Jonathan Morris
BBC News Online

A free school rated inadequate by inspectors last year is changing its name.

Route 39 Academy , externalnear Bideford, is to be called the Atlantic Academy from September, parents were told in a letter from Launceston College which was brought in to run it.

Launceston principal Lynsey Slater said Route 39 was "entering an exciting time" and the name change was to "reflect our aspirations for our students, drawing inspiration from the stunningly beautiful location and the metaphor of unlimited horizons".

She also outlined a number of changes to the curriculum and said she was seeking "rapid improvement in teaching and learning" at the school which moves into a new £20m building in September.

Free schools are independent and paid for by central government, not local authorities as with other state schools.

Jenna Hawkey
BBC News Online

Tributes have been paid to a man who died following a vehicle crash on the A30 , externalnear Daisy Mount.

Ross Gilmore, who was 27 and from Paignton, died after the van he was driving crashed into a barrier at about 07:00 on 21 May.

One of the passengers sustained possible life-changing injuries and remains in Derriford Hospital.

Three other passengers were taken to hospital for treatment but have since been released.

Police are asking for witnesses to come forward.

Image source, Family photo

BBC Radio Devon

A judge has warned that, following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, construction firms need to be very careful about the risks involved with building works.

District Judge Diana Baker made the remarks as she fined Exmouth-based Coast and Country Construction Ltd and a local architect £170,000 for health and safety breaches at a care home where they were building an extension.

The prosecution told Exeter Magistrates Court that there was an "extremely high likelihood of death if there was a fire" at Manor Lodge in Exmouth.

Seventy two people died in the Grenfell Tower fire in London on 14 June last year. An inquiry into the tragedy started this week.

Image source, Reuters

BBC Radio Cornwall

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will visit the Royal Cornwall Show on 7 June, external.

The royal couple last attended the event in Wadebridge in 2010, when they were joint Presidents of the show.

Prince Charles, who is also Duke of Cornwall, has been the patron of the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association, the charity that organises the annual event, since 2002.

BBC Radio Devon

The transport secretary has described work to improve the Dawlish railway line as "the most important infrastructure project in the country".

Chris Grayling was responding to a question in the Commons from the Conservative MP for Torbay, Kevin Foster.

Network Rail is undertaking preparatory work to upgrade the line at Dawlish after storms and landslides have caused disruption to services in recent years.

A construction firm has been fined for putting care home residents at risk of injury or death.

Exeter Magistrates' Court heard Coast and Country Construction Ltd had put 80 residents at Manor Lodge in Exmouth at risk of injury or death due to the possibility of a fire spreading during an extension at the home.

The prosecution outlined a catalogue of failures, including risks of fire, falls from height following two scaffolding collapses and a total disregard for health and safety and site management.

The court was told there was an absence of fire extinguishers, lack of alarms and limited means of escape with some fire doors obstructed.

Coast and Country Construction Ltd is now in liquidation and was fined more than £156,000.

Image source, Google

Paul Humphries Architects Ltd, of Exmouth, also pleaded guilty to two charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act for being the designer of the timber frame extension and failing to "avoid foreseeable risks".

The architects were fined a total of £26,280.

BBC News

Fifty years since Joe and Petunia urged us to dial 999 for the coastguard in an emergency, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has released a new film, external.

The MCA says 50% of people surveyed were not aware of what to do if they see someone in trouble on the coast, despite the service being launched half a decade ago.

A public information film starring two hapless cartoon characters, Joe and Petunia, was released in 1968.

Chris Baker
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plymouth's councillors claimed almost £1m in allowances and expenses, external during the last financial year, it's been revealed.

Outgoing council leader Ian Bowyer claimed the most, with a total of £47,541.

His basic allowance of £10,575, paid to all councillors, was topped up with a special responsibility allowance of £31,728, and £525 for subsistence (food and drink).

Image source, Google

Tudor Evans, the new council leader, received £22,983, comprising the same basic allowance, with a payment for special responsibilities of £10,575, and £38 for subsistence.

In total, £990,727 was paid to the 57 councillors in the 2017/18 financial year.

Subsistence payments to councillors ranged from £525 paid to Ian Bowyer, to £5.10 claimed by George Wheeler.

A severely disabled boy, 11, says Flambards Theme Park in Cornwall is discriminating against him.

Rob England
BBC News Online

A man was taken to hospital, external after being exposed to a "hazardous substance".

Fire crews confirmed a silicon-based gas was leaking in a property, and the man exposed was suffering from breathing difficulties.

A 100 litre drum containing the hazard substance was removed from the property in Shaldon Road, Newton Abbot, and put in a safe location, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service added.

BBC Radio Cornwall

Three teenage girls were rescued from a reef near Penzance harbour after they were stuck in chest-deep water for more than an hour.

The Penlee lifeboat was launched, external after one of the girls' mothers called 999.

The girls were cold, but not injured.

Image source, RNLI

Jeremy Guscott looks forward to a "mouth-watering" Premiership final at Twickenham between Exeter Chiefs and Saracens.

BBC Radio Devon

A world-class missile system that will protect the Royal Navy's new aircraft carriers has officially entered service today.

The £850m technology - called Sea Ceptor - provides a powerful shield against airborne threats, including hostile combat jets, helicopters and other missiles.

It will be carried by the Royal Navy's Type 23 frigates, and was installed on Plymouth's HMS Montrose in July during a refit, external.

Recently, HMS Montrose took part in the third test firing of the system and successfully intercepted a fast-moving drone target, according to the Royal Navy.

The trials for the new missile system were completed in Scotland in December.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "Fitting our warships with this ground-breaking technology not only protects our navy but shows we are world leaders at sea."

Image source, ROYAL NAVY/MOD

Meet Robbie Simpson - the Exeter City player helping sportspeople plan their careers after they retire.

Jenna Hawkey
BBC News Online

Two men have been arrested after a five-hour stand-off with police in Exeter last night.

Firearms officers, police dogs and police negotiators were called to Bell Court, Exe Street at about 00:30 after receiving reports of a man making threats while armed with a machete.

The suspect barricaded himself inside the flat and, after five hours, firearms officers entered the property.

Image source, Google

Two 37-year-old men were found inside the flat.

One was arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage, the other on suspicion of being in possession of an offensive weapon. Both remain in police custody and await questioning.

Cornwall Live

Eleanor Tomlinson has called for her pay to match that of her Poldark co-star Aidan Turner., external

The actress, who plays Demelza, agreed that while Turner was a bigger name at the start of the BBC series, they are now both its leads and should pocket the same salary.

Devon Live

A study of 61.5 million leaked passwords has revealed which are the most common - and which would be easiest for hackers to crack and gain access to all you accounts and data., external

BBC Radio Devon

In Plymouth, on the A386 Tavistock Road, the traffic lights are not working at the junction with Sendalls Way.

The right turn out of Sendalls Way on to Tavistock Road is also closed with a diversion in place.

Kevin Hay
BBC Spotlight

A Devon community transport service says it's in desperate need of volunteer drivers due to an increase in demand.

Thousands of elderly, frail and disabled people across the South West are reliant on community transport to help them maintain their independence.

Access Plymouth has 11 drivers on their books, but says it needs double that number in order to help those people.

BBC Radio Cornwall

West of Connor Downs, there's reports of a crash on Carwin Rise (the old A30).