Thomas Whitehorn is accused of stabbing Rhonda Humphreys to death in Hayle, Cornwall.

Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Devon County Council has answered pleas to try and ensure the most vulnerable children and families in Devon do not go hungry.

Labour’s plea for the free school meals scheme to be extended over the holidays to stop children going hungry was rejected last week by the government, but since then, several councils, including Plymouth City Council, have announced schemes to help during the October half term.

Eligible families in Plymouth will receive an additional payment during the holiday to allow them to buy food for their children.

On Monday, Devon County Council said it would continue to work with district councils to ensure hardship support was available to vulnerable children and families across the county this winter.

It follows pleas from Liberal Democrat and Independent councillors, as well as a petition, which called for the council to help provide free school meals during the holidays.

Leader of Devon County Council, Councillor John Hart, said: "We have already allocated £1.7m this year through a shared hardship fund to ensure that the most needy children and families in Devon do not go hungry.

"I have also instructed that the county council holds a further £100,000 in reserve for additional hardship funding this winter.

“Devon County Council shared £1m of its funding between the districts alongside a further £700,000 from the government.

"This is currently supporting grants to people and families suffering hardship across Devon.

"Around £600,000 of this is still available and I would urge anyone who needs help providing food for their children to apply for this extra assistance through their district council’s helpline."

Image source, Gemma Hooley

Up to 17 ambulances queued outside the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust's A&E on Monday as the department was "full to the brim".

Olga Zmijewska, an emergency department consultant, said there was "no space for more patients" but explained the team were "on top of the game" and assessed patients while still inside ambulances.

She said: "In ED [Emergency Department] we are like willow trees, we can bend to the ground but not broken.

"In all yesterday's chaos we still managed to prevent patients from getting harmed.

"It was enormous effort and as consultant in charge I felt a need to tell my team how proud I am for their efforts."

The hospital trust has said the spike in A&E admissions was not Covid related.

One of 11 shipping containers which fell into the sea from a ship near Land's End last week - has washed ashore - spilling medical equipment on to a beach.

The container, which has medical absorption pads in it, has washed ashore near Hartland Point. There is no apparent threat of pollution, Falmouth Coastguard said.

Another container is expected to beach on the South Wales coastline, while two more are following the north Cornwall and Devon coastline.

These three continue to be monitored, the coastguard said.

There is no update on the remaining containers.

Black Voices Cornwall has created a history curriculum celebrating black inspirational leaders.

BBC Spotlight

Beachgoers have been warned to stick to lifeguarded spots as a huge swell with waves up to 30ft rolls into the South West.

Image source, Magic Seaweed

The swell, generated by the combination of a storm and big low pressure in the north Atlantic is expected to hit the region on Wednesday and holidaymakers surging into the region could be caught in the eye of the storm.

Strong winds and rip currents are predicted to increase the risk said Steve Instance, from the RNLI in the South West.

"Forecasts at the moment are predicting a huge swell to arrive on Wednesday and into Thursday combined with strong winds," he warned.

"Sea conditions are set to be extremely dangerous and its likely most beaches will be red flagged with huge waves, strong rip currents and increased tidal surges.

"If you are tempted to enter the water, please go to one of the 27 lifeguarded beaches and listen to their advice, if there are no flags then there are no lifeguards. Do not enter the water if the red flag is flying, it only takes seconds to get caught out in conditions like these."

Lifeguard patrols start at 10:00 and finish at 17:00.

Beaches with lifeguard cover until 1 November are: Cornwall - Tregonhawke, Praa Sands, Fistral, Towan, Watergate Bay, Mawgan Porth, Porthtowan, Perranporth, Gwithian, Porthmeor, Sennen, Constantine, Harlyn, Polzeath, Widemouth, Summerleaze, Poldhu, Porthcurno, Treyarnon, Sandymouth, Hayle Towans, Chapel Porth, Holywell Bay and Crantock. Devon - Woolacombe, Croyde and Bantham.

Selaine Saxby says she "deeply regrets any offence which may have been caused" by her Facebook post.

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Police said the a person had been detained at the scene and asked people to stay away.

The University of Exeter is extending its mixing ban for students for another seven days.

It means students should not meet indoors with those not part of their household.

The ban came in after Covid-19 cases in Exeter leapt up to 438 per 100,000 residents for the week to 6 October, up 358 from the week before. More than 80% of cases were linked to the university.

Bosses hope it will be the final time the mixing ban has to remain, although it will depend on whether Covid-19 cases continue to fall.

There were 148 cases per 100,000 people in Exeter in the week 16-22 October. The average area in England had 135.

The ban will continue until 2 November.

Parry Williams is accused of stabbing three men and hitting two women with a car.

The number in the cases in the city is rising more rapidly than at any other time in the pandemic.

Chris Ellis
BBC News Online

Image source, Getty Images

Cases of Covid-19 in Plymouth are not "limited to one age group or area of the city", Plymouth’s Director of Public Health warns.

The city could enter Tier 2 of Covid-19 restrictions within days if cases fail to fall.

Dr Ruth Harrell is calling for a city-wide effort to stop Plymouth becoming a ‘high risk’ area, as COVID-19 cases "surge" by 350 in a week.

