county news

Devon gorse fires on same moor started deliberately

Two gorse fires in the same area of moorland were thought to have been started deliberately, a fire service has said.Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the fires broke out on Monday at about 15:20 GMT in the West Anstey Common area, in Devon.South Molton Fire Station said on social media there were two separate blazes which involved gorse on the moor affecting a total area of about 600m (1,968ft).The service said the fires were extinguished…

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Pothole repair funds could rise in Cornwall, says councillor

Pothole repair funds could rise in Cornwall, says councillor

The amount of money spent on repairing potholes in Cornwall is expected to rise, a councillor has said.Dan Rogerson, Cornwall Council's transport portfolio holder, said an early reading of the local budget shows the money the authority will get to maintain roads "will go up slightly over the course of three years".Cornwall received about £32m this financial year from the government, with an additional £12m dependent demonstrating a record of success. As of mid November, the council had…

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Bath man ordered to pay back £4.1m made from stolen cash

Bath man ordered to pay back £4.1m made from stolen cash

A man has been ordered to pay more than £4m after portraying himself as an experienced trader and using cash stolen from friends and family.Jeff Arundell from Sion Hill in Lansdown, Somerset, was jailed for six and a half years in 2023 for offences he carried out in 2016 and 2017, including fraud and money laundering.A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing On 19 December 2025 found the total amount Arundell, 75, had illegally benefitted from was £4.8m and…

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Truro three-storey care home that ‘would invade privacy’ approved

Truro three-storey care home that ‘would invade privacy’ approved

People living by the site of a proposed care facility have said the three-storey building would be an invasion of privacy and lead to traffic and noise issues.The charity Sanctuary Housing applied to Cornwall Council to build the 54-bed Mountford House care home on the site of a smaller home in Cyril Road, Truro.The council's planning department recommended approval, but local a Liberal Democrat councillor raised the project in a strategic planning committee this month, citing residents' concerns.Approving…

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Floodwater and high tides close the Liskeard to Looe branch line

Floodwater and high tides close the Liskeard to Looe branch line

The Liskeard to Looe branch line will be closed during New Year until the track can be safety checked by a team of specialised divers. The branch line has been closed since Saturday 20th December because of floodwater although a replacement minibus service has been in operation. The dive team arrived on site on Monday 22nd December but Network Rail said the water was still too deep and running too fast for the divers to be able to…

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Somerset owner ban after horses found with “bones protruding”

Somerset owner ban after horses found with “bones protruding”

A man has been banned from keeping horses for seven years after the RSPCA found animals in his care to be "severely underweight" and "in need of urgent care".Kevin Roper, of Turnpike Road in Axbridge, Somerset, admitted an animal welfare offence and was ordered to pay £400 costs and a £240 victim surcharge during sentencing at North Somerset Magistrates' Court on 15 December.An RSPCA investigation found he had failed to give his three cob-type horses "the care they…

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Devon residents asked to donate used Christmas trees for otters

Devon residents asked to donate used Christmas trees for otters

An animal charity has asked people to donate their real Christmas trees to create natural playgrounds for rescued otter cubs.The UK Wild Otter Trust, based in north Devon, said the trees provided enrichment for the animals and gave them the chance to play, explore and hide.The trust said otters were "famously elusive creatures, and in their natural environment, they rely on vegetation for shelter and safety" and "Christmas trees can recreate these conditions perfectly".The trust said it could…

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Firefighters tackle two gorse fires on Devon moorland

Firefighters tackle two gorse fires on Devon moorland

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue ServiceFire crews tackled the fires on Monday afternoonFirefighters have tackled two gorse fires in the same area of moorland.Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said the fires broke out on Monday at about 15:20 GMT in the West Anstey Common area, in Devon.South Molton Fire Station said on social media there were two separate fires which involved gorse on the moor and totalled about 600m (1,968ft).The service said the fires were…

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World-leading critical minerals expert awarded OBE

One of the world’s foremost experts on critical minerals and mining, Professor Frances Wall, has been awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List, it has been announced. The Professor of Applied Mineralogy at the Camborne School of Mines, based at the University’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall, received the award for “services to Geoscience and Sustainable Resource Development”. Speaking on receiving the honour, Professor Wall said: ‘I am delighted to have been named for this award. It…

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Christmas funding crises mean West councils face tough choices

Christmas funding crises mean West councils face tough choices

Pete SimsonPolitics West ProducerPA MediaCouncils across the West have already suffered serious shortfalls in their budgetMost of us think of Christmas as being about mince pies, mulled wine and Santa.But there is one tradition that befalls our local councils does not involve anything remotely festive. They have to work out how their financial settlements from the government will effect their overall budgets next year.In the West of England, like elsewhere in the country, several local authorities have either…

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Wareham military children charity founder gets MBE

Wareham military children charity founder gets MBE

A woman who set up a charity to help support military children has been appointed an MBE.Louise Fetigan, from Wareham, has been recognised in the king's New Year Honours list for services to young people in Dorset.The 43-year-old founded the charity Little Troopers in 2011, which supports children with parents in the armed forces by providing resources to help ease the challenges of military life.Ms Fetigan said she "adored" the charity, adding it had taken "so much sacrifice,…

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Medical professionals recognised in Kings New Years Honours list

Medical professionals recognised in Kings New Years Honours list

Caroline RobinsonSouth WestNHS England South WestDr Michael Marsh was recognised for his contribution over many years to healthcare and public serviceA former medical director is among medical professionals who have been recognised in the King's 2026 New Year Honours list.Medical professionals across NHS England South West were recognised for services to healthcare, including two from Cornwall. Dr Michael Marsh, NHS England's former South West Medical Director, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for…

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