county news

‘Multiple police failings’ in murder investigation, watchdog rules

‘Multiple police failings’ in murder investigation, watchdog rules

Leigh BoobyerWest of EnglandBBCKelly Faiers, 61, from Weston-super-Mare was found "critically ill" before dying in MineheadA police force provided an "unacceptable" level of service to the family of a woman thought to have been killed by her sex offender partner, a watchdog has ruled.Kelly Faiers, 61, died at Richard Scatchard's home in Minehead, Somerset, on October 15 2023. Officers attended the scene and spoke to Scatchard, who had previously been convicted of sexual offences in which he administered…

Continue Reading‘Multiple police failings’ in murder investigation, watchdog rules

Taxi plans for Cornwall ‘will leave rural people abandoned’

Taxi plans for Cornwall ‘will leave rural people abandoned’

Lee TrewhelaLocal Democracy Reporting Service andDan WareingSouth WestBBCThere are currently six taxi zones across CornwallProposals to change the way taxis operate in Cornwall will leave passengers in rural areas "abandoned", according to one group representing drivers.The Newquay Taxi Forum said council plans to replace six taxi zones with one countywide area risked making rural journeys too expensive, as more drivers would take "more profitable" work in Truro and tourist towns.Under the current rules, taxis licensed in one zone…

Continue ReadingTaxi plans for Cornwall ‘will leave rural people abandoned’

Tributes to couple found dead campervan in Burley, New Forest

Tributes to couple found dead campervan in Burley, New Forest

A couple found dead inside a campervan while attending a festival in the New Forest were "vibrant, kind, and devoted", their family has said.Christopher Coll, 45, and Kayleigh Coll, 38, both from Blandford Forum in Dorset were pronounced dead at the scene on Pound Lane, Burley earlier this month.Hampshire Constabulary said the deaths were being treated as unexplained, but not suspicious.A family tribute said: "Their loss has left an immeasurable void in the lives of all who loved…

Continue ReadingTributes to couple found dead campervan in Burley, New Forest

A39 closed in West Somerset due to lorry fuel spillage

A39 closed in West Somerset due to lorry fuel spillage

A major A-road has been closed due to a lorry fuel spillage, after a collision involving a van and a HGV.It happened on the A39 in west Somerset, between Washford and Bilbrook at around 07:15 BST, with police saying the road closure is causing long delays for surrounding routes.A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: "The collision has resulted in a substantial amount of fuel to leak from the lorry. One occupant of the van suffered minor…

Continue ReadingA39 closed in West Somerset due to lorry fuel spillage

Hidden Cornwall – The American state that’s a tiny piece of Cornwall

Hidden Cornwall – The American state that’s a tiny piece of Cornwall

Available for over a yearDid you know about Cornwall's connection with Wisconsin? Redruth is twinned with Mineral Point, the state’s third oldest city, where Cornish miners settled in the 1800s to forge a new life in the lead and zinc mines. The Wisconsin Department of Tourism says they are very proud of their Cornish Heritage. Photo credit: Travel Wisconsin.Programme WebsiteShow less Source link

Continue ReadingHidden Cornwall – The American state that’s a tiny piece of Cornwall

Man who ran Plymouth teeth whitening salon jailed for rape

Man who ran Plymouth teeth whitening salon jailed for rape

Cameron Weldon andJohn HendersonSouth WestDevon and Cornwall PoliceRicky Stubberfield, who ran a teeth whitening business in Plymouth, was arrested in June 2024 A man who ran a teeth-whitening business has been jailed for 26 years for rape after luring women under the promise of free treatments.Ricky Stubberfield, 31, of Walnut Gardens, Plympton, was found guilty of 23 sexual offences including eight counts of rape against seven women between 2013 and 2024.Plymouth Crown Court heard how Stubberfield messaged young…

Continue ReadingMan who ran Plymouth teeth whitening salon jailed for rape

Concerns over Cornwall being ‘sold off’ after solar farm approved

Concerns over Cornwall being ‘sold off’ after solar farm approved

Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA WireThe development will operate as a solar farm for 30 yearsA Cornwall farmer claims the county is being "sold off" in a bid to hit net zero after plans for a 125,000-panel solar farm were approved. The scheme, near the A30 at Carland Cross, was turned down last year by Cornwall Council, but has since been approved by national inspectors after an appeal by the developers.Campaigner Marie Wills said she tried for years to overturn the…

Continue ReadingConcerns over Cornwall being ‘sold off’ after solar farm approved

Work to restore fire damaged cottages in Devon set to start

Work to restore fire damaged cottages in Devon set to start

Work to restore a row of thatched cottages damaged in a fire in Devon is expected to start next spring. The four Grade II listed cottages in Drewsteignton caught fire in March, with 25 crews required to tackle the blaze. The properties, which are owned by the National Trust, are covered in scaffolding and tarpaulin and are being left over the winter to dry out before the restoration begins in 2026. The trust said it hoped to commence…

Continue ReadingWork to restore fire damaged cottages in Devon set to start

North Devon hospital gets £22.7m for staff accommodation revamp

A hospital has received funding to build new accommodation for staff and students.The North Devon District Hospital in Barnstaple has received £22.7m from the New Hospital Programme for the redevelopment of its current facilities.The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said work would start on Monday, 27 October, with the two existing buildings demolished and replaced with 120 bedrooms that would "meet the needs of colleagues and students".Chris Tidman, Royal Devon deputy chief executive officer, said the…

Continue ReadingNorth Devon hospital gets £22.7m for staff accommodation revamp

Man arrested after children approached in Bournemouth park

Man arrested after children approached in Bournemouth park

A man has been arrested on suspicion of breaching a sexual harm prevention order after a report of children being approached in a park.Dorset Police said two children were reportedly offered chocolate by a man who asked them to follow him to a wooded area off Jewell Road, Bournemouth, at about 14:00 BST on Sunday 5 October.Officers said, following enquiries, a 31-year-old man from Bournemouth was arrested and has been released on bail.The force's Major Crime Investigation Team…

Continue ReadingMan arrested after children approached in Bournemouth park

Treasure trove of Devon history set to be unearthed in new book

One of Devon’s last great untapped sources of history will reveal some of its best-kept secrets with the publication of a new book this week. Devon’s Home Front Diaries, 1937 to 1945, reveals for the first time the intimate reflections and views of scores of people living in the county who took part in the anthropological project, Mass Observation. Launched in 1937, Mass Observation surveyed and documented the opinions and experiences of UK residents on a broad range…

Continue ReadingTreasure trove of Devon history set to be unearthed in new book