BBC Radio Devon

Plans for a new performance venue in Exeter's city centre have taken a step forward.

Exeter City Council has appointed development experts, Fourth Street to explore the viability of an entertainment venue as part of the £300m plans to redevelop the wider St Sidwell's Point area., external

Last year, the council stressed a venue could not be built with public funds alone.

A survey showed people preferred the city centre as a location rather than on the outskirts.

Image source, Exeter City Council

A plastic surgeon and student doctor discuss gender attitudes towards women in the medical profession.

Karl Busch spends half his week running tea dances in Jersey, missing 75% of council meetings.

The teenager admitted sexually assaulting the 10-year-old but denied rape and attempted murder.

Ben Woolvin
BBC South West Home Affairs correspondent

A 17-year-old boy has been found not guilty of the attempted murder of a 10-year-old girl in Exmouth last year.

The jury at Bristol Crown Court has been unable to reach a verdict on an allegation of rape.

The boy had previously pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the girl last October and is in custody to be sentenced on a date to be confirmed.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Several items of jewellery have been stolen from an elderly couple in Camborne, police have said.

It happened at a property in Beacon between 17:40 and 20:00 on Tuesday 19 February.

Entry was gained through the patio door and several items of jewellery were stolen, including watches, bracelets, rings and earrings, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

Among the items taken was a bespoke man’s gold bracelet set with four diamonds (pictured).

The bracelet was of sentimental value as it was made by a family member, officers added.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101.

Image source, Devon and Cornwall Police

Sophie Pierce
BBC Radio Devon

A quirky collection of handkerchiefs has gone on show at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter.

They are owned by an artist from Seaton, Paula Youens, who has collected them over a 40-year period.

They're on show in the Collectors' Cabinet at the museum, where local people have the chance to show off their personal treasures.

Image source, Google

BBC Spotlight

Sandy Park will host the biggest ever home crowd for a Women's Six Nations international when England play Italy in Exeter this weekend.

About 10,000 tickets have already been sold and it promises to be a crucial fixture in this year's competition with both teams unbeaten after three games.

Yeovil-born flanker Marlie Packer says she's delighted top flight women's rugby is in such high demand...

BBC Radio Devon

• In Forda, North Devon, Hole Cleave Road is partially blocked in both directions due to an accident between Frogstreet Hill and Long Lane.
• In Teignmouth, there's some slow traffic on Bitton Park Road near Teignmouth Rugby Club.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A mini crossbow was found in a car that was involved in a crash in Cornwall, police have said.

The car left the A30 in Bodmin at about 17:30 on 4 March and had to be recovered.

Along with three bolts, the crossbow was found under the driver's seat.

Devon and Cornwall Police said "this sort of thing is why officers tell you to keep your hands where we can see them when you get stopped.

"We never know what’s within easy reach of the occupants."

Officers added the crossbow is likely to be destroyed.

Image source, @AllianceARV

David Fitzgerald
BBC Radio Devon

The 23ft (7m) sculpture, called Messenger, which will be installed outside the Theatre Royal in Plymouth is being assembled at the city's Devonport Dockyard.

The piece is made from 200 individual panels and is the largest bronze sculpture by volume in the UK.

The sculpture is based upon a single brief pose by a female cast member during rehearsals for Othello at the theatre in 2014.

It is set to be unveiled outside the theatre on Monday 18 March.

Fancy a sneak peak of how Messenger is shaping up? Here she is alongside her artist, Joseph Hillier...

Jenna Hawkey
BBC News Online

Image source, Friends of Portheras Cove

A seal pup has reportedly been attacked, external by a dog at Portheras Cove in West Cornwall.

The seal, which has been named Guinness, was found 24 hours after the alleged attack with bite wounds and an infection.

He is receiving veterinary treatment and is recovering well.

New signs giving advice about local wildlife - funded and installed by the Cornish Seal Sanctuary - have now been installed around the area by the Friends of Portheras Cove community group.

Image source, Friends of Portheras Cove

BBC Radio Devon

Image source, Reuters

The number of people being admitted to hospital for alcohol problems in Torbay is higher than the average across England, figures have revealed.

