Andrew Segal
BBC South West

Bee inspectors are carrying out surveillance in an area of Cornwall where an Asian hornet has been sighted, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) says.

Defra said a sighting of the invasive species, which preys on honeybees and can do serious damage to bee colonies, was confirmed in the Fowey area.

They were spotted in Devon last year.

Bee inspectors from the National Bee Unit were carrying out surveillance and monitoring a 1km to 2km radius around the initial sighting, Defra said, external.

The hornet is smaller than the native British native hornet, but "poses no greater risk to human health than a bee", it added.

Cornish Stuff

The National Bee Unit has confirmed a sighting of the Asian hornet in the Fowey area, external.

This Asian hornet is smaller than our native hornet and poses no greater risk to human health than a bee. However, they do pose a risk to honey bees and work is already underway to identify any nests, which includes deploying bee inspectors to visit local beekeepers and setting up monitoring traps.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

It's one month until the legendary Flying Scotsman train comes hurtling down the track into the South West - and steam enthusiasts are already planning how they're going to view the locomotive.

The iconic engine will pass through Tiverton, Exeter, Dawlish, Newton Abbot and Plymouth on 4 October before heading through Cornwall to stop at Penzance and Par.

Marcus Robertson is one of those involved in the Flying Scotsman's Westcountry leg of the tour and thinks the tour will be "amazing"...

The Flying Scotsman was designed by Sir Nigel Gresley and emerged from Doncaster Works on 24 February 1923. Since then, it has travelled approximately 2,500,000 miles.

It is visiting towns and cities across the UK as part of a summer tour.

Johnny Rutherford
BBC Spotlight

More than 200 water voles are being released on Tuesday at Seaton Wetlands as part of a major reintroduction programme to boost the population.

Nationally water voles - often nicknamed "Ratty" after the character in The Wind In The Willows - have suffered a decline because of loss of habitat and an increase in non-native American mink.

The Water Vole Project will see a phased release at the wetlands into prime habitat suitable for them to thrive.

Image source, PA

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

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

A propeller from a U-boat that was sunk in May 1918 has been returned to Germany from Plymouth after being found in a north Wales storage unit.

It belonged to German submarine UC-75 that was built and launched in 1916 and credited with sinking 58 ships, including two warships.

Seventeen crew members died when UC-75 was rammed and sunk by Royal Navy destroyer HMS Fairy.

The propeller was formally handed over on board FGS Bonn, which is currently based in Plymouth for training, on Friday.

It is one of two propellers found at a Bangor storage unit in September 2017 that were believed to have been illegally recovered from the wreck of UC-75 by a diver.

A man has since received a formal caution from North Wales Police in relation to the find.

The second propeller is to be displayed at the Royal Navy Museum in Portsmouth.

Image source, Maritime & Coastguard Agency

Millicent Cooke
BBC News Online

Image source, Google

A 27-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly threatening people with a broken bottle.

Police were called to Bolsowick Road, Falmouth, on Monday afternoon.

Units searched the area and said they found a man who was "in possession of a broken bottle".

Officers used a Taser to subdue the suspect and he was arrested on suspicion of making threats to kill.

Police said the man was taken to hospital for treatment, before returning to police custody, where he remains.

Press Association

Image source, Paignton Zoo/PA

Baboons at a Devon zoo have been observed flossing their teeth with broom bristles and their own hairs.

Charlotte Morgan, an animal behaviour student at the University of Exeter, spotted the primates cleaning between their teeth at Paignton Zoo.

The behaviour was first noted at the zoo a few years ago, when a female hamadryas baboon was seen using a bristle from an old broom to floss.

Previous studies have suggested that primates floss their teeth for hygienic and social purposes.

Tilly Trotter, who is 84 years old and registered blind, was celebrating her wedding anniversary.

Carys Edwards
Correspondent, BBC Spotlight

A Devon mother who has struggled with post-natal anxiety has set up a well-being group at her workplace to support colleagues with mental health issues.

Elle Neal's group of 24 colleagues meets monthly in Exeter, and share their stories, helping reduce "sickness" levels and boosting productivity.

Those involved also said they supported all colleagues, not just those who met, so that anyone with mental health issues could have someone to talk to while at work.

It is estimated that mental health issues in the UK workforce cost employers around £35bn a year.

Elle Neal says she is helping where she can...

National League South side Truro City appoint Taunton Town boss Leigh Robinson as their new manager.

Cornish Stuff

Already more than £250,000 in debt, the Looe Music Festival received £165,000 in a loan from the Arts Impact Fund in June of this year in an attempt to overcome its financial difficulties.

This has not been possible and this year’s festival has had to be cancelled, external.

The 70m tunnel is the number one TripAdvisor attraction in the Cornish town of Bude.

BBC Weather

Cloudy and mostly dry at first on Tuesday, but with a few patches of drizzle in some places.

Through the day, some brighter intervals will develop, though further isolated light showers are possible.

Maximum temperature: 19C (66F).

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Sixty-eight homes in the TR19 area of Penzance are currently without power.

Western Power Distribution says the problem should be resolved by 10:30.

Image source, WESTERN POWER DISTRIBUTION

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A young boy sustained a "chest injury" and an elderly woman was left with a "possible broken ankle" in a crash on the A30, police have said.

Officers were called to the A30 eastbound at Temple, Bodmin - by the Colliford Lake junction - at about 16.05 on Monday.

Both the boy and woman were take to hospital for treatment.

The accident closed the road for almost three hours, Devon and Cornwall Police added.

Kevin Thomas
BBC Weather Forecaster

Thanks to our Weather Watchers Alan O and Uncle Fester for sharing these pictures of Topsham and Paignton this morning.

As you can see, there will be a large amount of cloud across the South West on Wednesday.

We'll have a full forecast later.

If you would like to share your pictures, please email us.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

There are currently 60 homes without power in the EX38 and EX20 areas of Okehampton and Torrington, Western Power Distribution has said.

Engineers are working on the problem and hope to have power restored by 10:00.

Image source, WESTERN POWER DISTRIBUTION

BBC Radio Devon

• On the A361 at Tiverton, heading towards the M5, there's very slow traffic due to roadworks and a reduced speed limit
• On the A39 between Bideford and Barnstaple, there's heavy traffic in both directions
• In Newton St Cyres, on the A377, there are temporary traffic lights for gas mains work near the Old School. Expect slow traffic Exeter-bound

Tamsin Melville
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Cornwall

Concerns have been raised over access to legal aid for vulnerable people in Cornwall facing issues such as eviction or homelessness.

Shelter held a housing legal aid contract for Cornwall but it finished at the end of August and the charity no longer has an office in the county, external.

It is feared people could slip through the net as a result.

Former Labour Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Lord Falconer criticised the situation about no replacement provider on Twitter, external, warning about "people being wrongly evicted, not getting the right benefits and their rights ignored".

Russell James, a South West-based housing law barrister, said the whole system needed looking at...

The Ministry of Justice said there was a new provider in place and at no point has Cornwall been without legal aid advice for people with housing issues, but it was yet to be announced.