Local Democracy Reporting Service

Business leaders, politicians and rail campaigners say they are angry the main rail line through the South West was closed again by storm damage.

Huge waves whipped up by Storm Emma flooded the track and sent debris on to the line at Dawlish early on Friday 2 March.

Network Rail said the sea wall was not damaged but clearance work meant the line was closed for more than 24 hours.

The problem happened days after Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said "sorting out" Dawlish was the number one national rail priority.

The latest closure came with the region still waiting for work to begin on a permanent fix, four years after the line was severed by a storm and shut for weeks.

Councilor Rosalind Prowse, chairwoman of the Teignbridge Rail Review Group, said the damage caused by debris being flung on to the Dawlish rail line showed how vulnerable it was and how urgent it was for work to shore up the vulnerable stretch to begin as soon as possible.

She said: "We need a railway line through the South West that is robust ... We are all very keen to make certain that this line stays open as it is vital for our economy."

Transport Minister Jo Johnson said protecting the line "is a national priority", adding that "planning and development work is well under way".

The line reopened on Saturday morning - but not until it was temporarily closed again due to high waves meaning rail services were again suspended.

Andrew Segal
BBC Local Live

A coach blaze on Saturday morning, a few miles past Honiton, completely destroyed the vehicle, which was reported by Somerset Live, external to be carrying members of a rugby club from Surrey to play a team in Paignton.

Five fire crews dealt with the blaze, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said, external.

The carriageway lane was damaged by the fire and a fuel spill.

BBC Spotlight

A growing number of mussel farms off the south coast of Cornwall are now being used in lobster research.

Twenty-five thousand tiny lobsters are now living in an area of St Austell Bay equivalent to the size of 70 football pitches. Scientists are studying their success rate.

The water is warmer in Cornwall, taking mussels 12 months to grow to a size it would take Scottish mussels two to three years.

Dr Carly Daniels from the National Lobster Hatchery in Padstow says it has shown that the sea is healthy.

"The sea floor seems to be alive with creatures now," she said. "It's almost like a nursery.

"It's brought a lot of animals to the area, so it's a very positive thing not only for the fishermen that fish around this area, but the site itself."

BBC Radio Devon

• In Bishopsteignton, there are reports of sheep on the A381 Newton Road, around Cockhaven Road
• In Exeter, traffic lights at the junction of Barrack Road and Fore Street are not working again

BBC Radio Cornwall

Parents of vulnerable adults in Cornwall say they are angry they have not been given enough time to give feedback on important changes to adult social care, external.

They say the letters sent from Cornwall Council alerting them to the changes arrived three days before the end of the consultation period, which left them feeling rushed into answering questions about paying more money for meals and respite care.

Linda, from Penzance, who has a son that uses local day care facilities, is among recipients insisting on more time and a better understanding of the questionnaire.

She said: "I would like to know, why it is, that Cornwall Council thinks that three days is a reasonable amount of time to respond and whether that's an appropriate way to try and consult with people who may not be able to read or access, or understand the proposals anyway.

"I'm struggling with it quite frankly."

The BBC has contacted Cornwall Council for a response.

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BBC Weather

Today looks set to be dry and fine with good spells of sunshine.

There may be a few patches of cloud around from time to time and there will be a moderate breeze.

Maximum temperature: 8 to 11C (46 to 52F).

James Vickery
BBC Radio Devon

A man has been rescued from flood water after his car became stuck near Exeter.

Fire crews were called to Rewe just before 19:00 to reports of a vehicle in 1ft (0.3m) of water.

The driver was rescued and the car pulled to safety.

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is asking people not to drive through flooding, especially at night.

BBC Radio Cornwall

Image source, Google

The Royal Cornwall Hospital says it will remain in gold command for at least another 48 hours.

It is urging people to only use the A&E department in a "genuine emergency".

Doctors say they will redirect people who arrive with less urgent conditions to their GP.

Relatives are being asked to support patients by picking them up immediately when they are ready to leave hospital.

Gold command was launched last Thursday after weeks of severe pressure on services compounded by the cold weather, snow and high levels of flu.

Meet the people using innovative approaches to tackle the problem of food waste.

How do different parts of the UK prepare some of their most popular dishes?

Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plans for a development in St Erth with two affordable homes and only one "open market" home have been rejected by Cornwall Council.

