Andrew Segal
BBC South West

Devon and Cornwall Police issued 799 fines for alleged lockdown breaches - the fourth highest rate in England and Wales.

They were among 14,000 fines issued between 27 March and 11 May.

The data covers the period before the penalty rose from £60 to £100 in England after the rules were eased earlier this week.

The most fixed penalty notices - 906 - were handed out in London by the Metropolitan Police.

The National Police Chiefs' Council says its figures showed officers were taking a "proportionate" approach - with only one in 5,000 people across England and Wales fined.

Find out more here.

Charley Adams
BBC News Online

Image source, Mullion Coastguard Rescue Team

"If you're going to the beach, don't take any risks" says Falmouth Coastguard, after a kayaker was rescued on Thursday.

The kayaker, who had driven down from Leicester, had to be rescued by the RNLI after capsizing off Gunwalloe in West Cornwall.

James Instance from Falmouth Coastguard said if a care home worker had not spotted the man "we would have been dealing with a fatality".

"This person had driven down from Leicester, had spent some time in his car, had then gone out in a kayak on his own, with no way of raising the alarm.

"All of the safety measures we ask people to take were just overlooked."

The man who was suffering with hypothermia was airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

The government relaxed lockdown rules allowing water sports on open water from 13 May.

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

Tourism bosses in Cornwall and Devon are united in saying visitors should "stay away" as the counties prepare for the first weekend of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions being eased in England.

Under the new guidelines, households are able to drive to other destinations in England, such as parks and beaches.

However, despite the government's "stay alert" message also saying people should remain at home as much as possible, there are concerns some have read the changes as a green light to long distances.

On Thursday, a kayaker sparked a major rescue operation in Cornwall after driving from Leicester to go to the sea.

Cornwall's tourism leader, Malcolm Bell, from Visit Cornwall, said nobody should be spending the night anywhere other than their own homes.

Cornwall Council Leader Julian German said he also thought "a few miles" was a reasonable distance for people to travel for exercise, but even that is causing concerns.

Falmouth coastguard James Instance said an estimated 60 surfers seen at sea off Polzeath on a sunny Friday morning showed that there was no "gentle easing back into the maritime community, people are going in their droves".

In the neighbouring county, Visit Devon says people should restrict journeys "to no more than one hour and only visit our region for short day trips".

However, director Simon Fishwick added people "should also be aware that the vast majority of hospitality businesses remain closed at this time and no overnight stays are allowed", nor was going to second homes.

Richard Whitehouse
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Cornwall Council has hosted its first ever online “virtual” meeting.

There have been no formal meetings of the council or its various committees since March when lockdown came in during the coronavirus crisis.

Instead local democracy has been on hold with any decisions which had to be made being delegated to officers in consultation with the council’s ruling cabinet.

The first meeting of the constitution and governance committee was the first to enter this bold new world, with just one item on the agenda – how the virtual meetings should take place.

The council is using Microsoft Teams software to host the meetings and councillors will only be heard and not seen – either by each other or the public.

The press and public will be allowed to listen in to the meetings. Although arrangements are in place to allow the public to participate in meetings where allowed – for example planning committees – through telephone links.

Those councillors whose broadband links are not strong enough to sustain a connection to an online meeting will also take part by phone.

There were concerns raised about the reliability of technology, with the guidelines stating that if connectivity was lost then meetings may have to be adjourned.

As with any new systems the council officers admitted that this could be subject to change as the council learns to adapt under the new arrangements.

The committee agreed to the new guidelines – although under the current system these will now go to the chief executive rather than the council for approval.

With 123 councillors the first full council meeting will be the one to watch – nobody will envy the chairman trying to control that many people on one video call.

Image source, Cornwall Council

Andrew Segal
BBC South West

Bosses of Cornwall's Boardmasters festival have said they "absolutely gutted" to announce the 2020 event has been cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

About 55,000 people were expected in Newquay between 11 to 15 in August to see acts including Skepta, Kings of Leon and The 1975.

The weekend was also due to host surfing competitions.

The news sees the second cancellation in as many years after the 2019 festival was called off just hours before gates were due to open after storm warnings.

