Nancy Astor statue in Plymouth removed to fix wobble

Post published:October 15, 2025

A statue of the first female MP to take her seat in the House of Commons has been temporarily moved for repairs.Plymouth City Council said the bronze figure of Nancy Astor was taken away on Monday from its position on the Hoe for up to 12 weeks while "essential maintenance work" was completed.The authority said a wobble had developed due to the statue's position on the seafront and exposure to the elements.Astor became the first woman to sit as an MP in November 1919 when she was elected to represent Plymouth Sutton, a position she held until June 1945.The council said the work would be focused on the plinth which supported the statue, located just outside Astor's former home at 3 Elliot Terrace.A specialist clean is also due to be done on the statue, the council added.The statue was sculpted by Hayley Gibbs and unveiled in November 2019 by former Prime Minister Theresa May to mark the 100th anniversary of Astor's election to Parliament.Sinn Féin's Constance Markievicz was the first woman to be elected as an MP in December 1918, but she did not take her seat in accordance with the policy of her party. Source link

Dog owners asked about Cornwall beach restrictions for pets

Post published:October 15, 2025

Christine ButlerSouth WestBBCDelilah the greyhound-cross loves a run on a beach, like here at Carlyon BayDog owners in Cornwall are being invited to have their say on restrictions put in place for dogs during the summer months. Cornwall Council is about to update its Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for the next three years. It currently bans dogs from 46 beaches, usually after 10:00 BST and before 18:00 from 1 July to 31 August, although Blue Flag beaches have restrictions in place from 15 May until the end of September. Cornwall Councillor Thalia Marrington, cabinet member with responsibility for community safety and public protection, said the consultation, open until 7 December, was "all about getting the right balance and making sure that everyone can enjoy our beautiful beaches".Ben Orford and his sausage dog crossed with a Jack Russell called ScrappyBen Orford and his dog Scrappy, who regularly go to Readymoney Cove in Fowey, said: "I think dogs should be allowed to go on the beaches. It's really up to the dog owners."If they know their dog well and they pick up after them, I don't see an issue with it."However, Sue West, who has a Jack Russell-cross, said she thought the dog…

Concerns over 2,700-acre ‘mega-solar’ scheme in Devon

Post published:October 15, 2025

Kirk EnglandSouth West environment and tourism correspondentBBCStephen and Sharon Boulton, who live close to the proposed solar farm, say other options should be explored first"It's going to be huge, absolutely vast," says Stephen Boulton of the solar farm that could be built on fields near his home in rural Devon."Moving here was my retirement dream, to be able to look out over a view like this," added Mr Boulton, who is now spearheading the campaign against what could be one of the UK's largest solar schemes.The proposed Beacon Solar project, near Holsworthy - of up to 1,100 hectares or about 2700 acres - would "contribute to cutting emissions" and "reducing reliance on fossil fuels", said developer Galileo Empower, which added it was "fully committed" to working closely with all local stakeholders.The government said: "Solar is central to our mission to become a clean energy superpower, delivering energy security for Britain so we can get bills down for good."Holiday park operator Lisa Keogh said she was worried the scheme could put people off visiting the areaSharon Boulton is one of the four residents the BBC spoke to in the hamlet of Woodacott who said they were worried about the size of the…

Cornwall and Isles of Scilly facing child poverty ‘crisis’

Post published:October 15, 2025

Brian Lawless/PA WireOne in five children across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are living in povertyPublic health officials have issued an "urgent call" to tackle child poverty in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.The 2025 director of public health annual report said 27,000 babies, children and young people up to the age of 19 lived in "relative poverty".One young person said living in poverty was a "hard place to grow up", but added: "It definitely makes you a better person... experiencing the harsh reality of life".Dr Eunan O'Neill, director of public health for Cornwall, said child poverty affected "every aspect of a child's life", and said it was "a crisis that cannot be ignored".'Uncomfortable truth'The report said people experienced poverty when they did not have enough money or resources to meet basic needs, for example, not being able to pay rent, buy food or heat their home.It said one in five (22.9%) children across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly were living in poverty, which is above the England average of 21.9%.Dr O'Neill, author of the report, said: "Poverty is not inevitable. It is shaped by policy, systems and choices and it can be changed. "This report is a call…

