George Eustice warns Theresa May's promise of an MPs' vote on delaying Brexit could lead to UK's "humiliation".

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

Torquay United avoided relegation in 1987 in time added on after a player was bitten by a police dog.

Police said the van was carrying "an unsafe load" on a main road through Plymouth.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

The Zutons are set to play at the Little Orchard Cider and Music Festival, it has been announced.

The band will join Reef, The Wurzels, Skinny Lister and Mad Dog Mcrea at the three-day festival in Penhallow.

Festival organiser Ian Whittaker said: “After the success of last year’s festival and the new layout, we are all excited to push the event into new directions once again."

Tickets are on sale now for the event which starts on 13 September.

Image source, Little Orchard Cider & Music Festival

Johnny O'Shea
BBC News Online

A helicopter service between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will not resume as scheduled in April due to a lack of demand.

Island Helicopters between Land’s End and St Mary’s was operated by the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, who also provides shipping and plane travel to the islands.

It introduced the helicopter route last year, and customers already booked to fly this year are being contacted and offered alternative arrangements.

A spokesman for the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group said: “We know passengers will be disappointed and we apologise to them but ultimately this was a commercial decision.

“We had hoped to make it work but we simply haven’t seen enough demand to justify continued investment in a helicopter operation. Instead we will focus on our core sea and fixed-wing operations, continuing to provide a lifeline service to Scilly.”

Plans for a new heliport in Penzance have been approved for a service to St Mary’s and Tresco that is due to begin operating in 2020.

Image source, Isles of Scilly Steamship Company

The hunt for a "forever" home is finally over for lonely lurcher Hector.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A teenage boy accused of raping and attempting to murder a 10-year-old girl replied "no comment" when asked by police about the attack.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of grabbing the girl as she walked home from school in Exmouth, Devon on 4 October.

Bristol Crown Court heard the girl noticed footsteps running behind her before she was dragged down a bank and into a stream.

A jury of nine women and three men have been told the boy, who was 16 at the time of the incident, admits choking the girl and sexually assaulting her.

He denies attempted murder, attempting to choke with intent to commit rape, and rape of a child under 13.

Det Con Joanne Rotchell, of Devon and Cornwall Police, told the court that two interviews were conducted with the boy following his arrest.

When asked about the route he was cycling at the time of the attack on two separate occasions, he replied "no comment" both times.

When asked where he was when the girl was attacked, about her injuries and what happened to her, he again replied: "No comment."

The trial continues and is due to last for two weeks.

• Exmouth rape case: Girl, 10, 'left for dead in stream'
• Exmouth rape case: Girl, 10, found 'howling' in stream

He was "ashamed" of being off with stress and a note found after his death apologised to his patients.

BBC Spotlight

NHS bosses were warned against contacting a doctor who was on sick leave with work stress, an inquest heard.

Image source, Family picture

Father-of-two Dr Alastair Watt, 45, was found dead near his home in North Tawton, Devon in December 2017.

The diabetes consultant at Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust had suffered a severe head injury while cycling in April 2016.

After being in hospital for three weeks, his mental health had deteriorated and he had been signed off work with stress, the inquest at County Hall in Exeter heard.

Occupational health had advised Dr Watt’s managers against having work-based discussions with him while he was on sick leave in November 2017.

Catherine Smith, manager of acute services at the trust, told the inquest at County Hall in Exeter that she had replied to an email from him while he was on sick leave.

“I wanted to get a view from him how he wanted to proceed, she said.

“I was mindful that I did not do anything to create more stress.

“I did not think it would have an impact.”

Dr Watt, who the inquest heard earlier was “passionate” about his job, was concerned that he was letting short-staffed colleagues down.

His GP wife, Ruth Watt said he had suffered from work stress which got worse after the accident, but managers had not believed he was overworked.

The inquest continues.

Twitter

On the A30 between Summercourt and Fraddon Services, one lane is blocked eastbound due to a two-vehicle crash.

Highways England said recovery is en route but drivers can expect about 25 minutes to be added to normal journey times.

