Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

The body of a man found on Perranporth Beach was naked, other than for one sock and trainer, an inquest has heard.

Alan Jeal’s body was found in February 2014 by an off duty police officer.

The 64-year-old was discovered on the shore line with a sock and earphones in his mouth, the hearing in Truro has heard.

Officers from Devon and Cornwall Police immediately deemed the incident to be “unexplained and possibly suspicious”.

A member of the public found a blue jacket on the beach containing a wallet with about £100 inside along with a photo of a child.

The inquest continues.

Image source, Google

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

A man’s body found on a Cornish beach with a sock in his mouth had a fractured spine, an inquest has heard.

The body of Alan Jeal, 64, was found on Perranporth Beach in February 2014.

Medical evidence at the hearing in Truro revealed alcohol in his blood, but no drugs.

A statement from his brother Derek Jeal at the time said: “His death has left a hole in our lives and we are desperate for answers.”

Devon and Cornwall Police treated the death as suspicious, the inquest heard.

The inquest continues.

Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police

Twitter

The Environment Agency has shared a photograph of waste that was fly-tipped by three men in Plymouth - warning people of the repercussions of doing so.

It added the rubbish blocked a public footpath and cost the landowner £2,743 to clear up.

The Environment Agency is working with the council and the police to investigate and prosecute the men.

Image source, Adrian Evans

BBC Radio Devon

On the A385 through Totnes, there's slow traffic in both directions. There are reports of two removal vans at the bottom of Bridgetown Hill which is adding to the delays.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A beach hut has been vandalised at Preston Beach in Paignton.

Tor Bay Harbour - which manages the beaches of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham for Torbay Council - inspected the area this morning and is informing affected customers.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact Devon and Cornwall Police via 101.

Image source, Tor Bay Harbour

BBC Radio Devon

In Sidford, the A375 Sidford Road is partially blocked due to an accident around Manstone Lane.

Francesca Gould
BBC News Online

Man-made noise produced by motorboat engines and underwater construction are threatening the survival of fish, according to new research from the University of Exeter.

It found that noise can interfere with fish’s ability to defend themselves against predators and the way they communicate with each other when they hunt.

Research has also shown that human noise can hamper the development of some young fish, with some born malformed and others failing to hatch at all.

A BBC film made with Professor Steve Simpson - an expert on marine acoustics at the University of Exeter - recorded the communication of clownfish on Blue Planet II., external

He found that "fish have ears" and can talk to each other but sound from the communication of marine life is being drowned out by human noise.

Devon Live

A Devon village which has been around since the Iron Age is rising by 2cm every year, external - and nobody knows why, Devon Live reports.

England's Heather Knight, Natalie Sciver and Anya Shrubsole are among Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year, with Shrubsole the first woman to feature on the front cover.

BBC Radio Cornwall

In Launceston on the A388 Tavistock Road around Exeter Street, there are reports of sheep on the road. Drivers should approach the area with care.

Francesca Gould
BBC News Online

Car parking charges in the cheapest car parks in East Devon could be brought in line with the rest of the district, the district council has said.

The authority is proposing charges in the 41 off street pay-and-display car parks, external - where customers pay 50p per half hour and £1 per hour - stay the same as they have been since 2010, and don't go up.

But it's planning to bring the Underhill car park in Lympstone, Canaan Way in Ottery St Mary, Coombe Lane in Axminster, Church Street in Sidford and Dolphin Street in Colyton - which currently have cheaper parking rates - in line with the other car parks.

A council spokesman said it wants to "free up capacity" in some of its car parks so more people will have a chance to park where and when they want to.

"We also want to make it fairer as some of the council's car parks cost less to park in than others, just because that's the way it's always been.”

Image source, Google

Inspectors have given the trust until 13 April to make "significant improvements".

Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport

South Devon bowlers Jamie Chestney and Sam Tolchard will play in the quarter-finals of the men's fours at the Commonwealth Games, despite losing their final match.

Image source, Getty Images

The England team were 12-8 losers to Scotland to finish second in their pool on the Gold Coast.

They will play in the quarter finals on Thursday.

Francesca Gould
BBC News Online

A gene that makes humans eat more sugar can also lower body fat, according to new research from the University of Exeter.

Scientists said the findings went against the perception that eating sugar was bad for health.

The study included biological samples from 500,000 people living in the UK who made blood, urine, and saliva samples available for analysis - with more than 450,000 study participants.

Researchers said studying different variants of this FGF21 gene is important because it can help "uncover some of the causes of obesity".

Twitter

A young man is in custody for a "spree of burglaries" in Ilfracombe, Devon and Cornwall Police have said.

Police say burglaries are "rare" in the area.

Cornish Stuff

Councillors are invited to a briefing to find out more about the Stadium for Cornwall plans and ask questions, external ahead of a full council vote on 17 April.

BBC Radio Cornwall

At Praa Sands on the A394 at Pengersick Lane, there are temporary traffic lights and water mains work. There is slow traffic in the area.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police

Police say they are trying to track down a stalker who has been following a woman for four years.

Officers have released an e-fit of a man they would like to identify in relation to the ongoing harassment of the woman in her 50s in Barnstaple.

The victim first contacted police in November and said a man had been following and approaching her on-and-off in the town - particularly in the Boutport Street area.

The offender is described as white, in his late 40s and of medium build with "very bulbous eyes". Police said he often targets the woman around lunchtime and has made suggestive comments to her on a number of occasions.

Police added she has not been physically harmed. Anyone with information is being asked to contact police via 101.

Cornish Stuff

The Royal Cornwall Hospital's "constant state of escalation" in March has seen an extraordinary turnaround after establishing a Gold Command response, external, Cornish Stuff reports.

BBC Radio Devon

At Seaton on the A3052 at Seaton Down Hill, there are reports of an accident.