Grounded cargo ship refloated

Plans to build five new homes in Sennen have been refused planning permission over concerns about flooding and the loss of trees.

Cornwall Council's planning officers had recommended the plans, for a site in Trembase, for approval but the west sub-area planning committee voted unanimously to refuse planning permission.

Sennen Parish Council said there were several reasons for its "strong objection" to the plans including the large mature trees on the site and the area being prone to flooding.

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The parish council was also concerned about residents having to access homes from the A30, saying it was a busy route used by visitors, and the possibility they could be used as holiday or second homes.

Cornwall Council's tree officer had objected to the plans "due to the unacceptable impacts upon public visual amenity and the local landscape that will result from the removal of all trees from the site".

He said there had been trees on the site since at least 1946 and should be considered "part of the historical landscape".

A large Russian cargo ship, which ran aground off a beach in Cornwall, has been refloated during high tide.

The Kuzma Minin dragged its anchor in high winds at about 05:40 - and came to a rest next to Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth.

In a rescue operation led by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, three harbour tugs and a lifeboat towed the 16,000 tonne vessel with 18 crew on board off the beach just after 14:00.

Soon after, the ship was sailing into Falmouth Bay under its own power.

Despite pleas from Devon and Cornwall Police to stay away from the scene, many locals turned out to watch the refloating and praised the emergency services.

David Sciberras said a friend had text him from his holiday in Fiji to let him know about the drama unfolding on his doorstep.

"We came down here to see the boat well and truly stuck. I think the lifeboat crews did a fantastic job out there," he added.

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Rain will clear away eastwards through Tuesday evening and winds will tend to ease.

It will be blustery overnight with some clear periods but also showers, some of these heavy and possibly thundery.

Minimum temperature: 3 to 6C (37 to 43F)

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Brisk winds through Wednesday, with some bright or sunny intervals but also showers. Some of the showers are expected to be heavy with the risk of thunder and lightning.

Maximum temperature: 8 to 11C (46 to 52F).

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A new Cornish gig rowing club has opened in London to celebrate the sport.

The London Cornish Pilot gig club at Richmond upon Thames is a first for the English capital.

Cornish gig rowing is a growing sport and has lead to a resurgence in traditional boat building skills.

It is hoped the club will help Cornish ex-pats living in London to feel more at home.

Lizzie Smith says it is great to be part of the London Cornish Pilot Gig Club...

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A patient at Truro's Duchy hospital says he developed a serious prostate infection following a minor procedure to check for bladder cancer.

Pete Atkinson became so ill he had to be admitted to hospital and says a consultant told him the equipment had not been sterilised properly.

Duchy Hospital says it is investigating Mr Atkinson's complaint, that delivering the highest level of clinical care is of utmost importance and that it is proud of its low infection rates.

Mr Atkinson says other organs were infected after the procedure...

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Maritime safety is always coastguards' priority, they have said after being criticised for cuts to the number of emergency towing vessels in the UK.

David Appleton, a shipping expert with Nautilus International, a trade union for maritime professionals, said better coverage was needed after the Kuzma Minin grounded off Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth on Tuesday.

There used to be four emergency HM Coastguard towing vessels in the UK, but, because of cutbacks, there is only one left in Scotland.

Mr Appleton said that was not good enough when there was an incident anywhere else in the UK.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the government's position was that the cost of dealing with such incidents "should be borne by the shipping industry rather than the taxpayer".

It added that, even if an emergency towing vessel had been operating in the South West, there was "no guarantee that it could have arrived on scene in sufficient time to prevent the grounding of the Kuzma Minin".

Cornwall Council's cabinet has rubber-stamped a plan that would see fortnightly collections for black bag waste and weekly collections for recycling.

The decision still has to by approved by the full council but, if successful, will come into effect until April 2020.

It could also see the introduction of food waste bins from mid 2020.

Councillor Sue James, portfolio holder for environment and public protection, said the decision was supported by "residents telling us they want to recycle more".

A new hotel for Kingsbridge, a health and wellbeing hub in Dartmouth, and chalet style beach huts at Beesands are among the projects South Hams District Council are moving forward with.

Eight schemes, which involve investment of more than £20m, were granted approval to proceed by the council's executive committee.

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A ninth scheme, for a budget supermarket on a town centre car park in Ivybridge, was deferred for further discussion over the impact of car parking in the town.

The next step for the council will be to finalise terms with prospective tenants and enter into agreement to lease, with all the projects except for the commercial land in Sherford expected to be completed within three years.

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The £20m investment in commercial development opportunities approval came on the same day that the council announced a programme of improvements to Market Square in Totnes.

The approved projects are:

• A new hotel in Kingsbridge on the former Rope Walk Resource Centre Site.
• A small two-storey office on a brown field site at Steamer Quay in Totnes.
• The purchase of 10 acres of land at the north-east part of Sherford.
• The construction of seven chalet-style beach huts on council-owned land at Beesands.
• A single car park deck on the site of the Shadycombe car park in Salcombe.
• The construction of a new workshop for the Harbour Authority located by the slipway in Batson, Salcombe.
• The development of employment units at Batson.
• The construction of a new health and wellbeing centre in Dartmouth.

There are flood alerts from the Environment Agency for the south Devon coast.

The agency advised people to stay away from risk areas and take care next to the coast.

There are also flood alerts for the Upper River Tamar and River Axe area.

The alerts mean flooding is possible and people should "be prepared".

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The refloating of a 16,000-tonne Russian cargo ship which ran aground off a beach in Cornwall was assisted by five locally based tugs, coastguards say.

The Kuzma Minin, with 18 crew on board, grounded off Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth at about 05:40, but was free again just after 14:00.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said the vessel was sailing into Falmouth Bay under its own power "but with tugs in company" for further surveyor assessment.

It added that a decision as to where the vessel may be taken after this "is under consideration".

No pollution had been reported, the MCA said.

The cost of crossing the Tamar Bridge and using the Torpint ferry is set to rise by 33%.

Cornwall Council's cabinet has approved a bid to the Department for Transport to increase the tolls.

It currently costs £1.50 for cars to cross the bridge or use the ferry. It will go up to £2 from next July.

Cornwall Councillor Geoff Brown said prices had not risen since since 2010 and the tolls did not go into the councils' general coffers...

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Residents in a south Devon village have been recognised with a national community award for maintaining a local shop, even though their existing one was destined to close.

The Slapton Village Community Shop, which opened back in February, is staffed by around 40 volunteers and was funded and built by local people.

The Plunkett Foundation, which supports local communities, has given them the Community Story of The Year Award.

Gill Hall-Smith co-ordinates the volunteers and says the store is a focal point for locals...

Three fire crews and an aerial ladder have been sent to a shop in Plymouth city centre.

Devon and Somerset Fire was called because smoke was seen coming out of a second floor window of the shop in Armada Way at about 13:15.

The service said all persons were accounted for and the fire was extinguished.