BBC Spotlight

A D-Day veteran who featured in the BBC's D-Day 75th anniversary commemorations says the public response to his television appearance has been "overwhelming".

After Harry Billinge appeared on BBC Breakfast, the interview went viral on social media and has reached more than 20m people.

Since then, Mr Billinge, 93, has been receiving letters from all over the world.

Mr Billinge, who lives in St Austell, had already raised more than £10,000 towards the Normandy Memorial, the first part of which was unveiled on 6 June.

More money is needed to complete the project, and the Normandy Memorial Trust says Mr Billinge's appearance led to a surge in donations.

Jenna Hawkey
BBC News Online

Cornwall Council’s Trading Standards team is warning people not to deal with a gang selling garden furniture from a white hire van bearing the “Enterprise Rental” logo.

The advice follows reports of the gang approaching residents in Feock earlier.

Cornwall Council is reminding members of the public never to deal with anyone offering goods from the back of a van or from people who knock at the door without an appointment.

Exeter City agree undisclosed-length deals for centre-back Gary Warren and goalkeeper Jonny Maxted.

Part of the roof at non-league Illogan AFC landed on a nearby road but nobody is hurt.

Twitter

Motorists are being advised to avoid the Winkleigh area of mid-Devon while emergency services attend to a "serious" crash.

Follow the latest news stories from the National League, including transfers and selected contract announcements.

BBC Radio Cornwall

The stand at Illogan RBL Football Club has been "destroyed" in high winds.

In a post on Twitter, external, the club said no-one was injured and it was thankful to everyone that helped get part of the roof off the road and tied down securely.

A club spokesman said it will need completely rebuilding.

Ben Woolvin
BBC South West Home Affairs correspondent

Controversial proposals to close seven fire stations in Devon and reduce cover at others will be put out to public consultation.

In a change to the plan put forward by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, taxpayers will be able to express a preference for separate options, after councillors approved a change requiring the service to present "individual options".

Some councillors raised concerns about the impact the changes could have on the number of fire deaths and senior officers told them information on any changes to risk will be published as part of a three-month public consultation which is due to begin next month.

BBC Radio Devon

A website that can guide homeless people to the nearest place that serves free food is being launched in Exeter later.

Nextmeal.co.uk uses GPS signals to map out places like soup kitchens or shelters in cities around Europe.

A number of companies have already signed up to be featured on the site.

Founder Martin Stone said he thought it would be "quite useful" for people to know after they leave a soup kitchen where to go next.

"Some people are new to a city and have got no idea or are perhaps suddenly homeless thinking 'where shall I go?'," he said.

"The first thing you do is make sure you eat well and this GPS points straight to the next available soup kitchen wherever you are."

Mark Royden is released on conditional bail and ordered not to enter the cathedral or Cathedral Close.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A woman who died after being hit by a car near the Royal Cornwall Hospital has been named as 87-year-old, Patricia Martin.

Emergency services were called to the A390 - one of the main roads into Truro - at about 09:55 on Wednesday.

Mrs Martin, from Truro, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Devon and Cornwall Police is continuing to appeal for witnesses.

William Pope is charged over an assault on a 13-year-old girl in Truro in 2003.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A popular Devon beach is expected to reopen in time for the summer holidays after the discovery of asbestos on it.

Mount Batten beach has been closed for about a month as a precautionary measure after pieces of cement containing asbestos were discovered.

Plymouth City Council said the health and safety of residents was "our top priority and we needed to risk assess the situation".

It added about 1,300 pounds (600 kg) of asbestos has already been removed from the area and the amount contractors are finding "appears to be getting less and less over time".

Contractors will continue to sweep the area to see how much of the material there still is.

The council said it hoped to reopen the beach towards the end of July "providing we are satisfied that it is safe to do so".

Tamsin Melville
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Cornwall

There were cheers at Sandy Park in Exeter when Boris Johnson told the audience the UK would leave the European Union on 31 October.

Mr Johnson has committed to leaving the EU on 31 October "deal or no deal" and has called on his Conservative leadership rival Jeremy Hunt to do the same.

Both men are appearing at hustings before Conservative Party members.

Tamsin Melville
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Cornwall

Conservative Party leader candidate Jeremy Hunt carried out some quick broadcast interviews before going into the hustings at Sandy Park in Exeter.

There is a large media presence at the home of the Exeter Chiefs as well as hundreds of Conservative Party members listening to Mr Hunt and competitor Boris Johnson.

Tamsin Melville
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Cornwall

Boris Johnson's father Stanley has turned out to support his son Boris at the hustings for the next leader of the Conservative Party.

Mr Johnson junior is at Sandy Park in Exeter to debate with Jeremy Hunt in front of Conservative Party members.

Tamsin Melville
Political Reporter, BBC Radio Cornwall

Supporters of the two candidates to be the next prime minister are at a hustings event in Exeter.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson are debating this morning at Sandy Park, home of the Exeter Chiefs.

The winner of the contest will take over from Theresa May on 24 July.

Police confirm the death of a second man pulled from the water by a lifeboat crew near Torquay.

Ben Woolvin
BBC South West Home Affairs correspondent

Controversial proposals to close seven fire stations in Devon and reduce cover at others are being considered by the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Authority later.

Councillors are being asked to approve a public consultation on the plans which would start next month.

The stations earmarked for closure are at Appledore, Ashburton, Budleigh Salterton, Colyton, Kingston, Topsham and Woolacombe.

Managers say fires have reduced in the last decade and resources need to be reallocated.

Hayley Westcott
BBC News Online

A second man has died after being pulled from the sea off Torquay, police have said.

Officers were called by the coastguard at about 14:00 on Thursday after two men were pulled from the water near Babbacombe Beach.

The next-of-kin of the two local men, aged 25 and 26, have been told.

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