Organisers said the cancellation was "particularly heart-breaking given the events of 2019, but the safety of everyone involved in the festival as well as the local community in Cornwall comes first".

Ticket holders would be able to transfer their booking over to the planned 2021 event, or request a full refund, they said.

BBC Spotlight

Many people have been seen out in costumes (while social distancing) around the country to keep up the spirits of others during the coronavirus lockdown.

There's the postal worker on South Tyneside, a couple in Buckinghamshire dressing up in historical costumes for their daily exercise, and Spiderman has been seen several places around the UK, including in Derbyshire.

Here we can see the Devon resort of Dawlish Warren is being defended by a Star Wars stormtrooper.

And be warned, he may well find the droids he's looking for!

Ed Oldfield
Local Democracy Reporting Service

Plymouth’s education chief has called for the government to publish more details on the safety of reopening schools next month.

City Council Cabinet member Jon Taylor says the planned date of 1 June is too soon without clear evidence that it will be safe for teaching staff and pupils.

In his televised address on Sunday evening, Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked schools to prepare to receive children in reception, year one and year six after the May half-term.

Mr Taylor said: "Like all local authorities around England, we will be supporting all of our schools to open from 1 June as requested by government.

"But we’re very nervous and we know that teachers and headteachers feel the same. We suspect that many parents will, too.

"It is our firm belief that 1 June is way too soon to send children back to school.

"The government has said all along that they would be guided by science.

"But I’ve seen no evidence to suggest there is any science behind this decision."

The Department for Education said the June 1 reopening plans would be kept under review in light of ongoing scientific advice.

A statement said: "The transmission rate has decreased, and the aim is that by 1 June at the earliest it will be safe for a greater number of children and young people to return to education and childcare.

"As a result, the government is asking schools and childcare providers to plan on this basis, ahead of confirmation of the scientific advice.

"This will only happen when the five key tests set by government justify the changes at the time, including the rate of infection decreasing and the enabling programmes set out in the roadmap operating effectively."

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said Plymouth was one of the places in the country experiencing the "worst of coronavirus" at the government's daily briefing on Thursday.

Answering a question by a local journalist about what the government was doing to help cities such Plymouth, which is facing huge losses from a lack of tourism and students, Mr Shapps said support was being made available.

He said: "I think Plymouth, like many areas, is experiencing the worst of the coronavirus.

"It has clearly decimated things like planned celebrations and I was aware of the one that was planned for this year.

"I know the government's business and support package in Plymouth has allocated £47m and also paid over 3,200 grants totalling over £39m to organisations there.

"You will also recall from other ministers saying it, we are allocating additional funds of £3.2bn to local governments - and I make that point to address your wider issue of towns, places and cities like Plymouth and to respond to the coronavirus - of which Plymouth has received £15.7m of that money to date."

BBC Radio Cornwall

Cornwall Council says it has spent more than £1.5m on providing personal protective equipment (PPE) for people who are not NHS front-line workers.

Care homes and carers buy their own PPE under normal circumstances, but there have been supply chain issues and rising costs.

Helen Charlesworth May, the county's joint accountable officer for public health and care, said that, as the local authority's primary responsibility was to keep the residents of Cornwall safe, "if that means purchasing PPE to ensure that, that is absolutely what we're going to do".

Image source, Getty Images

Claire Marshall
Environment correspondent, BBC News

The wildlife charity the RSPB says it has been "overrun" by reports of birds of prey being illegally killed since the lockdown started six weeks ago.

Species of raptors (birds of prey) that had been targeted include hen harriers, peregrine falcons, red kites, goshawks, buzzards and a barn owl.

The head of the RSPB's investigations unit, Mark Thomas, told the BBC it was like "the Wild West" out in the countryside.

He said people who wanted to kill birds of prey had been "emboldened" by the absence of walkers and hikers and the surge correlated exactly with the date the lockdown was imposed.

In one case in South West England, 10 buzzards were found, all thought to have been poisoned.

All birds of prey are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981).

BBC Radio Devon

Councillors in the Torridge district in north Devon have been reviewing which facilities can be safely reopened now some of the government's lockdown restrictions have been eased in England.

