county news

Newquay flight route to London to be restored later this month

Newquay flight route to London to be restored later this month

Seb NobleCornwall political reporterIsles of Scilly Steamship GroupSkybus currently flies between the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall and Exeter and has acquired a larger plane for the London routeAn deal to restore a vital flight route between Cornwall and London has been agreed.Cornwall Council said airline Skybus would take on providing the Newquay to London Gatwick route from 23 November on a "short-term contract".The route was suspended last month after the previous operators, Eastern Airways, announced it was…

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Sandbanks Ferry toll road plan shelved after inquiry

Sandbanks Ferry toll road plan shelved after inquiry

Michael Garlick / GeographBulk-buying discounts for ferry users will be retainedPlans to introduce a toll on the approach road to a ferry have been shelved following a public inquiry.Operators of Sandbanks Ferry in Dorset had sought permission to charge drivers to use Ferry Road in Studland to reduce congestion.Following an inquiry in January, the Secretary of State followed an inspector's recommendation and said the toll "should not go ahead at this stage".The ferry firm, which owns the section…

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Tom Cleverley: Plymouth Argyle boss hopes results can reconnect squad and fans

Tom Cleverley: Plymouth Argyle boss hopes results can reconnect squad and fans

Inconsistency has been a big issue at Argyle this season.The Pilgrims had a terrible start, losing their first four league games, and have suffered long-term injuries to key players such as Xavier Amaechi, Caleb Watts and Julio Pleguezuelo.But they won five of their six matches in September before their current tough run where a 1-1 home draw with Wigan has been the only fixture not to end in defeat and saw Argyle lose meekly at Devon rivals Exeter…

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Truro flats evacuated due to high carbon monoxide levels

Truro flats evacuated due to high carbon monoxide levels

A four-storey block of flats in Cornwall had to be evacuated when high levels of carbon monoxide were found in the building.Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service received a 999 call at 14:12 BST on Thursday from an engineer at a block of flats on Tresawya Drive in Truro.The engineer was instructed to set off the building's fire alarm to start the evacuation of the flats. A total of four fire crews attended the scene, with two coordinating the…

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New music festival to go ahead in Somerset despite concerns

New music festival to go ahead in Somerset despite concerns

A new community-led arts and music festival has been granted a licence by the council.Show of Hands is scheduled to take place in Bruton, Somerset, on the May Bank Holiday weekend, with a capacity of 2,500 people.The licence was granted despite concerns about noise levels and alcohol consumption that were raised during a Somerset Council licensing committee meeting on Wednesday.However, Matthew Phipps, representing the festival, said at the meeting: "We can develop this event confident in the knowledge…

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‘Taking photos got me out the house after my stroke’

‘Taking photos got me out the house after my stroke’

Clara Bullock,West of England and Chris Lockyer,in WatchetBBCLiz Elmont said taking pictures for BBC Weather Watchers helped her get over her strokeA woman who struggled to leave the house after she had a stroke has said taking weather photos got her out of a "really dark place". Liz Elmont, from Watchet in Somerset, suffered a stroke in 2021 and said she was left housebound, and thought she would never be able to take photos again."One day, I thought…

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Solar power could be used at more mid Devon public buildings

Solar power could be used at more mid Devon public buildings

Bradley GerrardLocal Democracy Reporting ServiceLewis ClarkeMid Devon District Council said three of its leisure centres had some form of renewable energy provision A council has said it is investigating expanding its use of solar panel after the installation of panels on its leisure centres helped to combat emissions. Mid Devon District Council's cabinet heard three of its leisure centres had some form of renewable energy, including solar panels and heat pumps, which had reduced running costs and lowered…

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Bookmarks in returned South Molton Library books go on display

Bookmarks in returned South Molton Library books go on display

A library has collected dozens of bookmarks left inside returned books to create a Museum of Lost Bookmarks.Staff at South Molton Library, in Devon, have created the wall display.Emma Ward, library assistant, said: "We think we will need a bit more room for it to grow as there are always more bookmarks coming into the library."We'll do what we can to reunite them with people but if not, we will honour them by putting them on display," she…

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Restoration of Saltash pebble war memorial almost complete

Restoration of Saltash pebble war memorial almost complete

Christine ButlerBBC News CornwallBBCJane Michie holds a repainted pebble her late husband originally painted seven years ago The restoration of a memorial created from painted pebbles in tribute to soldiers who died in World War One is nearing completion.The 141 pebbles which make up the Saltash Pebble Memorial represent all 140 soldiers from the Cornwall town who died during World War One, with the extra pebble for those soldiers whose names were never recorded.Saltash Great War Committee said…

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Grieving families’ despair at care home inspection gaps

Grieving families’ despair at care home inspection gaps

Eleanor Layhe, Jemma Woodman,South West and Ella RuleTrudy PolkinghornLugh Baker died in 2021 and his mother, Trudy Polkinghorn, said she "was so angry" with the regulator, the CQCCare homes that are graded as inadequate or requiring improvement are often not being reinspected for a year or more, a BBC investigation has found.More than 2,100 care homes in England as of October this year were rated as "requires improvement" by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) - but the BBC…

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Global Pasty Championships launched with 250-year-old recipe

Global Pasty Championships launched with 250-year-old recipe

An international pasty competition has been launched with the help of a 250-year-old recipe.The Global Pasty Championships, which is due to take place in February next year, was announced at the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall.Chief executive David Harland said the first recorded written recipe of a pasty was by John Tremayne, from the Heligan estate, in 1746.The recipe, which has ingredients including mutton, lard and port, was sampled by people at the launch.Mr Harland, one of…

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Man rowed with carer before fatal Tenerife balcony fall

Man rowed with carer before fatal Tenerife balcony fall

Matthew Hill Health CorrespondentBBCJamie told a care manager to tell his mother he loved her before fatal fallThe mother of a 25-year-old man with autism has accused his carer of unprofessional conduct before he fell to his death from a hotel balcony in Tenerife, an inquest heard.Jamie Cole from Bristol was accompanied on holiday by a carer who he left after reportedly becoming upset about the cost of a restaurant bill on 14 January 2025. He was found…

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