Richard Whitehouse
Local Democracy Reporting Service

A cocktail bar will be able to expand into its first floor after being granted an extension to its licence.

The Moth and Moon in Killigrew Street, Falmouth, applied to alter its existing licence which also asked that a condition saying the bar had to have door staff on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays be removed.

The owners explained they had not had a single incident since opening last year - which was confirmed by door staff and the police.

Image source, Google

A resident who lives nearby had objected to the licence application with concerns about noise and public nuisance from the bar.

But the owners said that a noise test carried out by an independent expert found there was no noise detectable from the bar in the neighbouring property.

A committee agreed to grant the licence as applied for.

BBC Radio Devon

Image source, PA

A new report on HMP Channings Wood reveals continuing concern over the state of the prison.

The annual report from the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) said the prison continued to decline in the year leading up to August 2018 - both in relation to the safety and well-being of the prisoners themselves and in the physical condition of their surroundings.

Among the concerns were a significant increase in the use of the drug Spice, the serious deterioration in the state of the men's living blocks and the relative inexperience of many of the new officers.

The IMB, which is made up of 16 unpaid volunteers who all live locally, monitors the prison near Denbury 365 days a year - checking the prisoners are treated with fairness and decency.

BBC Radio Cornwall

A respite centre in Cornwall which was threatened with closure will stay open, it's been announced.

However, Oakleigh House in Menheniot, will only be open for definite for another three months.

There was a public outcry about the move to close the unit which offers respite care to people with mental health problems.

NHS Kernow says it has listened to those with concerns and will take three months to work with Oakleigh - also known as Sanctuary House - to come up with a solution.

Dr Iain Chorlton is the Chairman of NHS Kernow and is describing the move as a pause...

BBC Radio Devon

Devon-based Gregory Distribution Limited (GDL) has announced up to 50 redundancies as a result of British Ceramic Tiles in Newton Abbot going into administration.

GDL employs more than 2,700 staff at 36 depots across the UK - three of which are based at North Tawton, Plymouth and Cullompton.

It says it will redeploy people wherever possible and give staff every assistance in finding new jobs.

Image source, Google

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

The MP for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle has resigned as Farming and Fisheries Minister.

George Eustice said extending Article 50 could be the "final humiliation for our country".

• George Eustice is a longstanding Brexiteer who stood as a UKIP MEP candidate before joining the Conservatives.

• An ex-farmer, he was a former press secretary to David Cameron and played a leading role in Mr Cameron's 2005 Conservative leadership campaign.
• He was elected as the Conservative MP for Camborne and Redruth in 2010.
• Eustice served on the EFRA Select Committee from 2010.

• In September 2011, he argued that Cornwall's heritage should be administered by a Cornish organisation rather than English Heritage.
• Eustice was appointed Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on 11 May 2015.

BBC Radio Devon

On the A386 at Roborough Down, there are reports of an accident and a dog on the loose near the Dartmoor Diner. Traffic is slow-moving Plymouth-bound.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A woman remains in custody as police continue to investigate a suspicious death in Paignton.

The body of a man in his 70s was found at an address in Midvale Road at about 12:35 on Wednesday.

Inquires continue to find his next-of-kin, officers said.

The 40-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of murder and police are not seeking anyone else in connection to the incident.

Insp Howard Brugge said: “I am aware of comments of concern within the local community and I would like to reassure the public that this is currently being treated as an isolated incident."

Police officers and a cordon remain in place at the scene.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Devon and Cornwall Police via 101.

Image source, Google

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

George Eustice says his decision to step down as Farming and Fisheries Minister has been made with "tremendous sadness" but thinks Parliament has "terribly undermined" the British people when it comes to Brexit.

The Brexiteer added: “Developments this week will lead to a sequence of events culminating in the EU dictating the terms of any extension requested and the final humiliation for our country.”

Image source, George Eustice

Image source, George Eustice

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

Cornish MP George Eustice has resigned as Farming and Fisheries Minister, it has just been announced.

In his resignation letter, he cites the postponement of the Brexit date as the reason for his decision.

Image source, UK Parliament