How to stop your glasses steaming up with a mask onpublished at 11:16 GMT 29 November 2021
Three simple tips to stop your glasses fogging up while you shop with a mask or face covering on.
Read MoreHow to stop your glasses steaming up with a mask onpublished at 11:16 GMT 29 November 2021
Could police fine me for exercising?published at 13:14 GMT 12 January 2021
Coronavirus lockdown rules are changing across the UK, but who is responsible for enforcing them?
Read MoreNew face covering rules in force in Englandpublished at 16:45 BST 24 July 2020
Customers in shops, banks, post offices and takeaways are among those who must now wear masks.
Read MoreMessenger statue wears mask as it becomes mandatorypublished at 16:12 BST 24 July 2020
Claire Gilbody-Dickerson
BBC NewsTheatre Royal Plymouth’s famous statue is helping Plymouth City Council spread the message to wear a mask - by wearing one herself.
A mask has been put on the 10-tonne statue in a bid to encourage everyone to abide by the now mandatory use of face coverings in enclosed public areas.
Plymouth City Council said in a post on Twitter, external: "Wear a mask.
"That’s the message from Messenger.@TRPlymouth, external's famous statue is helping us spread the message that from today the law states that you must wear a mask – or face covering - in enclosed public spaces."
The law gives police the power to issue £100 fines to those who do not comply with it.
New toilets vandalised less than a day after openingpublished at 15:50 BST 24 July 2020
New toilets in Torbay have been vandalised less than a day after they opened.
An estimated £200 worth of damage was caused to the beach hut style public toilets at Preston Green, Torbay Council said.
Councillor Mike Morey said: “While we are really pleased to have been able to open these new toilets at Preston Green, we are very disappointed that someone has vandalised them already – these are a facility for the local community and it will now cost more to repair them."
Image source, Torbay CouncilLifeboat volunteer 'assaulted' in parking rowpublished at 15:10 BST 24 July 2020
Lifeboat staff said a member of the public was asked to move his car from the lifeboat slipway.
Read MoreTuk-tuks could arrive in Newquay as licence grantedpublished at 15:01 BST 24 July 2020
Richard Whitehouse
Local Democracy Reporting ServiceTuk-tuks could be seen on the streets of Newquay after a licence was granted for a new company looking to run a service in the town.
NuBeez had applied to Cornwall Council for a private hire licence so it could operate electric tuk-tuks in the town.
The original plan had been to start the service this year but due to the coronavirus pandemic it has been delayed until 2021.
Image source, Clean MotionCornwall Council’s miscellaneous licensing committee agreed unanimously to grant a licence to the firm, but several conditions must be met including the need for doors to be fitted to the vehicles, which can carry up to two passengers.
The company is operated by Georgia Horsley and Dr Prasad Raja Venkatesh who said they have plans to expand to Padstow, St Ives and Fowey and will operate between April and October.
Charity shops gradually reopen as lockdown liftspublished at 14:05 BST 24 July 2020
Image source, GoogleWhile some charity stores remain shut due to the challenge posed by social distancing, some of them are gradually coming back to life.
Cornwall Hospice Care estimates it has lost around £1.7m in income because of coronavirus.
Image source, Getty ImagesFrazer Hopkins, the charity's head of retail, told Radio Cornwall they have been able to reopen more than a third of their shops.
"It has to be at a time which is safe and cost-effective to do that," Mr Hopkins said.
"And we need to be very sure that we are able to trade successfully."
Hospital nurse handed Royal College of Nursing awardpublished at 12:16 BST 24 July 2020
Three cars damaged in hit-and-runpublished at 12:08 BST 24 July 2020
Three cars have been damaged in a hit-and-run in Exeter.
Police said reports suggested three cars were damaged by a blue BMW in Farm Hill, on Friday, 17 July.
The driver left the scene.
Police are appealing for information.
South West 'no exception' to travel investmentpublished at 10:51 BST 24 July 2020
Claire Gilbody-Dickerson
BBC NewsThe government says it is "investing in making transport links across the country" and the "south-west of England is no exception".
The statement was made after Plymouth MP Luke Pollard claimed the government was "ignoring" the South West's railway needs.
The Labour MP had on Thursday said the region was being "overlooked" by the government as it had failed to provide "urgent" funding for its railway lines.
It followed an announcement by transport secretary Grant Shapps of £600m for the north of England.
The Department for Transport said in a statement to the BBC: "As we build back from Covid-19, we are investing in making transport links across the country fit for the future.
Image caption, In January, waves and sea debris smashed several windows on the GWR train from Exmouth to Paignton
"The South West of England is no exception.”
It also said it had given £300m to help the region's councils improve roads, repair bridges and fill millions of potholes in their communities, on top of about £270m for local highway and other local transport maintenance.
The department's spokeswoman added it received 18 bids for funding to build or reopen railway lines and stations in the South West.
Step free access had also been added at six stations in recent years, while two stations have or are in the process of being built.
Woman sexually assaulted at city bus stop and car parkpublished at 10:10 BST 24 July 2020
Claire Gilbody-Dickerson
BBC NewsPolice are appealing for information after a woman was sexually assaulted at a bus stop and car park in Plymouth.
It happened between 16:00 and 18:00 on 24 June by the same suspect.
The first assault happened near the A7 bus stop on Royal Parade before she was again attacked near the Civic Centre car park, police said.
