county news

High tide flood warnings issued along Cornwall’s south coast

High tide flood warnings issued along Cornwall’s south coast

Flood warnings have been issued in Cornwall as a result of expected high tides over the course of two days.The Environment Agency (EA) said the warnings covered parts of the south Cornwall coast, including Gribbin Head to Rame Head, Lizard Point and the Tidal Fal Estuary, with residents urged to "act now".It said flooding was expected for two hours either side of high tide on Wednesday and Thursday for the warnings covering Gribbin Head to Rame Head and…

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Hinkley Point B to begin 95-year decommissioning process

Hinkley Point B to begin 95-year decommissioning process

A former nuclear power station will begin its 95-year decommissioning process after regulators granted formal consent.EDF's Hinkley Point B, which lies on the Somerset coast near Stogursey, has been given the green light to be demolished by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR).In August 2022, Hinkley Point B reached the end of its operating life after nearly 46 years of generating electricity.Dan Hasted, ONR director of regulation, said: "We will continue to proportionately regulate the Hinkley Point B…

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Fran Wilson: Somerset and ex-England batter announces retirement

Fran Wilson: Somerset and ex-England batter announces retirement

Somerset batter and England World Cup winner Fran Wilson has announced her retirement from cricket.The 33-year-old returned to Somerset in 2025 for a second spell, as the women's side turned professional, and scored 574 runs in 28 matches.She previously played for the club between 2006 and 2014 and scored more than 2,500 runs in List A and T20 games.Wilson played 64 times for England across three formats and was part of the team that won the 2017 ICC…

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Bonfire night challenging for pets, Devon vet says

Bonfire night challenging for pets, Devon vet says

BBCRalph, a Romanian rescue dog, is "extremely scared" of fireworksPet owners are being encouraged to keep their animals indoors on Guy Fawkes Night.Many events are planned across Devon on 5 November, including plenty of colour and sounds thanks to firework displays.While many enjoy fireworks, Peter Spruell, head vet at White Lodge Veterinary Surgery in Exmouth, urged people to spare a thought for cats, dogs and other pets that could become anxious because of the loud noises.Mr Spruell said…

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BBC presenters head into Children in Need challenge final stretch

BBC presenters head into Children in Need challenge final stretch

BBCBBC Radio Devon presenter Caroline Densley will be walking around Plymouth and Devonport on day two of the challengeBBC Radio Devon presenters have set off on the second and final day of a 1,000-mile (1,609km) three-legged charity challenge for Children in Need.Caroline Densley and Michael Chequer plan to walk 12.5 miles (20.1km) while tied to a different person, which have included volunteers and staff from Children in Need-funded projects, over the course of the two-day fundraising challenge.On Wednesday,…

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Plymouth anti-child exploitation operation has ‘haunting’ results

Plymouth anti-child exploitation operation has ‘haunting’ results

Police have described the results of an operation to target child exploitation in Plymouth as "haunting".On 30 October, officers from Devon and Cornwall Police's city centre neighbourhood team conducted a day of action around the exploitation of children.Police cadets worked with officers to conduct test purchases at hotels, in which an attempt was made to book a double bedroom for one night, to be paid for with cash, no ID was provided, and neither officer or cadet carried…

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Radio presenters marching on in three-legged walk

Radio presenters marching on in three-legged walk

Radio presenters from across the country taking on day two of a 1,000-mile three-legged challenge for Children in Need (CIN). In the South West, the day started bright and early, where BBC Radio Cornwall presenter James Churchfield - and Pudsey - paid a visit to Grampound School.Churchfield, alongside James Dundon, are each hoping to complete 12.5 miles (20.12km) over two days.Throughout the morning, teams will also cover routes in Lanhydrock, and a wander through the Eden Project.Churchfield and…

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New effort to tackle Camborne’s anti-social behaviour

New effort to tackle Camborne’s anti-social behaviour

Caroline RobinsonSouth WestStreet Focus CamborneStreet Focus Camborne's first meeting brought together charities and businessesThe next phase of a project to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour (ASB) has launched. Street Focus Camborne's first meeting brought together charities and businesses to discuss areas of progress and what support they needed next.The project, which is run by the police and crime commissioner in collaboration with Devon and Cornwall Police and other local authorities, started its first branch in Torquay last year.The…

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Graduate innovation to detect water contamination up for national award  

An innovation designed by a University of Exeter graduate to detect contaminated water and save lives has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award.   The FluoroGlow device is designed to detect Cryptosporidium in water – a parasite that can cause severe illness and even death, especially in children and vulnerable people.   Previously, it has been difficult to detect without slow laboratory-based tests. But FluoroGlow aims to change that by providing rapid and reliable results directly at the…

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Tips to support hedgehogs from rescue charity Secret World

Tips to support hedgehogs from rescue charity Secret World

BBCThe rescue centre is currently housing around 50 hedgehogsA wildlife rescue centre has said we need to support hedgehogs in our gardens this winter as they say the mammals are close to becoming "endangered".Staff at Secret World Wildlife Rescue Centre near Highbridge in Somerset are currently housing around 50 hedgehogs and have calls everyday about animals.George Bethell from Secret World Wildlife Rescue Centre said: "Numbers have declined quite a lot in the last 30 years so they are…

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Flu vaccine study in Cornwall looks for trial volunteers

Flu vaccine study in Cornwall looks for trial volunteers

A research delivery centre is looking to recruit patients to investigate the effect of a new drug to prevent flu. The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Commercial Research Delivery Centre (CIOS CRDC) said it was selected as a delivery site for a clinical trial of a new type of vaccine designed to prevent or reduce the severity of infections caused by influenza.It said because the seasonal flu vaccine relied on the strength of an individual's immune system, its…

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