BBC Devon & Cornwall Live: 2-6 July

Summary

Updates from Monday 2 July until Friday 6 July 2018

Live Reporting

Concrete slabs and road signs left on train linepublished at 07:00 British Summer Time 6 July 2018
Passengers' lives were put at risk after metal road signs and concrete slabs were placed on train tracks, police have warned.
The objects were left on the tracks in Feniton, Devon, between 15:25 and 15:55 on Tuesday.
The line is served by South Western Railway trains to destinations such as London Waterloo and Exeter St David's.
Image source, British Transport Police
Quote Message
Putting anything on the railway is extremely dangerous and risks both the lives of those on the tracks and passengers on board trains."
British Transport Police spokesman
Inquiry calls over mass water poisoningpublished at 00:35 British Summer Time 6 July 2018
Aluminium sulphate was tipped into the wrong tank at a treatment works in Cornwall in July 1988.
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Tate St Ives named museum of the yearpublished at 22:01 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
The gallery's £20m extension is described as "breathtakingly beautiful" by Museum of the Year judges.
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Weather: Friday will be mostly sunny with some cloud laterpublished at 18:08 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
David Braine
Weather Forecaster
Any sharp showers will ease away through this evening to leave clear periods overnight.
Light winds are expected and it will remain a little warm in places.
Minimum temperature: 10 to 13C (50 to 55F)
There will be the possibility of a little cloud at times through Friday but it looks like staying dry and settled with spells of very warm sunshine.
Maximum temperature: 23 to 26C (73 to 79F)
Launceston man admits fly-tippingpublished at 17:52 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online
A Launceston man who advertised his waste collection business on social media has been ordered to pay £400 after pleading guilty to fly-tipping offences.
Paul Miller, 40, of Southgate Place ran a 'man and van' waste collection service, Cornwall Council says.
Having charged a local resident £60 to remove building waste, Miller pleaded guilty to dumping the material on parish council land in Egloskerry in December 2017.
He was also charged with failing to produce relevant documentation to demonstrate that he had legally disposed of the waste.
Miller was given a 36-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay costs of £380 along with a £20 victim surcharge at Bodmin Magistrates court.
Quote Message
We live in the most beautiful area in the UK, so our message is clear to would be dumpsters: fly-tipping will not be tolerated here. We are watching, and we will pursue you. You are costing tax payers as we are forced to spend money clearing up waste that has been fly-tipped. What other services could that money have been spent on? It’s shameful that people still do this when there are waste centres, open seven days a week, across the county.”
Councillor Sue James, Cornwall Council Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment and Public Protection
'Blue fire' jellyfish appear on Scillypublished at 16:57 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
Amy Gladwell
BBC News Online
A spate of jellyfish known as "blue fire" have washed up on beaches on the Isles of Scilly.
The islands' wildlife trust told us the officially-named blue jellyfish, external swarm and often wash ashore in large numbers due to wind and currents at this time of year.
They give a sting that feels similar to a stinging nettle, a spokeswoman said.
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They added that compass and moon jellies have also washed up.
Head shave to recognise "horrid illness, ME"published at 16:13 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
Amy Gladwell
BBC News Online
A Cornwall woman has had her head shaved in an attempt to raise awareness of the "horrid illness" ME which her mother suffers from.
Sarah Summers from St Austell raised more than £700 in "vital research funds" for the charity ME Association, external.
ME, which stands for myalgic encephalomyelitis, external is a "long-term illness with a wide range of symptoms, commonly extreme fatigue," and its cause is unknown, according to the NHS.
Image source, Sarah Summers
She said she "really wanted to raise awareness and money for further research, to get this illness recognised and hopefully cured."
"My beautiful mum... was diagnosed 5 years ago, but has been suffering longer. I've seen her change for the worse, it breaks my heart to see her in so much pain."
"I'm overwhelmed by all the support".
Devon man fined for drinking in publicpublished at 15:42 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
Del Crookes
BBC News Online
A man from Ilfracombe who broke a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) by drinking on the street has been fined £100.
Hans Ellis, 52, was caught with alcohol at Market Arches.
He has also been ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £60.
Image source, Google
Mr Ellis did not attend the hearing, so North Devon Magistrates' Court heard the evidence in his absence.
PSPOs were introduced in 2014 after the government overhauled old anti-social behaviour powers, believing they were ineffective.
Source of sewage leak still unknownpublished at 15:04 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
Jenna Hawkey
BBC News Online
The Environment Agency (EA) is still investigating how sewage leaked into a river in Wadebridge.
"Septic effluent" has been found in a surface water channel between the Lidl supermarket and the River Camel Estuary, and the agency is concerned the pollution could enter the Camel itself, impacting wildlife.
Image source, Google
Image caption,
The leak is affecting a channel between Lidl and the River Camel Estuary
EA officers have traced the leak to an underground tank with a valve but believe that the tank is being topped up from an as yet unidentified source.
The channel is close to the Camel Cycle Trail so members of the public might notice a smell from the sewage leak.
Child's parents speak for first time after her deathpublished at 14:55 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
Devon Live
The parents of a teenage showjumper from Tavistock who died after taking a "dirty pill" at an end of exams party have issued a plea for youngsters to stop risking their lives through drugs, external.
Children inspired by new Plymouth sculpturepublished at 14:42 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
Jenna Hawkey
BBC News Online
Image source, Theatre Royal Plymouth
School pupils from across Plymouth have been taking part in a series of creative workshops inspired by the plan to build a giant bronze sculpture in the city, external.
