Jenna Hawkey
BBC News Online

Dozens of parking fines have been wrongly issued to motorists in Falmouth, after problems with the numberplate recognition system at a car park in the town.

The fault meant drivers who had legally paid for parking at Custom House Quay car park on 8 and 9 February received penalties from the private enforcement company Creative Parking.

The car park belongs to Falmouth Harbour Commissioners.

Harbour master Mark Sansom says drivers who have received the notices should not pay them, and that the fines will be cancelled automatically.

Image source, Google

Lynne French
BBC News Online

Workshops on how to fly drones safely, legally and responsibly have been announced by Devon and Cornwall Police.

As part of the force's "safer drones initiative", the courses will be run by members of the Alliance Drone Unit - the first fully operational drone unit in UK policing - offering the public the chance to understand the rules and laws surrounding safe drone use.

Image source, bb

Unit team manager,Andy Hamilton - a former police inspector - says the workshops are a great way for enthusiasts to understand fully how to properly fly their drones.

“These workshops are run by a police drone operator and covers the law, do’s and don’ts, pilot responsibility, privacy matters, drone code and much more," he said.

Workshops will be held in March, April and May at Exeter, Barnstaple, Launceston, Truro, Goonhilly and Plymouth.

Anyone interested should contact For further information please contact saferdrones@dc.police.uk, external.

Wasps hang on for a narrow win against champions Exeter Chiefs, who fall to a third straight Premiership defeat.

Lynne French
BBC News Online

HMS Sutherland has arrived in Adelaide as part of her seven-month deployment to Australia, the Far East and the Persian Gulf.

The warship's crew left Plymouth in January.

The Carlisle-based Stobart Group is ending a week full of stock market activity over its plans to buy a share in an airline to go with its two airports.

Stobart Aviation plans to start flights from Carlisle later this year and already owns the increasingly busy Southend airport.

Earlier this week Stobart told investors it was trying to find a way to have a non-controlling interest in the Flybe airline.

Flybe's shares jumped 36% on the news, and Stobart's inched up by 2%, but the Exeter-based airline then said it had not received an approach from the Cumbrian firm, and its shareholders should take no action.

"There can be no certainty that any firm offer will be made nor as to the terms on which any firm offer might be made," said Flybe.

BBC Radio Cornwall

The first of hundreds of homes in Cornwall are starting to feel warmer as work begins on an £8m programme to install new central heating systems.

About 36,000 homes in the county are in "fuel poverty" according to Cornwall Council.

Warm and Well Cornwall is a programme led by the Winter Well-being Partnership on behalf of Cornwall Council , externaland funded by the Warm Homes Fund.

It offers free central heating systems for homes which currently use expensive or ineffective heating, such as solid fuel heaters or electric night storage systems.

Toni Cunningham's house in St Keverne is now being heated by a geo-thermal heat pump.

He said "I've never been so warm in my life. We have a constant heat all the time - we've had beautiful heating."

Devon Live

A final farewell has been bid to nine-year-old Coby Simons who tragically died just 48 hours after coming down with the flu.

Jenna Hawkey
BBC News Online

Drivers are set to face four weeks of disruption on the A30 from Monday as drainage and maintenance work begins between Carland Cross and Chiverton Cross.

There will be overnight lane closures and traffic signals in place between 8pm and 6am from 26 February to 2 March.

The A30 will be then be closed overnight from 5-10 March, with traffic diverted via the A3058 and A3075, before again reverting to traffic lights from 12-23 March.

Highways England project manager Michelle Reed said: "We appreciate the closure will have an effect on journey times, but we are carrying out this essential work overnight to minimise disruption, and we thank all drivers in advance for their co-operation and patience."

Image source, Google

This footage of dolphins frolicking along the River Fal was captured by skippers of the St Mawes Ferry.

Cornwall doesn't do boring commutes!

Lynne French
BBC News Online

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service says a Devon woman's life was saved last night, when she was woken from sleep by her fire alarm.

