Summary

  • Baby death 'could have been avoided'

  • Police continue to quiz man over fatal stabbing in Plymouth

  • Campaign to get farmers to wear seatbelts gathers momentum

  • Two arrests as stolen firearms recovered

  • Calls to scrap plans for Exe Estuary wildlife zones

  • Soldiers, spades and mermaids among beachcombing finds

  • Updates on Wednesday 9 August 2017

  1. Our live coverage across the South Westpublished at 18:00 BST 9 August 2017

    That's all from BBC Local Live in Devon and Cornwall for today, but we'll be back at 08:00 tomorrow to bring you all Thursday's news, sport, travel and weather updates.

    Don't miss Spotlight with Andy Breare and Clare Casson tonight on BBC One at 18:30 and the late news bulletin at 22:30.

  2. Sparks will fly as the firework championship teams battle it outpublished at 17:51 BST 9 August 2017

    Lynne French
    BBC News Online

    People planning to watch the first night of the British Firework Championships in Plymouth are being reminded to allow for a series of partial road closures, including Hoe Road, Madeira Road, Armada Way, Lockyer Street, Citadel Road, Notte Street and Staddon Lane.

    The two-day event, in its 21st year, attracts tens of thousands of spectators to the Hoe and every possible vantage point surrounding Plymouth Sound.

    British Firework Championships, Plymouth

    Tonight's battle, which starts at 21:30 will be between Dragon Fireworks from Chertsey, Surrey; AJ Pyrotechnics from Folkstone and the UK Firework and Events Company from North Finchley, London.

    Tomorrow the remaining teams will be Smart Pyrotechnics from Devizes in Wiltshire; Nemisis Pryotechnics from Nantwich in Cheshire and Selstar Fireworks from Selsey, West Sussex.

    British Firework Championships

    Plymouth City Council estimates the annual event is worth about £4m to the local economy.

  3. Penguins on parade in Portugalpublished at 17:38 BST 9 August 2017

    Lynne French
    BBC News Online

    Torquay’s Living Coasts has sent 20 penguins to Parque Zoologico de Lagos in Portugal as part of the European Endangered species Programme for African penguins.

    The birds travelled by road in a temperature-controlled van, taking a ferry across the Channel before being driven on to the Algarve - a total journey of 1,700 miles (2,736km).

    PenguinsImage source, Living Coasts

    The group - two breeding pairs and a collection of younger birds – appeared none the worse for the long trip.

    “They arrived and all went for a swim - they seem to be fine after their journey," Clare Rugg, Living Coasts Operations Manager/Curator, said.

  4. Bobby on the beat offers her view of 'foot patrol'published at 17:26 BST 9 August 2017

    A police colleague has posted her response to Sgt Harry Tangye who has been criticised for sharing a video of him travelling at 140mph in a police car on the way to a suspected burglary at a scrap yard.

    PCSO Kirsty Down wanted to let the world know "what it looks like on foot patrol".

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  5. Weather: Wind dying down as the sun comes outpublished at 17:16 BST 9 August 2017

    BBC Weather

    Winds will ease overnight and it will become chilly in many places under clear spells.

    Isolated mist or fog patches may form in the early hours in prone spots like the Tamar Valley. Minimum Temperature: 10C (50F).

    Weather map

    Any mist or fog will quickly clear to give some sunny spells through the day.

    It will stay dry with lighter winds, so it will feel warm in the sunshine. Maximum Temperature: 20C (68F).

  6. Council issues advice to festivalgoerspublished at 17:08 BST 9 August 2017

    Twitter

    It's day one of the Boardmasters surf and music festival in Newquay.

    The event attracts thousands of people every year - and brings in an estimated £30m to the local economy. The mix of music and sport kicks off with the World Surf League qualifying series.

    The event runs until Sunday and Cornwall Council has tweeted some advice to festivalgoers...

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  7. Cyber-security 'hero' supporters to meet in Londonpublished at 16:53 BST 9 August 2017

    BBC Spotlight

    Friends and supporters of Marcus Hutchins, the cyber-security 'hero', are meeting in London later to discuss how they can support him.

    The 23-year-old from Ilfracombe has been accused of involvement with Kronos - a piece of malware used to steal banking logins from victims' computers.

    He was previously praised for finding a "kill-switch" that curbed the WannaCry ransomware that infected more than 300,000 computers in 150 countries in May. The malicious software demanded a ransom from users so they could regain control of their machines.

    Marcus Hutchins
  8. First South West sighting of rare striped dolphinspublished at 16:35

    Lynne French
    BBC News Online

    A pod of rare striped dolphins has been spotted off the coast of Cornwall for what's thought to be the first time.

    The sighting of the rarely-seen cetaceans was made by ORCA volunteers on an oceanwatch project who were on board the Scillonian III passenger ferry on its way from St Mary's to Penzance.

    Lucy Babey, ORCA's head of science and conservation, described it as a "sensational finding".

    Striped dolphinImage source, G Overington

    "Though we have seen them stranded (live and dead) around the Cornish coast there has never been a sighting of this species in the water.”

    She said that as no photographs were captured, the sighting can only be recorded as a "likely striped dolphin".

    “However, the surveyor in question is one of our most experienced and we are 100% confident it wasn’t one of the other dolphin species commonly seen in the area," she added.