Public Health England says the figures for Plymouth and the rest of Devon are the same or better than the England average., external

But figures for Torbay show there's a high rate of alcohol-related hospital admissions in girls under 18.

Torbay Council says the causes of harmful drinking are varied and complex but it is working in new ways to reduce the problem, including education in schools.

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A councillor has criticised a climate change protest held by children and hit out at parents for allowing them to take part.

Thousands of children all over the country took part in the protests last month calling on those in power to do more to tackle climate change.

Among them were children across Cornwall who walked out of lessons to take part. Some of them went to Cornwall Council’s main offices in Truro, carrying placards and banners and chanting slogans.

But one Cornwall councillor has hit out at the events and also criticised Cornwall Council for “welcoming” the youngsters to County Hall.

Councillor John Fitter said at a council meeting: “I don’t believe that children should be protesting during a school day. The fact that some parents think it is fine, I think it is totally inappropriate.

“If they had protested on a Saturday then I would respect it more.”

A spokeswoman for the council said it had been in contact with schools about the protest and schools had ensured parents had given permission for their children to take part and to ensure that all children were safe.

Torbay's level of alcohol-related hospital admissions has been described as "extremely worrying" by Public Health England.

According to new figures, external, young women are particularly at risk, with admissions more than double the average for England in Torbay.

In 2017/2018, the Bay recorded 86 admissions for females under the age of 18 for every 100,000 of the population, where their condition was "wholly due to alcohol use" - compared to an England average of 40 per 100,000.

More than 1% of 40-64 year olds in the Torbay area were admitted to hospital with alcohol-related conditions during that period (1,214 per 100,000), compared to less than 0.9% nationally.

Figures for Devon are lower than average.

Alcohol-related admissions in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly were also higher than than the England average.

Figures show that 975 40-64 year-olds were admitted for every 100,000 of the population, compared to an England average of 877.

For the under 40s, there were 375 admissions per 100,000, compared to 298 nationally.

BBC Radio Cornwall

A letter is to go out to parents and carers of school children in Cornwall from a group of headteachers saying they are still facing a funding crisis.

Despite intense lobbying they claim the government has failed to react to their campaign to secure more money for schools. It's part of a national campaign backed by thousands of head teachers.

The headteachers from Cornish primary and secondary schools took their complaints to Downing Street in September as part of a campaign by 7,000 school heads across England.

They accuse Education Secretary Damian Hinds of not getting to grips with the problem and snubbing a request for a meeting.

His department says he has secured an extra £750m for schools, but the group says budgets have been reduced by up to 20% in real terms over the last 10 years.

The group says often, the most vulnerable students in schools - those from disadvantaged backgrounds or those with special educational needs - are bearing the brunt of cuts.

Image source, PA

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

Jenna Hawkey
BBC News Online

Seven people were arrested and 46 vehicles seized in a two day police operation across South Devon's roads, external last month.

Officers were deployed across Torbay, Teignbridge and the South Hams as part of Operation Allied Wolf, which targets drivers who present a risk to other road users.

Offences discovered included excessive speed, driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs, driving without a licence, excessively worn and damaged tyres, an "ear-splitting" exhaust system and virtually blacked out windows.

Results of Operation Allied Wolf, 27 - 28 February, include:

• Five positive drug wipe tests (from a total of 18 tests taken)
• Two positive breath tests (from a total of 44 tests)
• 93 penalties issued
• 23 drivers summonsed to court
• 46 vehicles seized
• Seven arrests
• 82 drivers given education
• 12 untaxed vehicles reported to the DVLA
• 13 searches following routine stops

BBC Radio Devon

The National Trust is inviting people to sponsor one of 7,000 trees it's planting at Arlington Court to celebrate 70 years of the trust looking after the estate in North Devon.

The woodland, made up of oak and a mix of native trees, will help wildlife and nature thrive.

Sponsors can dedicate their tree to a year between 1949 and 2019 that's special to them.

It costs £15 and the trees will be marked on a map so the sponsors know where they are.

Image source, Google