Image source, GoogleOfficers want to talk to anyone who may have information and in particular three boys who may have witnessed the attack at the car park.
The suspect has been described as white and in his 20s and wearing a light-coloured T-shirt and shorts.
Cornwall Council working to tackle drug problempublished at 09:43 BST 24 July 2020
Richard Whitehouse
Local Democracy Reporting ServiceCornwall Council says it is working together with all agencies to tackle problems with drugs and anti-social behaviour in towns across the county.
The authority has spoken out in response to concerns about issues in St Austell town centre which have led to a petition being launched calling on the council to take more action to rid the town of a “heroin problem”.
However the council said the problems are not unique to St Austell and it has been working to address them in towns across the Duchy.
The council disputed comments made by the town’s MP Steve Double who claimed the authority had been disproportionately placing people with drug problems in the town without support.
Life Centre to remain closed until Aprilpublished at 09:11 BST 24 July 2020
Chris Quevatre
BBC News OnlinePlymouth Life Centre will remain closed until April 2021 while "urgent works" are carried out, the council has announced.
The sports centre has "a number of issues", including "ongoing water leaks".
During the closure, the pool's surrounding area and changing facilities will be stripped "back to the base concrete".
Image source, GooglePlymouth City Council said: "If we don’t carry out these essential repairs the issues will just get worse and ultimately put the long-term future of the building at risk."
“We know the huge inconvenience this will cause, which is why we have explored all options to get the work done in the shortest possible time frame," it added.
Police investigate blaze in flatspublished at 09:09 BST 24 July 2020
Police are investigating the cause of a fire that has damaged flats in Budleigh Salterton.
Emergency services were called to Greenway Lane just before 03:00.
A number of bins had caught fire, which then spread to the building, causing smoke damage to the properties.
There have been a spate of similar incidents in the Exmouth and Budleigh areas over the last few months, but police say it's too early to know whether this morning's blaze is linked to the others.
New guidance on face coverings in England releasedpublished at 20:08 BST 23 July 2020
Customers in shops, banks and post offices are among those who will have to wear a face covering from Friday.
Read MoreParents could be fined for failure to send children to schoolpublished at 16:56 BST 23 July 2020
Richard Whitehouse
Local Democracy Reporting ServiceParents could be fined if they decide not to send their children back to school in September due to fears about coronavirus.
Schools have not been fully open since March after they closed to most pupils during lockdown with just children of key workers and vulnerable children going in.
That later changed with schools having children in reception, Year 1 and Year 6 allowed to attend as well as students in Years 10 and 12 but such openings were not compulsory.
Image source, AFPThe government has indicated that in September it hopes that all children of school age will be back in the classroom.
Sally Hawken, Cornwall's cabinet member for children, said school attendance would be compulsory in the autumn term adding: “From September 2020 the usual rules will apply.”
If necessary she said the council would take action against parents who did not send their children to school but stressed that any fines would be a last resort.
Be 'socially responsible' and wear masks - policepublished at 16:34 BST 23 July 2020
Claire Gilbody-Dickerson
BBC NewsDevon and Cornwall Police has called on the public to be "socially responsible" and adhere to the mandatory use of face masks in shops and retail premises from Friday.
The force said shops will be able to refuse entry to a customer if they don't cover their face, while police will also have the power to issue a fixed penalty notice of £100 to anyone who will not comply.
An educate, engage and encourage approach will first be adopted by the police, with enforcement being a "final option", Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew said.
But he added it would be "disappointing" if his officers had to issue the fines.
Image source, Getty Images“The government has announced the change to Covid-19 legislation in order to further protect the public and those working in retail premises from being exposed to the pandemic.
“As lockdown measures ease there is a need for us all to be socially responsible and play our part in reducing the Covid-19 risk and protect each other as much as possible," he said.
Covid-19 delays flood defence workpublished at 16:11 BST 23 July 2020
Daniel Clark
Local Democracy Reporting ServiceA community that "gets anxious every time it rains" will have to wait until 2021 at the earliest before the next stage of a flood prevention scheme can be completed.
The first two phases of the flood alleviation scheme for Feniton were completed back in 2016, but numerous delays have since beset the project.
Image source, LDRSEast Devon District Council had earlier this year agreed to move ahead with the third phase, which requires an undertrack crossing of the Exeter to Waterloo rail line, in May.
But it was postponed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The next window for the work would have been October 2020, but the council’s cabinet on Tuesday night agreed not to take it up and instead wait for a window in 2021/22 when there was more security over the funding.
While the project is eligible for further central government grant money, it has not yet been formally signed off, and won’t be until the autumn.
Woman with anxiety found lockdown therapeuticpublished at 14:58 BST 23 July 2020
Mental health charities have expressed concerns lockdown has made many people's mental stress worse.
But charity Cornwall MIND said there are those whose mental health actually improved during lockdown and who are now struggling to emerge as it eases.
Louise Iggulden, from Falmouth, lives with severe anxiety.
She is back in the office once a week, but told BBC Radio Cornwall she had found lockdown therapeutic.
Image source, Getty Images"I enjoy the slower pace of life. I suppose with my anxiety and with the crowds I find it's getting a bit too busy already.
"I still go out but I go out in the mornings when it's a bit quieter or in the evenings, or I go to places where I hope there are going to be less tourists and less people about," she said.