    Striped dolphinsImage source, ORCA
  9. Cornish beachcombing exhibitionpublished at 16:16 BST 9 August 2017

    BBC Radio Cornwall

    A ship's bell and rare, but highly collectible, Lego figures are among the beach combing finds at a new exhibition in West Cornwall.

    The display at Pendeen highlights the weird and wonderful wreckage of the past, but also highlights growing concerns over carelessly discarded harmful plastics.

    Lego octopus on beach
  10. Man who died after Plymouth station stabbing namedpublished at 16:03 BST 9 August 2017

    Police said the Wayne Fenton, 49, from the Plymouth area was seriously injured on the concourse, was rushed to hospital by paramedics but sadly died as a result of his injuries.

    Following the stabbing yesterday a man was arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody with officers receiving authorisation to detain him for a further 12 hours.

    Det Ch Insp Paul Langley said: "This is a fast-paced investigation and I have a number of officers working behind the scenes."

    Plymouth railway station closed off by police
    Quote Message

    I would like to thank the large numbers of witnesses who have come forward and my officers are in the process of speaking to those individuals. Yesterday's news would have come as a devastating shock for this family. My thoughts are with them at this stage and we have specially trained officers supporting them as they come to terms with this news."

    Det Ch Insp Paul Langley, British Transport Police

  11. Bus hits child in Exeterpublished at 15:50 BST 9 August 2017

    A bus has hit a child in Sidwell Street, Exeter. The road is expected to be closed for some time.

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  12. Petition to reinstate scrapped Torbay bus servicepublished at 15:36 BST 9 August 2017

    Nearly 1,000 people have signed a petition to reinstate a bus service in Torbay which was scrapped in April.

    People say the number 65 route covered some of the most hilly areas of the town including Hele, Babbacombe and Ellacombe and axing the service has left many vulnerable and elderly people isolated.

    "People say they feel cut off from the outside world now and their only alternative is to use a taxi, which they can ill afford," petition organiser Val Baker said.

    The service was one of a number affected by bus operator Local Link's decision to withdraw its services, quoting increased overheads and reduced income.

    The petition is due to be presented to Torbay Council and the House of Commons in September.

  13. Baby death 'could have been avoided'published at 15:07 BST 9 August 2017

    Johnny O'Shea
    BBC News Online

    The lead police officer investigating the suspected murder of a baby who died last year has told an inquest she doesn't believe the father should have been in the family home.

    One-month-old Cooper Johnson-Hicks died of serious head injuries on 26 June 2016.

    His father, Tristan Hicks was arrested on suspicion of murder, and took his own life days after being released on bail. The hearing in Truro has heard how he had a history of mental health illnesses, and was involved with a number of domestic violence incidents that had been reported to police.

    Polgrean Place
    Image caption,

    Cooper Johnson-Hicks lived in a flat on Polgrean Place, St Blazey

    Cooper had been placed on the child protection register under the category of physical violence before he was born in May.

    Det Insp Gail Winsor said analysis of Mr Hicks' phone found an internet search for sudden infant death syndrome the day before Cooper died. A post-mortem of Cooper found 24 rib fractures and two complex head fractures, some of which were "days old". Det Insp Winsor said "my opinion is he [Mr Hicks] would have been charged with murder".

    The coroner, Dr Emma Carlyon, asked if she believed there was "any way this death could have been avoided?"

    "Absolutely", she replied, "I don't think Tristan should have been in that home".

    The inquest continues.

  14. Travel update for Devon and Cornwallpublished at 14:49 BST 9 August 2017

    BBC News Travel

    • In Devon, Weston Lane in Awliscombe is blocked due to a lorry that's stuck near Tape Lane
    • Near South Molton on the A361 at Aller Cross there are reports of debris, external on the road
    • On the M5 southbound between Bridgwater south and Taunton traffic is slow moving due to an earlier accident. All lanes have reopened
    • There's busy traffic in Falmouth town centre in Cornwall
  15. Police officer did nothing wrong, says forcepublished at 14:06 BST 9 August 2017

    Sophie Malcolm
    BBC News Online

    Devon and Cornwall Police have backed one of their officers who came under fire online for tweeting a video of a police car travelling at 140 mph.

    Sgt Harry Tangye posted the video, which he said was taken while responding to reports of a break in.

    Some people said the video should never have been tweeted.

    Devon and Cornwall Police responded with the following statement:

    • Harry was not breaking any rules in relation to the speed and incident they were responding to
    • Harry did not break any rules in posting a video on to social media
    • This incident is not being investigated and the matter is closed
    • Our social media policy is an internal policy

    Media caption,

    Sgt Harry Tangye's video

  16. Police find missing womanpublished at 13:50 BST 9 August 2017

    Anne Luddington who was missing from Budleigh Salterton has been found by emergency services, police have said.

    Officers were asking for the public’s help to find the 60-year-old woman who was reported missing on Tuesday night.

  17. Police appeal for witnesses to Barbican assaultpublished at 13:43 BST 9 August 2017

    Police have released CCTV footage of people they wish to identify and speak to in connection to an assault in Plymouth.

    Between 10:00 and 11:50 on Sunday 30 April, two men were assaulted by an unknown man outside the Crown and Anchor on the Barbican, Plymouth.

    One of the victims had a fractured jaw and the other victim had minor bruising, police said.

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