Dr Harrell said: “This affects everyone in Plymouth. We are seeing cases across our community – within couples, families, schools, care homes and businesses. This means that we’ve all got to do our bit to help stop this rise.

“There is absolutely no room for complacency. This virus is having a terrible impact on some families in Plymouth. Sadly, we have seen 85 people in Plymouth die from Covid-19 related illness and we will see more.

“We are also seeing some people’s lives blighted by ill-health for months after initially recovering from the virus. ‘Long covid’ is now recognised as a serious problem."

She said "a number of wards at Derriford Hospital are once again being used to care for patients with suspected and confirmed Covid and visiting has again been restricted for the safety of staff and patients".

Councillor Tudor Evans, Leader of the council, said: "No-one wants further restrictions to be put in place but that’s what we are facing unless we can turn this round."

Chris Ellis
BBC News Online

Plymouth could enter Tier 2 of Covid-19 restrictions within days if the number of cases continue to rise, the city council has warned.

Plymouth’s Director of Public Health is calling for a city-wide effort to stop Plymouth becoming a ‘high risk’ area, as Covid-19 cases surge by 350 in a week.

Councillor Tudor Evans, Leader of the council, said: “Throughout the pandemic Plymouth residents have been great at pulling together and looking out for each other. This has meant that we’ve had significantly fewer cases than most other areas of the country. But now things are going the wrong way – and fast.

Image source, Plymouth City Council

"The speed and the scale of the increase in cases is very worrying and we are not far from becoming a high alert area. No-one wants further restrictions to be put in place but that’s what we are facing unless we can turn this round.

“The surge in cases is already placing severe strain on the NHS at a time when it is also dealing with the usual winter pressures. Now is the time to put our masks where our mouths are and demonstrate that support day in and day out by strictly following the guidance we know we should.

“I would urge everyone to redouble this joint effort to keep the virus at bay in Plymouth and save lives and protect the NHS. We can do this but we’ve got to keep at it and it has to be a team effort.”

Chris Ellis
BBC News Online

Plymouth City Council is warning Covid-19 cases are rising "faster than at any other time in the pandemic" and the city "could be designated a ‘high risk’ or Tier 2 area within days".

Plymouth’s Director of Public Health is calling for a city-wide effort to stop Plymouth becoming a ‘high risk’ area, as Covid-19 cases surge by 350 in a week.

Dr Ruth Harrell is warning that if cases in Plymouth continue to rise at the current rapid rate, within days the city could be designated a ‘high risk’ or Tier 2 area, meaning further restrictions for residents and businesses.

There are now 138 cases per 100,000 residents, well above the average for the South West, the council said.

Dr Harrell said: “Until recently we have enjoyed a relatively low number of cases compared to other parts of the country but we are now seeing the numbers rise rapidly.

"This is very worrying and if the rise continues at the current rate we are only weeks, or possibly days, away from being designated a high risk area, which would mean more restrictions for families and businesses."

The victim died at the scene in Hayle, Cornwall, having suffered multiple injuries.

Premises involved in footballer Marcus Rashford's campaign to provide free meals for children over half term have been added into an interactive Google Map., external

Joe Freeman has so far been manually inputting each individual venue offering to help provide food.

He is using tweets by Rashford, who is sharing messages from local businesses that have pledged to support his campaign.

"I was eating my lunch, reading Marcus Rashford's tweets and thinking, 'This is amazing, wouldn't it be great if we could see them all in one place,'" Mr Freeman said.

The father-of-two from south London says while his family does not require free meals, there are some children in his local school who do.

Ministers are continuing to insist they will not fund free school meals for children at risk of going hungry in England over the half term holiday.

Image source, Google

With more and more pubs, cafes and restaurants offering to help, there's no guarantee Mr Freeman will be able to keep the list up to date.

It so far shows about 10 locations across Devon and Cornwall that have taken part.

A fisherman from Cornwall says the Royal Navy mines are resulting in lost fishing time.

Image source, Getty Images

Police are advising people to not trick or treat this Halloween due to Covid-19.

There have been more than 870,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far in the UK and nearly 45,000 people have died, government figures show.

A further 19,790 cases were confirmed on Sunday.

However, Kingsbridge Police said: "This doesn't mean that Halloween is cancelled. There are plenty of other ways in which families and children can celebrate Halloween safely and at home.

"Let's all work together to prevent the spread of coronavirus and keep infection rates low across the region."

It posted some alternative ideas, including a Halloween themed scavenger hunt around your home or garden, on its Facebook page, external.

BBC Radio Cornwall

Shipping containers which fell into the sea last week off Cornwall are still making their way along the coast.

The 11 container fell off a vessel while about 10 nautical miles off Land's End.

Three have sunk, but vessels were still being warned about eight others over the weekend which could still pose a hazard.

Lee Grumwell, from Falmouth Coastguard, said aircraft and ships had been attempting to keep track of them and they looked "as if they're heading Lundy sort of way, coming away from the Cornwall coast and pushing up the Bristol Channel a bit".

He said navigational warnings had been issued.