Bringing you the news, sport, travel and weather for Devon and Cornwall

The creature was saved by kayaker Tom Wildblood, who was leading a group off St Agnes.

The operation was carried out under modern slavery legislation at a flower-picking farm in Cornwall.

BBC Radio Devon

A spate of car thefts has prompted the Dartmoor National Park Authority and police to issue warnings.

It is believed a gang could be operating on the moor and there has been an increase in incidents over the past three or four days.

Image source, Google

Dartmoor Ranger Rob Steemson is advising people to leave valuables at home, if they have to bring them not to leave them on view and to make sure no-one is watching if they put them in the boot.

"At the moment it appears to be happening at random across the moor," he said. "The main evidence I've seen is in and around Postbridge and around the Haytor, Widecombe and Newbridge areas on the eastern side of Dartmoor.

"But I'm also aware of reports at other sites."

Alex Osborne
BBC Weather

Wednesday night is going to remain dry with largely clear, starry skies and few if any clouds. Winds will be light.

Minimum temperature: 9 to 13C (48 to 55F).

Thursday is expected to remain dry with periods of sunshine and just a little cloud at times.

There will be a light to moderate breeze, and it will become warm or very warm.

Maximum temperature: 22 to 26C (72 to 79F).

Donna Birrell
BBC Radio Cornwall

Image source, Getty Archive

A former Bishop of Truro may have perverted the course of justice, according to the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse.

Michael Ball was Bishop of Truro between 1990 and 1997.

This week the inquiry is examining how the Anglican Church handled the case of his twin brother, the paedophile Bishop, Peter Ball.

Image source, PA

In 2015, Peter Ball pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office and several indecent assaults.

It included behaviour such as naked prayer with embracing, caressing in the nude and he also slept in the same bed as some of the young men.

The inquiry said it was aware of 32 allegations against him.

Peter Ball was released from prison last year after serving 16 months.

BBC Radio Cornwall

A playing field in Reduth is expected to be out of action for at least the first half of the next football season because of of subsidence, Cornwall Council says, external.

The authority said problems were first reported last winter "when several shallow depressions appeared" on the Clijah Croft fields.

Now 10 small areas have been fenced off for safety and security.

The council said it would work with the football clubs who use the pitches to find a suitable temporary alternative until repair works have been completed.

Image source, Cornwall Council

Andrew Segal
BBC Local Live

An outside enforcement contractor that can issue fines of up to £100 as part of a new crackdown in Exeter is "not on any targets" of how many fines it should issue within a certain time-frame, the city council says, external.

The council has contracted 3GS to hand out fines and is encouraging people to tip it off about any litter or dog fouling "hot spots" in a new 12-month trial. Staff from 3GS will be uniformed and badged.

Under the trial, culprits will be issued with £100 fines, "which can be reduced to £65 for littering or £60 for dog fouling, if paid within 10 days".

Litter being targeted includes cigarette butts and chewing gum.

The council said the project would be paid for through fines and would not come out of council budgets.

Earlier this year, Plymouth began employing the contractor Kingdom Services Group to issue fixed penalty notices to offenders, external.

North Devon Gazette

North Devon Council has apologised after dozens of people’s data was wrongly sent out to recipients of a newletter.

"Human error" meant 48 individuals’ names, addresses, ages, housing reference numbers and status of their housing application was wrongly shared over email, external.

The data, of people on the council’s "B and B" housing list, was sent to the 31 internal and 30 external recipients of the council’s Devon Home Choice newsletter.

Andrew Segal
BBC Local Live

A police car is among three vehicles cars involved in a road crash on the outskirts of Truro, officers have confirmed.

Devon and Cornwall Police said a Renault Clio, an Audi A1 and a marked police BMW crashed on the A390 at Threemilestone at about 14:05.

Image source, Cornwall Live

Two people in the Clio "sustained what is believed to be minor injuries", police said.

Officers added: "An investigation will be carried out into the circumstances of the collision."

Cornwall Live is reporting, external that an elderly person is one of those injured.

Millicent Cooke
BBC News Online

Paignton Zoo has shared a video of its young orangutan Tatau enjoying the sunshine.

The fun footage shows the five-year-old ape doing roly-polys in her enclosure.

Richard Whitehouse
Local Democracy Reporting Service

A model of the plane that could be launching satellites into space from Newquay has gone on display.

The model of Virgin Orbit's Cosmic Girl - a modified Boeing 747-400 - has been placed in the reception area of County Hall in Truro and will remain there for two weeks.

Image source, LDRS

Spaceport Cornwall has signed an agreement with Virgin Orbit to be the UK's exclusive launch site for the company to send satellites into space.

Virgin Orbit is set to test its latest launch flights in the US next month and is hoped to be operating from Newquay by 2021.

BBC Radio Cornwall

Parents across the South West face hardship this summer as many working families will be struggling financially to cover childcare over the six week summer holiday.

Figures out from the Family and Childcare Trusts Survey show care costs increasing by 6% this year.

Sheryll Murray, MP for South East Cornwall, says a partnership approach is required to deal with the problem...

BBC Radio Devon

People who drop litter or fail to pick up after their dog are to be targeted in Exeter as part of a new 12-month trial involving an outside enforcement contractor.

The city council has contracted 3GS to hand out fines and is encouraging people to tip them off about any litter or dog fouling "hot spots".

The authority said, external the project would be paid for through fines and would not come out of council budgets.

Earlier this year, Plymouth began employing the contractor Kingdom Services Group to issue fixed penalty notices to offenders, external.

Andrew Segal
BBC Local Live

Rail services, including some in Devon, will be disrupted on Thursday in fresh strike action in a dispute over the role of guards on trains.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) on South Western Railway (SWR) will walk out for 24 hours, with more stoppages due in the coming weeks.

The company said a rail replacement bus service will run on lines around Exeter.

The union accused SWR of failing to respond to calls for talks in the long-running row over driver-only operation and the role of guards. The row started more than two years ago.

The operator claimed it had told RMT it would keep a guard on all of its services "time and time again", and the offer would continue to "deliver safe services and improve our performance".

SWR has services from London to Exeter, via Honiton and Salisbury.

Image source, PA

Marc Cole, 30, had two young sons who were "his life".

Cornwall Live

Cornwall Council has no current plans to take action over a family of Irish travellers who have pitched up above cliffs at Newquay's Fistral beach, external for several weeks as the group promised they will leave the site soon.

BBC Radio Devon

Devon County Council is proposing to spend an extra £1m on foster carers' fees.

It says current fees do not compare well to neighbouring authorities for entry level foster carers, which means it struggles to recruit new staff.

There are 270 carers in the Devon service and the council wants to increase that to around 300.

A formal consultation, external started on Wednesday.

Millicent Cooke
BBC News Online

A police officer and his dog have been rewarded for their work in tracking down a vulnerable man who posed a risk to himself and others.

PC Mark Stevens and PD Axel were commended for their role in the "dangerous" call-out by Ch Supt Glen Mayhew.

The five-year-old German Shepherd is retiring from active duty after he developed a back problem, external.

Hamish Marshall
BBC Spotlight

A historic bridge over Exeter canal has been removed in a sophisticated operation which saw it craned out of place.

The Kings Arms Bridge, owned by the city council, crosses the water where the River Exe and the canal merge.

It has deteriorated over time and was lifted out by a large crane.

A temporary bridge is in place with a new permanent structure due to be erected in the new year.