Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online

Staff at Exeter University are striking today and tomorrow as part of a planned union protest over planned pension changes.

The university is one of 61 institutions whose staff are set to take industrial action for two days, beginning today.

Approximately 20% of the university's teaching staff are striking, and all are members of the University and College Union (UCU).

UCU has reported the proposed pension changes could cost academics up to £10,000 per year.

Some lectures have today been cancelled, but the majority have continued.

In a statement the university said: "The university is doing its utmost to help students through this difficult time and has detailed plans in place to try to minimise any impact of strikes on students’ education.

"Strikes will not include a boycott of marking and assessment, and we will make sure that any exams affected by the industrial action would be rescheduled.”

According to the university, similar action is planned on the following dates:

• Monday 26 – Wednesday 28 February
• Monday 5 – Thursday 8 March
• Monday 12 – Friday 16 March

Dan Downs
Weather Forecaster

This afternoon will be dry with increasing amounts of sunshine and clouds tending to break up and push westwards, but be warned - it's feeling chilly!

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

It should stay dry through tonight with clear spells and patches of cloud, but it will turn rather cold with a risk of frost developing.

Minimum Temperature: -4 to -1C (25 to 30F).

Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online

Police are appealing for witnesses following a theft and an attempted theft from two vans in Lanchard Road, Liskeard.

A Peugeot boxer van was broken into between 22:00 and 22:11 on Tuesday 20 February, and tools were stolen.

A Ford Transit van was also entered by a lock being forced, but no items were stolen.

Two male suspects were seen in dark clothing with a torch.

Police are recommending that the public remain vigilant and remove expensive items from vehicles.

BBC Radio Cornwall

Three Cornwall firefighters will be running a 10-mile race, also known as the Hillish and Hellish run, in Looe and Talland this weekend in full fire kit.

Ash Baker, Jack Blackmore and Richard Iverson will be running up and down the hills in the town in their fire suits, helmets and carrying breathing apparatus to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity.

Image source, The Hillish and Hellish Ten mile Firefighter Run

Ash says he is expecting it to be tough: "We're going to go out and give it our all on the day.

"The fire kit is very hot. It's designed to keep out 1,000C of heat in a fire.

"It's going to be interesting. I think the heat is going to be the main issue as well as having the breathing apparatus on our backs.

"It's going to be brutal. It's going to hard. We're just going to do the best we can and we're hoping that people can get out on the streets and push us along and get us over that finish line."

BBC Radio Devon

About 100 jobs could be created at Goonhilly Earth Station in Cornwall as it develops the world's first commercial communications network for Deep Space.

They have recently been awarded nearly £8.5m to track future missions to the Moon and Mars.

Sandra Rothwell from Cornwall's Local Enterprise Partnership said: "This is a potential to further grow this industry for well paid jobs now and in the future.

"Yes it is a big investment but it's not just the local enterprise partnership making this investment, it's key global players in the space industry too."

Del Crookes
BBC News Online

Police are warning owners to be aware after a dog ate what is believed to be rat poison in Penzance, external.

It was left inside a piece of mincemeat.

The poison was eaten by a dog which was out on a walk in the Paul area of Penzance at some stage between Friday 16 and Saturday 17 February.

Community Messaging Officer at Devon and Cornwall Police, Linzi Berryman, says they think this was a deliberate attempt to target dogs or cats and was not a rat baiting issue.

Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online

Two teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of breaking up to 50 bottles and spreading the glass across a road in Falmouth, police have said.

A 14-year-old male and a 15-year-old male were arrested after police received reports of the incident near The Moor at about 05:00.

Falmouth Police tweeted following the incident:

Devon Live

Angry residents of Norwood Road in Tiverton are demanding action on poo in an area they claim is the worst in Devon for dog fouling., external

BBC Radio Devon

In Torquay, Hele Road is closed between Orchard Road and Truro Avenue due to a collapsed sewer.

In Stockland, we have reports of an accident on Stockland Hill at Old Chard Road near Royal Oak Farm.

Cornish Stuff

The Council of Europe has yet again published instructions to the UK government, external to get on with recognising the Cornish as a national minority.

Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport

Exeter winger Jack Nowell and prop Harry Williams have been named as replacements for England's Calcutta Cup match with Scotland.

Image source, Getty Images

The only change for the Six Nations game sees Nathan Hughes replace Chiefs number eight Sam Simmonds who has a shoulder injury.

England sit level at the top of the Six Nations table with Ireland after wins over Italy and Wales in their opening matches.

Devon Live

A police car was left badly damaged in the middle of a busy Exeter road after a crash on Wednesday evening., external

BBC Radio Devon

Devon

• In Exeter there's heavy traffic on Heavitree Road in both directions between Western Way and Rifford Road
• Also in Exeter there are queues of stop start traffic on Alphington Road from the A30 Alphington Junction to Exe Bridges
• On the A39 at Buck's Cross there's slow traffic due to temporary traffic lights and roadworks - expect delays in both directions
• In Kingsteignton there's very slow-moving traffic on the A380 southbound approaching the Penn Inn Roundabout due to the ongoing roadworks

Cornwall

• In Mullion, Lender Lane and The Commons are closed for resurfacing work

Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online

Police have confirmed a body was discovered yesterday on the rocks at Fistral Beach, Newquay.

Coastguards alerted police to the discovery at about 15:10 on Wednesday, and the RNLI worked to recover the body.

Formal identification has yet to take place, but police are not currently treating this death as suspicious.

The family of missing person Dylan Henty, who was reported missing from his home in Newquay on the 17 February, have been made aware, officers said.

Exeter winger Olly Woodburn says not being picked for England has spurred him on to improve.

BBC Radio Devon

In Chulmleigh, we have reports of an accident on South Molton Street at Leigh Road near The Old Court House Pub.

In Plymouth a broken down vehicle is being reported on Wolseley Road at the Camels Head Junction.

Cornwall Live

A fashion designer in Cornwall was chosen by music industry bosses to give special gifts to Brit award winners, external like Dua Lipa, Stormzy, and The Foo Fighters.

Sarah Gosling
BBC News Online

An attempted murder arrest has been 'severely reduced' following an attack in Plymouth railway station involving a guitar and a knife, Devon and Cornwall Police have said.

A 42-year-old man was "struck by a guitar" and also attacked with a knife at about 17:00 outside the station on Wednesday.

A 39-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm and remains in police custody, after receiving treatment for minor injuries.

British Transport Police initially arrested the man on suspicion of attempted murder, saying that the injuries caused were "consistent with being stabbed".

The BBC understands an argument between the victim and the attacker, both from Plymouth, began in one of the shops on the railway station concourse before both moved outside.

BBC Radio Devon

A trial involving cows grazing on the sand dunes at Woolacombe Beach has been hailed as a success by the National Trust.

Nine Ruby Reds have been breaking up the scrub to improve conditions for other species.

The cows are fitted with special collars which give off an audible signal to warn them away from the edge, before giving off a small electrical pulse if they continue.

National Trust Ranger Josh Day says that the benefits of having the herd on the dunes are clear to see.

He said: "The cows get in here and they break it up and they create areas of short grass which is great for the wildflowers to come through.

"They also create areas of tussocky rougher grass which is great for invertebrates. They're creating all different kinds of niches for as many different species as you can imagine."