Cornwall Live

Fake police officers are threatening people in Cornwall with arrest if they don't hand over money., external

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

The bells of St. Michael’s Church in Beer, Devon, will ring next week in memory of a British soldier killed in France 100 years ago.

James Simmonds - a farm labourer - joined the army during World War One and served as a private in the 1st Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers.

He was killed on 27 March 1918 during the final German offensive of the war - becoming one of the 1,400 bell-ringers from the UK who died during the conflict.

Mr Simmonds never lived in Devon, but in 1963 the bells from Braywood - where he was a bell-ringer - were moved to the parish church in Beer.

The bells which he once rang will ring in his memory exactly 100 years after his death on 27 March.

Image source, Google

Anna Varle
BBC News Online

A group of young people who have been bullied and abused are launching a new service to support others in the region.

Deadpencils - as they are known - are creating a support network for anyone experiencing hate crime.

They are also offering support by encouraging more young people to take part in creative events they're running - including a recent arts festival in Dartington.

Member of Deadpencils, Alex Speight-Kaye said: "Everyone who is going through a hard time always gets told 'It will get better'. Yes, it's such a classic phrase but it genuinely does get better. It might take a while, it might take months, it might take years - but everyone gets there eventually."

Twitter

The donkeys at The Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth have that Friday feeling!

Image source, THE DONKEY SANCTUARY

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Cornwall's paralympic swimmer Jonathan Fox is out of next month's Commonwealth Games in Australia.

Along with fellow swimmer Ollie Hynd, he has withdrawn from the Team England squad after being reclassified.

As reported by the BBC earlier this month, the duo were subject of recent reclassifications as part of new rules by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) that require all para-swimmers to undergo international classification before the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020.

Both were moved to categories where they will compete against less disabled opponents than they previously did and as a result, there is no event for them to participate in at the Commonwealth Games.

Fox, who won a gold medal at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, said he was "disappointed".

"It's a real shame. Hopefully, in the future, there will be more races for para-swimmers to take part in at multi-sport events so this doesn't happen again."

BBC Radio Cornwall

Five-hundred football matches have been postponed in the South West Peninsula League, external due to the recent weather conditions.

Clubs across Devon and Cornwall are trying to fit in all the games before the end of the season in seven weeks time after heavy rain, snow and ice hit the region.

One team that's been affected is Bodmin Town Football Club, with team manager Darren Gilbert saying he's "never known a winter like it".

"You've only got to look over the history of this club, how many trophies we've won and what we've done - it's had a massive effect on us this year.

"We're just playing league games and we've probably got no chance of winning the league. We will probably be lucky if we come top four."

BBC Radio Devon

In Paignton, Great Headland Road is blocked due to an accident around Great Headland Crescent.

Jenny Kumah
Daily and Sunday Politics reporter

A new taxi marshal service is being launched on Barbican Parade in Plymouth - with the aim to provide a safer waiting area for the public and taxi drivers.

As part of the new service, marshals will wear bodycams and manage the queues.

It's being funded by the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership , externalfor the next nine months, however some local taxi drivers want it to be rolled out across the whole of the city.

Ivor Edmunds, a member of the Plymouth Licensed Taxis Association, says the "alpha males and bullies" often "push people out of the way" to get into the taxi.

"Then when they get into the cab, you tell them to get out and then they start to have a go at you. That's why we need the marshals to stop all of this and to get people home."

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Two sections of bus lane could be removed from a road in Plymouth as part of the council’s Eastern Corridor Junction Improvement Scheme., external

The bus lane on Plymouth Road in Plympton - outside the Lidl store - could be taken out and the lane at Coypool Road shortened under the scheme which aims to reduce journey times for drivers and improve pedestrian safety.

Image source, Google

Councillor Patrick Nicholson, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Transport, Housing and Planning said: “Plymouth Road is a key route for people travelling into the city from the east and it has seen a lot of changes over the year. By removing these small sections, we hope this will make the traffic flow more easily.”

Proposals for the scheme can be found here., external

BBC Radio Cornwall

Near Penzance on the A30 at the Heamoor roundabout, there are reports of a broken-down vehicle.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Police are appealing for witnesses after a report of "suspicious activity" involving a horse.

The animal - which was in a field near Treven in Tintagel, Cornwall - had part of its hair shaved.

No harm was caused to the horse, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

It happened between 10:00 and 18:00 on 19 March and anyone with information is being asked to contact police via 101.

Plymouth Herald

Plymouth is to get another seven restaurants - at the £30m Plymouth Argyle stadium redevelopment., external

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A caravan has been destroyed in a fire in Bude.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service was called to Poundstock at about 23:50 on Thursday.

The fire service said the caravan could not be saved due to the intensity of the fire, but there were no injuries and the blaze was contained to a single plot.

Image source, BUDE COMMUNITY FIRE STATION

Image source, BUDE COMMUNITY FIRE STATION

BBC Radio Cornwall

The Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust is no longer on black alert after "two weeks of dogged devotion to improve patient flow".

The Chief Executive, Kathy Byrne has thanked staff and support workers on Twitter who dealt with large numbers of patients through the cold and wet weather.

Image source, Twitter

Tamsin Melville
Political Reporter, BBC South West

Image source, Family photo

Campaigners say a report into coastguard response times must be made public, over fears lives are being put at risk because of delays launching lifeboats.

The BBC's learnt that the conclusion of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch report was delivered to former shipping minister, John Hayes, in December.

It was prompted by the sinking of the Solstice fishing trawler off Plymouth last year, which was the latest of several fatal incidents.

Marine consultant Terri Portmann said: "The person who perished tragically that night would not have been saved by earlier tasking." She added there were other reports that listed "delays on coastguard tasking". "It's the magic hour, an hour of that doesn't need to be wasted thinking about what you're going to do."

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said its procedures ensure search and rescue resources are sent to the right area and in numerous cases, this cuts vital minutes off the time taken to locate casualties.

The Department for Transport is yet to comment on why the report has not been released.

Twitter

On the A377, a tree is blocking half of the road on the Crediton side of Station Road, Devon County Council has said.

Twitter

The two recent snow events to hit Devon cost the county about £1.2m, according to a Devon County Council councillor.

Stuart Hughes - who is a councillor for Sidmouth and also cabinet member for highways management - added that more than 21,000 tonnes of salt has been used on Devon's roads.

Snow hit the county last weekend when the 'Mini Beast from the East' arrived in the UK, just a fortnight after Storm Emma met the original Beast from the East.

Lynne French
BBC News Online

Students from Camborne School of Mines are preparing to battle it out with teams from across the world in the 40th International Mining Games at the end of the month.

King Edward Mine will host the four-day event with teams taking part from mining schools in the United States, Brazil, Europe, Australia and the UK.

The mine - originally part of the Condurrow Mine, near Camborne - was taken over by the School of Mines in 1897 to teach Cornish miners their skills, but it has been run as a heritage museum since 1987 and is now owned by Cornwall Council.

Image source, Excess Energy

Teams will compete in seven events of traditional mining methods in order to preserve those methods and also to commemorate those who have lost their lives in the industry.

Camborne School of Mines, which is part of the University of Exeter, has been producing engineers for nearly 130 years and offers the only mining engineering degree in the UK.

BBC Weather

It will be bright through much of today with sunny spells.

However, it will be hazy at times with the odd light shower.

Cloud will build later with the risk of rain by this evening.

Maximum temperature: 7 to 10C (45 to 50F).

BBC Radio Devon

In Modbury, on the A379 between the B3392 and Fore Street, there are sheep on the road. Approach with care.