The 16,000-tonne vessel is freed eight hours after running aground off the Cornish coast.

Bringing you the news, sport, travel and weather for Devon and Cornwall on Tuesday 18 December

Dexter was found covered in blood by his owner after being shot in the face.

Pip Holmes, 45, says he was "foolish" for trying to get hold of cannabis oil to help his arthritis.

BBC Weather

Often cloudy through Monday night with the cloud bringing a few pockets of rain or drizzle at times. It will be fairly mild but also rather windy.

Minimum temperature: 7 to 10C (45 to 50°F).

A windy Tuesday is to come with outbreaks of rain, some of which will be heavy, spreading way gradually eastwards.

Maximum temperature: 9 to 12C (48 to 54F).

BBC Politics

Theresa May is rejecting the idea of another Brexit referendum, telling MPs it would do "irreparable damage" to British democracy.

In a Commons statement, the prime minister said she would hold a debate on her Brexit deal when MPs came back from their Christmas break on 7 January, with a vote the following week.

But Sarah Wollaston, the Conservative MP for Totnes, said Theresa May should "get on with it" and call the vote as soon as possible.

A primary school in Cornwall says it was forced to close after thieves twice stole its heating oil.

Ed Oldfield
Local Democracy Reporting Service

A proposal to take more than £1m of extra cash from schools in Torbay looks set to go ahead despite a warning it could cause job losses.

The Torbay Schools Forum has decided to carry on with the plan to switch money to the higher needs budget because of "significant concern" over its deficit - which is expected to reach just under £2.7m by the end of March.

Image source, Google

Higher needs spending goes on children outside mainstream schools, including those with special education needs or disabilities, and those in alternative education, including pupils who have been excluded.

As part of its plan to offset the debt caused by rising demand and increasing costs for higher needs services, the forum wants to extra government money to make up for past underpayment.

Councillors, who supported the plans, suggested that part of the pressure on higher needs spending was caused by the number of excluded pupils.

Heads of five secondaries across Torbay have written to parents warning their schools were set to lose £750,000 under the plan - the cost of 20 teachers.

The supersonic vehicle could still race at 1,000mph after an entrepreneur bought the business.

Malachi Neat, 14, is given the chance to take on their assault course at their training base in Devon.

Robert Duval, 60, was killed after his car "became airborne" and collided with an oncoming HGV.

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

Drug and alcohol support workers had made several attempts to work with a rough sleeper who died from a combination of substances, an inquest has heard.

Philip Hancock, 35, was found in the doorway of a former camera shop on Bank Street in Newquay on 25 April 2017.

Paramedics confirmed his death just after 06:36.

Dr Emma Carlyon, senior coroner for Cornwall concluded his death was drug related at a hearing in Truro today. He had cocaine, heroin and a number of other substances in his blood and urine.

Outreach workers reported how Mr Hancock told them he was drinking about six litres of cider a day, along with up to £30 of heroin and daily crack cocaine use.

Image source, Cornwall Live

They had been working with him in the weeks leading up to his death. It was the third time Addaction had started a treatment programme with Mr Hancock.

Lee Derrick, from Addaction, said: "You are very lucky if you get a place. There is not enough accommodation in Cornwall." Speaking about the work done with Mr Hancock he said: "I was quite proud of our team. They had gone above and beyond".

He was found with £6 of change and a can of beer in his possession, along with his sleeping bag.

The inquest heard how he had been a victim of sexual offences in the past and had a difficult childhood, being expelled from school at the age of eight and receiving mental health treatment.

Dick Cole, leader of Mebyon Kernow, is furious there won't be a Cornish tick-box in the 2021 census.

Truro City manager Leigh Robinson hopes he can extend Plymouth Argyle youngster Dan Rooney's loan at the National League South club.

Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Totnes successfully fought off Costa Coffee, but now another coffee shop chain wants to open in the town.

Back in 2012, several thousand people signed a petition against Costa and pledged to boycott the new branch if it opened - warning that Totnes risked become a "clone town".

Costa Coffee successfully achieved planning permission for a store in Fore Street, but in the face of opposition, withdrew their plans.

But now chain, Coffee#1 - which has 91 outlets across the country - wants to move into the high street.

The chain has submitted plans to South Hams District Council to convert the former Barclays Bank, which closed in June 2018, into a coffee house.

The fate of the application will be determined at a later date.

Image source, LDRS

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

The death of a 35-year-old man in a shop doorway in Newquay was drug-related, an inquest has heard.

Rough sleeper Philip Hancock was found outside a former photography shop on Bank Street on 25 April.

The hearing at Truro County Hall heard how he was last known to be alive at about 04:00 when he could be heard snoring.

His death was confirmed by paramedics just after 06:36 following a call from a member of the public.

Toxicology reports found heroin and cocaine in his system, along with a number of other substances.

Although the levels of the individual drugs were not at fatal levels, the cause of death was poisoning by a combination of drugs with a background of pneumonia, the inquest concluded.

Image source, Cornwall Live

Exeter City boss Matt Taylor hopes Lee Martin's spectacular winner against Crewe can kickstart his St James Park career.

Traffic will be busiest on Thursday and Friday before rail engineering and strikes cause cancellations.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A minibus was stolen and later found burnt out in Silverton, police have said.

The vehicle was taken in the early hours of Tuesday 11 December at a property in the village.

The minibus was found burnt out later the same day on Tiverton Road officers added.

A police spokesman said: "As the vehicle had been burnt out, the offender(s) may have returned home with their clothing smelling of smoke.

"Additionally, a pair of brown tortoiseshell glasses were located by the vehicle."

Anyone who saw any suspicious activity in the area or has any information is asked to contact Devon and Cornwall Police via 101.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A yellow weather warning for rain for the South West has been issued by the Met Office., external

It added wet and windy weather is expected between 03:00 and 09:00 on Tuesday.

Image source, Met Office