Art and drama workshops have been held in 13 schools near to the Theatre Royal Plymouth, where the sculpture will be positioned.
Image source, Theatre Royal Plymouth
More than 300 Key Stage 2 pupils have been involved in designing their own 3D sculptures, while a further 300 have been taking part in drama workshops themed around dynamic movement.
Image source, Theatre Royal Plymouth
Image caption,
An artist's impression of the giant sculpture, which is expected to be installed by the end of the year.
Warning over charity box thefts in Exeterpublished at 14:32 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
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Councillor 'sexually harassed' staffpublished at 14:13 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
Brian Greenslade has been given the "strongest possible" sanction by Devon County Council.
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Government will deliver on Brexit, says Cornish MPpublished at 14:09 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
BBC Radio Cornwall
The Farming Minister and Cornish MP George Eustice says he's confident the Government is going to deliver Brexit, and that Britain will leave the EU.
He was speaking after ministers outlined their plans for the future of the fishing industry and coastal communities, with Britian taking back control of its waters in 2021.
Image source, Photoshot
When asked if he favoured a hard or soft Brexit, Mr Eustice said we "cannot have an approach that fetters us having our own laws."
He thinks Britain must secure the closest possible trading relationship with European partners.
Quote Message
Brexit will happen. Parliament voted to trigger the Article 50 process and that's been going forward. Crucially, we've now passed the EU withdrawal bill. That actively repeals the European Communities Act. There are frustrations along the way as far as negotiations go, I'm not going to deny that, but on the substance we are making solid progress and we are putting in place all the legislation needed for us to become a proper independent company again."
George Eustice, Farming Minister and MP for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle
New heat warning issued for Devon and Cornwallpublished at 14:02 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
Del Crookes
BBC News Online
An amber heat warning, external has been issued by the Met Office for South West England.
The warning means that there is a 90% probability of heatwave conditions between 15:00 on Thursday and 09:00 on Monday.
Image source, Met Office
Image caption,
The South West, West Midlands and North West England are all included in the warning
The Met Office says the very warm, locally hot, conditions are set to continue, especially over the weekend.
It also says people should:
- Stay out of the sun
- Keep your home as cool as possible - shading windows and shutting them during the day may help
- Open them when it is cooler at night
- Keep drinking fluids
- If there is anybody you know, for example an older person living on their own, who might be at special risk, make sure they know what to do
Study finds 29 pesticides in a single Devon riverpublished at 13:51 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
BBC Radio Devon
Researchers have found 34 different pesticides in Devon's rivers, external, with 29 varieties discovered in one river alone.
Tests on rural areas of the Culm, Exe, Otter and Tale also revealed nine antimicrobials and veterinary drugs.
Image source, Dr David Santillo
Image caption,
The River Culm in Devon
Scientists said they were surprised and concerned by the results, and warned there would be harmful effects for plants and wildlife.
The tests were carried out using a new technique created by scientists in Greenpeace Research Laboratories, external at the University of Exeter.
Quote Message
The findings are certainly a concern and, although it's hard to be sure of the impacts of mixtures of pesticides, there will certainly be effects on wildlife and plants in and around these rivers. "Our study demonstrates an environmental problem not just in Devon but in any region affected by commercial agriculture."
Jorge Casado., Lead Researcher
Taxi marshals' pilot scheme to be extended in Plymouthpublished at 13:39 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
Del Crookes
BBC News Online
A pilot project which aims to make Plymouth City Centre a safer place at night is to be rolled out over the summer.
The extended use of taxi marshals, who were originally based on the Barbican, was trialled in the city centre during the bank holiday at the end of May.
Now it is to be run in the city throughout July and August.
Taxi marshals, employed by City Security, will be working in Derrys Cross, including on the ranks outside the Genting casino for two months.
The aim is to make it safer to travel in Plymouth at night and to reduce the number of incidents associated with taxi ranks.
Appeal over Barnstaple nightclub assaultpublished at 13:13 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
Del Crookes
BBC News Online
Police are appealing for witnesses after an assault at a nightclub in Barnstaple, external.
The attack took place inside Fever and Boutique on Queen Street on Sunday 6 May.
Image source, Google
It is claimed that between 01:00-02:00, the victim, a 29-year-old local man, was punched in the face several times near the bar area.
He had his nose broken in the attack.
The suspect is described as a white man, 5' 10" (1.78m) tall, in his mid-20s and clean shaven with short black or brown hair.
He was wearing a black buttoned-up shirt and black trousers.
Police called to dog left in hot car in Newquaypublished at 13:05 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
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Town councillor cleans road signs following budget cutspublished at 12:35 British Summer Time 5 July 2018
Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service
A Newton Abbot councillor has been cleaning road signs into the town after getting fed up with budget cuts which left them dirty.
Mike Joyce has called on other members to take action in any way they can to demonstrate commitment to the place they were elected to represent.
"I am retired and so I have the time to do this," said Cllr Joyce.
"It would be marvellous if others, who have the time, could spend just a few minutes each week in their area making a difference."
Image source, LDRS
Sally Henley, Newton Abbot town development manager, added: "Unlike district and county councillors who receive an allowance, Newton Abbot town councillors work very hard on an entirely voluntary basis on behalf of the townsfolk.
"I am so grateful to all of our town councillors who give so much of their time working in the community and at local events."