Walkers and surfers were treated to a surprise visit by a pod of dolphins seen leaping into the air off the coast of Newquay.The spectacular acrobatic display was filmed by Ian Boreham around the bay off Towan Beach, Newquay, on Sunday (July 30).Common dolphins are one of four species regular seen around the Cornish coast.Read more: Popular Tolcarne beach at Newquay reopens alongside new restaurant and bar after threat it would be closed all summerMr Boreham said: "About 15 common dolphins...

A tornado-like funnel cloud has been spotted hovering near a Cornish harbour town. Captured in a photo on Tuesday (August 1), the dramatic cone-shaped cloud seems to have been spotted in a remote location just outside of Fowey. According to the Met Office funnel clouds - or 'tuba' - are extending, spinning fingers of cloud that reach towards the ground or surface of the sea but don't touch it. Upon reaching the ground, the cloud would become a tornado, which can produce very strong winds...

A woman was allegedly raped after trying to alert the police on the internet that a man was breaking into her home. The complainant lived in a village in North Devon where there was no mobile coverage and the handset of her landline phone was broken. She tried to send a message to the police and used Facebook to contact a friend to ask her to call them, Exeter Crown Court was told. Camelford-based tree surgeon Darren Whelband, 52, is on trial accused of raping the woman at the house near...

A man who picked up his pregnant partner in a drunken rage has been jailed after being told by a judge he had reached "the end of the road" in terms of offending.Thomas Johnson, 24, of Kilkhampton, Bude , appeared at Truro Crown Court to be sentenced after previously pleading guilty to charges of criminal damage, two counts of assault by beating and using threatening words of behaviour.Two of the offences also placed him in breach of a suspended sentence handed to him previously at...

Release date:  Thu, 03/08/2017 (All day) Main image:  Summary:  A steady increase in incidents of disturbance to marine wildlife has been reported to Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s hotline over the past few weeks, with the start of the summer holiday season.

Ruth Williams, Marine Conservation Manager for the Trust says,

“The disturbances have mainly involved seals and sea birds by tripper boats and kayakers, who because they are paddling quietly along, don’t realise they are disturbing the wildlife”.

As large numbers of holiday makers flock to the Cornish coast, the Cornwall Marine and Coastal Code Group is now reminding everyone about how to enjoy watching marine wildlife such as dolphins and basking sharks responsibly.

Dan Jarvis from British Divers Marine Life Rescue, one of the Group’s member organisations says,

“Cornwall has an amazing range of marine species that are a big part of why lots of people love to visit this region, but sometimes people’s encounters with our wildlife do not go well for the animals involved”.

“We are incredibly fortunate that we have these animals here in the first place and it is a privilege that we’re able to see them, so we want to help people get the best out of these encounters by following some simple guidelines that will avoid causing distress and harm”.

The species most often affected, as has been shown over the past few weeks, are seabirds and seals as they come on to land to rest, but dolphins and basking sharks close to shore will quickly attract a lot of attention, making them vulnerable to overcrowding or being chased and this can lead to accidents.

One such incident off Padstow in 2013 resulted in the death of a bottlenose dolphin calf from the local inshore pod that has only around 18 individuals, threatening the long-term survival of the group. The people responsible were successfully prosecuted.

The Group’s recommendations include:
• Keep your distance from resting animals such as seals and seabirds on land
• Remain calm and quiet so resting animals are not disturbed and scared off
• Move slowly and avoid sudden changes in direction and speed if animals are nearby
• Stay side on to the animals while watching them rather than approaching directly
• If there are other boats or kayaks or other water users nearby then ensure the animals have plenty of space and an obvious escape route should they choose to leave, and do not pursue them when they do
The full guidelines can be found on www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/living-seas/cornwall-marine-and-coastal....

Dan Jarvis continues,

“By encouraging people to use these guidelines, we hope that they, in turn, will share them with others, so that many more people are aware of how their actions, and those of others, can affect the behaviour of animals that need to use these habitats too. At the end of the day we are all out on the coast to enjoy the amazing environment we have here and we need to make sure the animals that live there are still able to enjoy it too, otherwise they could abandon the area and we all lose out”.

Incidents of disturbance can be reported to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s disturbance hotline on 0345 201 2626. Meanwhile, the full laws protecting marine species can be found at HERE 
 

A photographer from St Austell has claimed that remnants of unfinished developments at Carlyon Bay are spoiling the natural beauty of what could be Cornwall's most accessible beach.James Pearce moved to the area last year and said he was keen to explore the local coastlines with his camera in hand.Despite planning permission having been granted in 2015 for 511 homes, restaurants, bars, cafes, shops, a spa and leisure facilities, Mr Pearce said that as each month passed the beach got...

A 92-year-old man has been punched in the face while he was waiting at a bus stop in Cornwall.The elderly man was assaulted on Tuesday (August 1) while at the bus stop on Bude's main road called The Strand. The attack took place between 4.15pm and 4.45pm.Police confirmed that they are investigating the assault and said that the victim "suffered bruising to his face and was left shaken by the incident."On Facebook, the page Bigupbude clarified that the 92-year-old was punched in the...