The fire caused extensive damage to the kitchen of the property in Brixham, but with the help of a neighbour, the woman managed to escape.

The service said it provided urgent medical attention to the woman for the effects of breathing in smoke until paramedics arrived.

"This shows the huge importance of having a regularly checked and working smoke alarm," it added.

Devon Live

A major route through Marsh Barton in Exeter , externalhas been blocked in both directions after a multi-vehicle collision.

Due to their being cold-blooded, the snails are too dozy to race during the cold snap.

Dave Wade
BBC News

A man, who was caught in a paedophile hunters sting, has been jailed for meeting underage girls for sex.

Image source, Nottinghamshire Police

Michael Kinnear, from Beeston, persistently contacted girls on Facbeook and tried to meet them for sex, Nottinghamshire Police said.

A group called Totnes Justice said it caught the 28-year-old in a CCTV sting, grooming girls he thought were young but were in fact decoys.

Kinnear invited girls aged between 12 and 15 to parties at his house, plied them with alcohol and pretended to be a 16-year-old.

He gave others cigarettes and gifts and asked them to meet him for sex.

At Nottingham Crown Court today, he admitted eight child sex offences, including sexual activity with a child, and was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.

He was also sentenced for sexual assault on a vulnerable adult in Derbyshire and made to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

A communications company has called a temporary halt to work on a mast in a Cornish village.

Residents in Mousehole held a protest earlier about Vodafone's plans for a 15m (50ft) mast near the entrance to the village.

Vodafone said it was "unfortunate" that BT, acting on its behalf, had began preparatory work before planning permission was granted, although all the relevant permissions to start work on the highway had been obtained.

"We’ve asked BT to stop work pending the results of the planning application," a Vodafone spokesperson said in a statement.

Jane Harvey, who lives just metres from the proposed site, says her concerns are over health.

"I've got two children and my massive concern is the health impact, but you can't actually object on health grounds because there's no evidence to suggest there is, but we don't know long term, because they've only been about for 30 years," she said.

Jenna Hawkey
BBC News Online

The first ever 'World Indoor Gig Rowing Championships' will take place at the Eden Project on Saturday.

Top oarsmen and women will race on rowing machines over 1000m and 2000m in the Mediterranean biome in an event to complement the World Pilot Gig Championships held annually in the Isles of Scilly.

The humid rainforest biome will also host a special 77km relay, with competitors aiming to row the length of the Panama Canal.

Image source, Eden

BBC Radio Cornwall

• In Flushing, St Peter's Road blocked both directions due to an accident between Tregew Close and Kersey Road
• A broken-down vehicle is partially blocking Truro's Kenwyn Hill near Knights Hill.

BBC Radio Devon

• In Exeter, Trusham Road is blocked both directions between Grace Road and Marsh Barton Road due to an accident
• In Plymouth Princess Street Ope is closed both directions between Notte Street and Princess Street due an earlier police incident
• On the A380 near Newton Abbot between the Penn Inn Roundabout and Kingsteignton, one lane is blocked due to an accident
• The A396 between Oakfordbridge and Bampton is partially blocked due to an overturned vehicle
• An accident has partially blocked Derriford Road in Plymouth near Research Way.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a woman was stabbed in Plymouth.

Emergency services were called to Notte Street at about 12:00.

The woman has "serious injuries" and is being treated at Derriford Hospital, police have said.

Princess Street Ope remains closed while police continue their investigations.

BBC Radio Cornwall

In Truro on Kenwyn Hill near Knights Hill, there are reports of a broken-down vehicle.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A woman in her 80s has been scammed of £4,000, Devon and Cornwall Police have said.

It happened at about 14:00 on Monday at her house on Coverdale Place in Manadon.

The elderly woman received a call from a man who said he was a police officer and persuaded her to withdraw the cash from her bank.

After getting the money, two men then turned up at the woman’s address and advised that they would courier the money for her back to the bank.

This was not done and the money remains outstanding as do the suspects, police said.

Police are reminding the public to be vigilant.