There are currently 59 on the housing register needing an affordable home locally, but the application doesn't fit in with an emerging local neighbourhood plan, which doesn't support development in that part of the village.

Image source, PA

Despite planning officers recommending that the application be approved, councillors voted unanimously to refuse permission.

Lionel Pascoe, councillor for Gwinear-Gwithian and St Erth, said: "People have said that it we ignore the neighbourhood plan at this stage then all that work will be wasted."

Lynne French
BBC News Online

A Plymouth MP has called on the government to be "more generous" to well-organised councils.

Making a plea for additional resources, Gary Streeter, the Conservative member for South West Devon, said local authority funding had been "cut to the bone".

On the eve of Chancellor Philip Hammond's spring statement, Mr Streeter said for years he had "strongly supported" the pressure local authorities had been under to improve efficiency and reduce waste.

He said he accepted there could be examples of where more needs to be done "elsewhere in the country".

"My impression is that in Devon and Plymouth and many other local authorities right now, their finances have been cut to the bone and I do think there is an opportunity for the government to be more generous with efficient local authorities in the South West to enable them to make sure their priorities are delivered," he said.

Local Government Minister Rishi Sunak responded by saying authorities across the country have been doing a "commendable job" in recent years, adding that he looked forward to the "representations from Devon and the South West as we reform local government and financing through the fair funding formula, coming soon".

Hannah Stacey
BBC Radio Cornwall

People in the Launceston area are wanted to join a community speed watch scheme.

It's being set up in response to concerns about speeding in the area.

The plan is to train teams of volunteers who will monitor traffic from the roadside in speeding hotspots who will record the details of any vehicles going too fast.

The owner will then be sent a warning letter and educational information, and persistent offenders may get a visit from police and could face prosecution, managers said.

The initiative is being run by the Launceston Community Network in partnership with Cornwall Council and Devon and Cornwall Police.

Jonathan Morris
BBC News Online

A Cornwall chef has insisted he likes vegans after receiving criticism for a tweet about a group not showing up for a booking.

Ken Symonds, of Oliver's in Falmouth, said he was stood up by six vegans after working on their food "all morning".

But he said the warning about a "policy change" did not mean he would be banning non-meat eaters.

"The fact that they were vegan is neither here nor there," he said. "It just happened to be a vegan menu.

"The problem is the no shows. I have only got eight tables so if six people don't turn up it is a huge problem.

"I'm not a vegan basher, but it does not take a lot of effort to tell people that you are not coming."

David Braine
Weather Forecaster

After a misty start to the day, Tuesday will be mainly dry with an occasional shower - most likely during the morning - but also spells of sunshine at times.

Strong southerly winds, with a maximum temperature of 8-11C (46-52F).

BBC Radio Devon

A man from Torbay says he's been left shocked after a visit to Paignton Zoo when he saw what he said was a gorilla eating plastic he was given by staff.

Richard Jackson said that, during a recent visit, he saw the ape eat a label on a plastic bottle the creature was given to play with.

He said staff "didn't seem too concerned" and he thought it was a "massive animal welfare issue".

Paignton Zoo said that keepers "usually" removed labels before giving bottles to the gorillas and this was "an oversight".

A spokesman added he understand that it was "a paper label, so not harmful to the gorilla", the "glue consumed would have been minimal" and it was "good that the guest was concerned".

He added: "Animal welfare is naturally at the heart of what we do, which is why guests see so much environmental enrichment. We aim to give all our animals healthy, varied, busy and contented lives."

Andrew Segal
BBC Local Live

A teenager wearing body armour has been arrested after reports of someone being seen with a knife in Tiverton, police say.

Officers said armed officers were deployed following the reports in Bolham Road at about 11:30.

Police said a 19-year-old man "wearing improvised body armour" was found in a Morrisons supermarket in Kennedy Way and a knife "was recovered nearby".

The local man was arrested on suspicion of possession of a knife and taken into custody.

No one was injured or threatened during the incident.

Andrew Segal
BBC Local Live

The scone story of the National Trust's Lanhydrock estate in Cornwall has been making national headlines.

The estate in Bodmin angered Cornish locals over the weekend after using a picture showing the Devon tradition of clotted cream on the scone first. Cornwall traditionally puts jam on first.

The trust apologised for the "heinous mistake".

Here are a few of the national reports on the story from today.

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