One major change has been the reopening of the gates to Northam Burrows Country Park (pictured), giving wider access to the area and the beach at Westward Ho!

The Torridge District Council said it was also looking at reopening some public toilets where strict Covid-19 precautions could be put in place.

Councillors said while locals may still want to stay indoors, the reopening of some facilities could have a positive impact on people's health and wellbeing.

Emma Ruminski
BBC South West

The Box, Plymouth's flagship new museum and gallery, was due to open to the public this Saturday, but this has been postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It does not yet have a new launch date - or a final price tag. It was due to cost £46m but that will rise with the cost of delaying opening.

Paul Brookes, the cultural centre's chief executive, said the facility was two months from opening when lockdown came and staff were now going to have to work our how it would open with social distancing measures.

However, the original opening weekend is still being marked with a special digital programme.

Twitter

East Devon District Council plans to reopen 10 out of 26 accessible public toilets by 22 May..

New government guidance requires an enhanced cleaning regime be implemented, as well as the capacity for users to access hand sanitisers and practice social distancing, the council said.

The remaining 16 toilets cannot be reopened currently due to available resources, building design and budget limitations, they added.

The reopening will be subject to the completion of a risk assessment for each toilet and the sourcing of additional hand sanitisers.

When the toilets have reopened they will be fully cleaned three times a day, twice more than before the lockdown.

Virucidal cleaners will be used and the facilities will be closed periodically for additional disinfecting, the council said.

The following public toilets will be open from 07:30 to 16:00 BST:

• West Street Car Park, Axminster
• East End (Lime Kiln), Budleigh Salterton
• Jubilee Gardens, Beer
• Foxholes Car Park, Exmouth
• Manor Gardens, Exmouth
• Queens Drive/Old Lifeboat, Exmouth
• King Street, Honiton
• West Walk, Seaton
• Connaught Gardens, Sidmouth
• Triangle, Sidmouth

Twitter

Julie Skentelbery
BBC Radio Cornwall

A kayaker who drove to Cornwall from Leicester sparked a major rescue operation on Thursday when he got into trouble off Poldhu.

James Instance from Falmouth Coastguard describes what happened.

BBC Radio Cornwall

Dog restrictions come into force on 12 of Cornwall's beaches on Friday.

They are beaches which have Blue Flag Status or Seaside Awards.

Under new public space protection orders (PSPOs) agreed by Cornwall Council earlier this year dogs will not be allowed on the following beaches from 10:00 until 18:00 until 30 September 30:

• Carbis Bay Beach
• Crackington Haven
• Crooklets Beach, Bude
• Gyllyngvase Beach, Falmouth
• Polzeath Beach
• Porth Beach, Porth
• Porthmeor Beach, St Ives
• Porthminster Beach, St Ives
• Porthtowan Beach
• Sennen Beach
• Trevone Beach, Padstow
• Widemouth Beach, Bude

Sean Coughlan
BBC News, education correspondent

Teachers' unions are to meet the government's scientific advisers later to seek assurances that it will be safe to open schools in England from June.

Some teachers have expressed concern that social distancing will be difficult to implement and questioned whether staff should be given PPE.

The education secretary says the safety of pupils and teachers is a priority.

Find out more here.

BBC News England

A leading doctor has said the decision to ease lockdown restrictions without proper testing was "terrifying".

Dr Lucy-Jane Davis, chairwoman of the British Medical Association (BMA) in the South West, said some people had waited more than 10 days for results.

"It's absolutely key to have proper testing, contact tracing and then isolating," she said.

The Department for Health and Social Care said it was determined to make testing "fast and simple".

Find out more here.

BBC Radio Cornwall

Devon and Cornwall Police have fined more than 871 people for lockdown breaches since 23 March, Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer has revealed.

Speaking on BBC Radio Cornwall about lockdown enforcement, Mr Sawyer said the fines had come from more than 100,000 "interactions" between officers and members of the public in the same period.

These conversations have taken place "on foot, on our streets, on our beaches, on our roads", Mr Sawyer said.

You can listen to the full interview on BBC Sounds.