions for verge maintenance work. There is slow traffic in the area.
  6. M5 crash: Diversions are now in placepublished at 07:20 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

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    Northbound traffic:

    • Advised to exit the M5 at J26 and follow the solid black triangle diversion symbol
    • Take the A38 northbound and re-join the M5 at J25

    Southbound traffic:

    • Advised to exit the M5 at J25 and follow the solid black square diversion symbol
    • Take the A358 east through west Hatch
    • At Horton Cross, take the A303 southbound through Newcott and then the A30 towards Hontion
    • Re-join the M5 at J29
  7. M5 crash: Report from an eyewitnesspublished at 07:20 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    The crash scene on the M5Image source, Highways England

    An eyewitness on the M5, who has called BBC Somerset, says eight cars are involved.

    Cutting equipment is being used to get into a number of the vehicles, he said.

    There are six fire engines in attendance and some 20 police cars.

  8. Migrant workers protest over arrest of bossespublished at 07:07 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    About 100 migrant workers gathered outside Camborne Police Station last night, angry at the arrest of three men at a flower farm in west Cornwall.

    Police and staff from Cornwall Council had swooped on the farm in Manaccan where around 200 workers were housed in caravans on Thursday morning.

    The police said they were investigating what they described as "a case of suspected modern slavery".

    Workers

    The workers are from Lithuania and Romania.

    Justinas Staliunas is an interpreter for the group and said: "We are all here basically to get the truth out and to show that the people here are not modern slaves. They are not slaves.

    "They come here to work, some people here have worked for 13 or 15 years for the same people. Now, I wouldn't call that slavery."

  9. Centenary show for 'remarkable' artistpublished at 01:08 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2018

    Cornish landscape artist Peter Lanyon's biggest fans included David Bowie.

    Read More
  10. Kickboxer shot children 'for a laugh'published at 21:47 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2018

    Instructor Peter Sheridan says he did not intend to hurt any of the 10 year olds with the BB gun.

    Read More
  11. Darth Vader helps kickboxer who fired BB gun at childrenpublished at 18:54 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2018

    BBC Radio Devon

    An actor who plays Darth Vader gave a personal reference to a kickboxing teacher who sprayed a class of 10 year olds with BB gun pellets.

    Peter Sheridan was found guilty of possessing an imitation firearm at Kingsbridge Leisure Centre in Devon.

    Spencer Wilding, who played Vader in Rogue One, said Sheridan was "devoted to helping others and supporting the community".

    Sheridan, 46, was given a conditional discharge at Exeter Crown Court.

    The court heard former European kick boxing champion Sheridan, who used to train with Mr Wilding, sprayed six children with dozens of 6mm pellets from the battery-powered rifle in an attempt to make them run around the hall faster.

    He said: "I just did it for a laugh."

    The jury heard three children complained they had small marks where they had been hit by pellets.

    Sheridan, of Kingsway Park, Kingsbridge, was cleared of three counts of assault and ordered to pay £500 costs.

    Judge David Evans told him: "You were like an over-excited child."

  12. Plymouth MP calls for reburial of WW2 sailorspublished at 18:45 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2018

    war graves

    A Plymouth MP has called for the reburial of Royal Navy sailors from World War Two, who were left in mass graves off the coast of Indonesia.

    Labour MP Luke Pollard has made the call to the UK government following the latest incident of sunken ships from the war being disturbed by metal scavengers in the region.

    It is estimated this practice has already destroyed up to 40 World War Two-era vessels in the Java sea.

    One of those is the HMS Exeter on which 54 sailors died.

    In a statement, Mr Pollard said: "As the MP for Devonport, I am asking for relatives of those who died on HMS Exeter to come forward to help me in my campaign to see these sailors buried properly.

    "No fallen British sailor should have their remains dumped in unmarked mass graves in the 21st Century."

  13. 'Fake police car' warningpublished at 18:12 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2018

    Sarah Gosling
    BBC News Online

    Devon and Cornwall Police are looking for two men driving a "fake police car" who attempted to rob a man with what is believed to be a knife on Wednesday.

    The incident - which is the second "fake police" report of its kind in just a few days - happened at Northam Square near Bideford just before 21:00.

    Police car

    A similar incident happened on 28 January near Beam Quarry on the A386 near Torrington.

    Insp Shaun Keneally had this advice for motorists: "Our lights are extremely bright and flash very quickly, and they don't rotate like they used to.

    "If you have any doubts, don't stop, continue to drive in a controlled manner, acknowledge the fact that you're being asked to stop, drive somewhere where there's likely to be a lot of public around and then proceed to stop the vehicle."

  14. Teenager hit by car in Tivertonpublished at 17:51 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2018

    A teenager has been taken to hospital after being hit by a car in Tiverton, police have said.

    The incident happened at about 15:45 on Lea Road, and involved only one car.

    The casualty was taken by ambulance to hospital, but is not believed to have suffered any serious injuries.

    The road has now reopened.

  15. Weather: Cold and wet means it's set to be an icy nightpublished at 17:14 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2018

    BBC Weather

    Tonight's going to be a chilly one - following a spell of rain, temperatures will fall quickly later in the night allowing ice to form on untreated pavements, cycle paths and roads.

    The rain should clear south-eastwards tonight to leave clear spells, but also wintry showers pushing in from the west.

    Minimum Temperature: -1 to 2C (30 to 36F)

    The Met Office has issued a yellow warning and advised caution when travelling.

    Weather 8 February

    It's set to feel colder on Friday with spells of sunshine, but also some wintry showers.

    The wintry showers are expected to become increasingly isolated through the afternoon.

    Maximum Temperature: 4-7C (39-45F).

  16. Three men arrested over slavery allegationspublished at 17:05 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2018

    Sarah Gosling
    BBC News Online

    slavery raid in Cornwall

    Following an anti-slavery raid on a flower farm in Mannacan, Cornwall, this morning, three men were arrested.

    A 61-year-old man and a 41-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of modern slavery offences, while a 49-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being an unlicensed gangmaster.

    All three men are local to Helston, and all three remain in police custody.

    About 200 people were found to be working on the farm, 14 of whom have opted to receive help from a national scheme.

  17. Bid to save porpoise after deaths on Devon beachpublished at 16:51 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2018

    Devon Live

    One porpoise has beached itself and died and experts were called in to try to save a second porpoise at a holiday beach in Torbay, external.

  18. Young mum calls for action to stop crashes on 'death road'published at 16:48 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2018

    Cornwall Live

    A young mum has called on Cornwall Council to take action to prevent serious crashes, external on the “notorious” A39 “death road” between Truro and Falmouth.

  19. 'Yellow warning' for ice in Devon and Cornwallpublished at 16:35 Greenwich Mean Time 8 February 2018

    BBC Weather

    Yellow warning

    The met office has issued a yellow warning for ice across Devon and Cornwall.

    A minimum temperature of -1C (30F) is forecast across the region tonight.