US revokes six visas over Charlie Kirk death amid social media crackdown | Donald Trump News

Post published:October 15, 2025

The State Department says the US has ‘no obligation to host foreigners who wish death on Americans’ after revoking visas over critical social media posts.The US Department of State says it has revoked the visas of six foreigners over remarks they made on social media about Charlie Kirk, the conservative political activist who was shot dead at a rally in September.“The United States has no obligation to host foreigners who wish death on Americans. The State Department continues to identify visa holders who celebrated the heinous assassination of Charlie Kirk,” the department said in a post on X on Tuesday evening in the US.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listThe post was followed by a list of screenshots and critical remarks from six social media accounts, which the State Department said belonged to individuals from South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay and Mexico.“An Argentine national said that Kirk ‘devoted his entire life spreading racist, xenophobic, misogynistic rhetoric’ and deserves to burn in hell. Visa revoked,” the State Department tweeted along with a screenshot that had the username blacked out.The screenshot post said Kirk was now somewhere “hot” – an allusion to religious descriptions of hell. The United States has no obligation…

Nancy Astor statue in Plymouth removed to fix wobble

Post published:October 15, 2025

A statue of the first female MP to take her seat in the House of Commons has been temporarily moved for repairs.Plymouth City Council said the bronze figure of Nancy Astor was taken away on Monday from its position on the Hoe for up to 12 weeks while "essential maintenance work" was completed.The authority said a wobble had developed due to the statue's position on the seafront and exposure to the elements.Astor became the first woman to sit as an MP in November 1919 when she was elected to represent Plymouth Sutton, a position she held until June 1945.The council said the work would be focused on the plinth which supported the statue, located just outside Astor's former home at 3 Elliot Terrace.A specialist clean is also due to be done on the statue, the council added.The statue was sculpted by Hayley Gibbs and unveiled in November 2019 by former Prime Minister Theresa May to mark the 100th anniversary of Astor's election to Parliament.Sinn Féin's Constance Markievicz was the first woman to be elected as an MP in December 1918, but she did not take her seat in accordance with the policy of her party. Source link

Concerns over 2,700-acre ‘mega-solar’ scheme in Devon

Post published:October 15, 2025

Kirk EnglandSouth West environment and tourism correspondentBBCStephen and Sharon Boulton, who live close to the proposed solar farm, say other options should be explored first"It's going to be huge, absolutely vast," says Stephen Boulton of the solar farm that could be built on fields near his home in rural Devon."Moving here was my retirement dream, to be able to look out over a view like this," added Mr Boulton, who is now spearheading the campaign against what could be one of the UK's largest solar schemes.The proposed Beacon Solar project, near Holsworthy - of up to 1,100 hectares or about 2700 acres - would "contribute to cutting emissions" and "reducing reliance on fossil fuels", said developer Galileo Empower, which added it was "fully committed" to working closely with all local stakeholders.The government said: "Solar is central to our mission to become a clean energy superpower, delivering energy security for Britain so we can get bills down for good."Holiday park operator Lisa Keogh said she was worried the scheme could put people off visiting the areaSharon Boulton is one of the four residents the BBC spoke to in the hamlet of Woodacott who said they were worried about the size of the…

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,329 | Russia-Ukraine war News

Post published:October 15, 2025

Here are the key events from day 1,329 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.Published On 15 Oct 202515 Oct 2025Click here to share on social mediashare2ShareHere is how things stand on Wednesday, October 15, 2025:Fighting Russian forces launched powerful glide bombs and drones against Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, in overnight attacks, hitting the city’s main hospital, wounding seven people, and forcing the evacuation of 50 patients, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Russia’s Ministry of Defence said that its forces have taken control of the village of Balahan in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. A convoy of United Nations vehicles carrying aid supplies came under fire from Russian forces near the town of Bilozerka in the Kherson region, the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said, describing the attack as “utterly unacceptable”. There were no injuries in the attack on four UN trucks, two of which were set on fire by remote-controlled drones. Local authorities have ordered the evacuation of families from dozens of villages near the all-but-destroyed northeastern Ukrainian city of Kupiansk, citing the “worsening security situation”. Oleh Syniehubov, governor of Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region, said that a total of 409 families with 601 children were told to leave…