Plans for a a care home on the site of a former pub have been submitted.Developer One Red Ltd shelved its plans for student accommodation at the Four Winds in Falmouth and has drawn up a scheme for a dementia care home.ArchitecturePLB was originally asked to develop proposals for an elderly care home scheme of about 100 bed spaces, however this has been reduced to 80 for this application.In a design statement to accompany the application, the company said: "Whilst this is an outline...

An injured crewman has been airlifted to hospital after falling over on board a ship off Falmouth. The incident happened just before 10am on Thursday. The coastguard received a 999 call from the 160 metre cargo vessel which was moored in the Carrick Roads to say someone had fallen and been injured. Falmouth Coastguard Rescue Team, Falmouth RNLI lifeboats and the UK Coastguard search and rescue helicopter based at Newquay were sent to the scene, alongside the South West Ambulance...

Poldark could come to an end after just five series, it's heartthrob star Aidan Turner has hinted. The actor told the fashion industry magazine Women's Wear Daily that the hugely popular BBC Sunday evening staple, which is nearing the end of its third series, might simply run out of skullduggery and bodice ripping story lines. Read next: From Mr Dreckly to Little Miss Poldark: Here are our 21 Cornish Mr Men Millions tune in every week to watch the tempestuous lives of Ross Poldark, played...

A series of fatal road crashes on Cornwall and Devon roads in recent days has been described by police as utterly "devastating and heartbreaking". Six people have died in less than a week, including a mum and her two children in a horrific crash near Barnstaple in North Devon. A woman in her fifties also died near Summercourt, near Newquay, after her car came off the B3275. Chief Inspector Adrian Leisk, from the Roads Policing Alliance, tweeted to urge drivers stuck in tailbacks...

This shocking dash cam footage shows drivers risking lives on the A361 just days after two fatal crashes on the busy road. The video was shared online by Barnstaple resident Sarah Cusden, 46, with the message to drivers: 'Get a grip people think of everyone else on the road with you, you aren't invincible'. She filmed the footage during her daily commute on the busy road, according to our sister website, Devon Live. Mrs Cusden said: "I drive almost 200 miles to get to work and back...

The A30 has ground to a halt in two places approaching lunchtime.There's considerable queues between Camborne and St Erth.The traffic heat map says vehicles are "not moving" heading west:There's also static traffic between Chiverton Cross and Carland Cross also heading west, but there's considerable congestion in both directions.Traffic is now starting to back up along the A3075 Newquay road linking to Chiverton Cross .For the latest traffic updates see our breaking news blog.

The community in Truro has been left devastated by the death of dad and former supermarket worker Andy Marshall, a "truly amazing man with the biggest heart". The much-loved dad was well known in the city through his former job at Tesco where he was loved by many staff and customers. Tributes have been shared remembering how "genuine, kind and courageous" he was. Read more: The heartbreaking reality of an acid attack that shows why the law must change Mr Marshall died on...

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is coming to Cornwall for a rally to save the NHS. He was chosen as party leader two years ago but struggled to win favour with fellow MPs and supporters. But that all changed on the 2017 General Election campaign trail and the result of the election, despite being a defeat at the polls, was seen by many as something of a rebirth for Corbyn. Immediately after the 2017 election, a Survation poll put Labour on 45% with the Conservatives on 39%, the first poll to...

Welcome to our live coverage of all the day's biggest stories, traffic and travel from across Cornwall on Thursday, August 3, 2017. We'll be looking at all the traffic so keep checking back to make sure you get wherever you're going as quickly and safely as possible. We will of course also be breaking news as it happens and keeping an eye on the weather. It's Gareth here until 2.30pm when I hand over to the late team. If you've seen something going on and want us to check it out, or have...

Small businesses and start-ups will soon be able to rent a base in Cornwall's capital city by the hour.After being in the pipeline for years, a recent grant means that The Workbox can finally go ahead with plans to transform an empty building on Truro's Ferris Town into a three-storey office hub.Read more: This is where and when Cornwall's newest Subway is going to openBuilding work on the new Truro Workbox is due to start in September and will include five individual offices, a large open-plan...

A St Austell teenager has become one of only 18 women in the country to pass the first stage of training for the Royal Military Police (RMP). Beth Connolly, 18, recently completed a 14-week training course, which could now see her join one of the UK's toughest regiments. As one of the hardest regiments to join, RMP candidates require a high level of academic ability and the highest score on the Army recruit test. All soldiers undergo tests in fitness, first aid, fieldcraft, weapon...

More tributes have been pouring in for beloved Truro man Joey Sims who died on Monday after a suspected fit at his family home.Hundreds have taken to social media to share memories of the young man who was been described as a cheeky, funny and handsome man with "the kindest heart".While countless messages have been posted to share sadness over the sudden loss of Mr Sims, a number of his friends have found other touching ways to pay their finals respects.In memory of Mr Sims, one friend...

A young businesswoman from Newquay is due to open another 25p bargain food franchise in Cornwall. At 21, Charlotte Danks hit national headlines when she opened the first Cornwall Affordable Foods shop in her hometown in 2015.Following successes in Newquay, Truro, Bude and Bodmin, Charlotte opened the first supermarket version of the chain earlier this year. Mirroring the same business plan, the Affordable Foods supermarket at Treloggan Industrial Estate in Newquay sells products, generally...