‘Not going to waste our time’: Trump hinges US aid to Argentina on election | Donald Trump News

Post published:October 14, 2025

United States President Donald Trump has pledged to boost Argentina’s economy with a $20bn currency swap, but only if the South American country’s right-wing president prevails in the upcoming elections.The president, the self-described anarcho-capitalist Javier Milei, was in Washington, DC, on Tuesday for his latest visit to the White House.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list“We think he’s going to win. He should win. And if he does win, we’re going to be very helpful,” Trump said. “And if he doesn’t win, we’re not going to waste our time, because you have somebody whose philosophy has no chance of making Argentina great again.”Since taking office in December 2023, Milei has made at least a dozen trips to the US, including to attend Trump’s second inauguration. The two leaders share a strong public bond.But Milei’s latest meeting with Trump comes as his political coalition, La Libertad Avanza (Freedom Advances), faces a series of scandals heading into Argentina’s midterm elections on October 26.Trump appeared eager to help Milei overcome his drooping poll numbers on Tuesday, as he hosted the Argentinian leader in the White House’s cabinet room.He explained to reporters that the economic safety net that the US was giving to Argentina…

Two houses in Plymouth evacuated after high readings of fuel

Post published:October 14, 2025

Two homes have been evacuated after higher than expected fuel readings were taken on a street in Plymouth, with the alarm being initially raised by an occupant.Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said crews were called to the Dayton Close in Crownhill at about 13:25 BST on Tuesday after the occupant called them to report the smell of fuel.A spokesperson for the service said at about 20:30 crews and South West Water (SWW) remained at the scene as the readings were "still high".They said: "The occupant of the house could smell fuel so we took some readings inside of the house with the gas monitor and the readings were within normal range."The spokesperson said: "We took some readings outside of some external drains and they were higher than you would expect them to be so we called in SWW and we are checking what the issue is together."We are still at the scene trying to work out the best way to deal with it. We still have an appliance there."The occupants of the house and its neighbouring property have been evacuated."SWW have told the BBC they were looking into the incident. Devon and Cornwall Police has also been contacted. Source…

Two houses in Plymouth evacuated after high readings of fuel

Post published:October 14, 2025

Two homes were evacuated after higher than expected fuel readings were taken on a street in Plymouth, with the alarm being initially raised by an occupant.Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said crews were called to the Dayton Close in Crownhill at about 13:25 BST on Tuesday after the occupant called them to report the smell of fuel.A spokesperson for the service said at about 20:30 crews and South West Water (SWW) remained at the scene as the readings were "still high".At about 21:20, the fire service said the readings were back to "safe levels" and handed the incident to SWW who remain at the scene who confirmed at about 22:00 no leak was found in the sewer.The spokesperson said: "We took some readings outside of some external drains and they were higher than you would expect them to be so we called in SWW and we are checking what the issue is together."We are still at the scene trying to work out the best way to deal with it. We still have an appliance there."The occupants of the house and its neighbouring property have been evacuated."At 21:45, the fire service believes the occupants would not be returning to the…

Exeter City: Grecians appoint Richard Pym as new chairman

Post published:October 14, 2025

Exeter City have appointed Richard Pym as their new chairman.He takes over from interim club board chair Clive Harrison, who has been in the role since June when Nick Hawker stepped down.Pym previously served as chair of Exeter City Supporters' Trust - which owns the club - from June 2020 to December 2021.Harrison will remain at the League One club in the role of general manager until the end of the 2025-26 season, assisting the board.Another change at board level saw the trust vote to approve the appointment of Laurence Overend as a director, taking up the role of club board vice chair.Overend is a solicitor and was previously chair of Exeter City Supporters' Trust from 2012 to 2016, whilst also serving as a director.Upon his appointment, Pym said:, external "I am pleased to have been invited to rejoin the board as the new independent club chair and am determined to resolve the current issues at Exeter City Football Club."First of all, I want to thank outgoing interim chair Clive Harrison for the way he has professionally handled the club, and for what is going to be his ongoing assistance as general manager for the remainder of this season."On behalf of…