Latest news with #ITVNewsWestCountry
BBC News
6 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Headlines: 'Batman mural' and 'empty reservoirs'
Here's our daily pick of stories from across local websites in the West of England, and interesting content from social media. Our pick of local website stories Experts warn climate change is making dry spells worse as many river flows and reservoir levels continued to recede, Somerset Live reports. Avon and Somerset Police has released CCTV images of a man they wish to speak to after a 17-year-old girl was sexually assaulted on a bus, according to Bristol Mogford & Son, what is believed to be the oldest shop in Bristol, is set to close its doors after first opening in 1860, ITV News West Country Live reports that the Netheridge Swing Bridge in Gloucester is set to be closed next month for repairs, with a lengthy diversion around the city in place. Our top three from yesterday What to watch on social media A woman who was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer last August says she was determined to keep working at Bristol Zoo Project because "animals don't care if I've got cancer, they still expect full VIP service". Wiltshire Police has warned drivers a 'significant abnormal load' for the A417 Missing Link project will be travelling through the county tomorrow. A Batman-themed mural has appeared on the streets of Swindon, alongside some of his foes including The Joker, The Penguin and The Riddler.
ITV News
07-08-2025
- General
- ITV News
'It's a crime to disturb them': Warning as 'severely' injured dolphins found around Cornish coast
Watch the full interview with Jenny Wright from the Cornwall Wildlife Trust An increasing number of injured dolphins have been found around the Cornish coast, prompting a warning from the Cornwall Wildlife Trust. The mammals have been found primarily with injured dorsal fins, likely to be the result of propellors from high-speed boats. A number of mammals have been found in a "severe" condition, their fins missing entirely. The trust is urging all water users to slow down and follow the marine and coastal code. Coastal partnership officer Jenny Wright spoke to ITV News West Country, warning that whales and dolphins are protected by law. Pod spotted by ferry a "stark reminder of the damage reckless boating can cause" Pictures from Mevagissey to Fowey Ferry Crew Jenny said: "Five common dolphins were seen off the Mevagissey and Fowey ferry, and there were some serious injuries to their dorsal fins. "A couple of them even had their dorsal fin missing entirely. That is obviously not a great thing for dolphins because they use those dorsal fins for balance, and to help them kind of swim through the water, so it will be impacting how they're living their lives and it will be adding stress to how they live their lives. "We can't say for sure how they're doing exactly. We do hope that they will be doing all right, but it can affect their survivability as well." "Be careful with boats and propellers" Jenny added: "We hope that the majority [of these injuries] are accidental and that people just maybe aren't aware of best practice and how they should be using their boats in the water. "I couldn't say for sure whether any of them are doing it recklessly and on purpose, but we do have lots of best practice, things that people can find out on the Cornwall Wildlife Trust website. "There, people can see how to use their boats respectfully when they're around wildlife as well." If you spot marine wildlife, you must: Slow down to a no-wake speed Stay at least 100m away What should you do if you find an injured dolphin? The Cornwall Wildlife Trust encourages people to report marine disturbance, specifically relating to mammals, to its 24-hour disturbance hotline, on 0345 201 2626. This number can also be used for reporting sightings and strandings of marine animals. The trust also has a marine and coastal code group that has lots of relevant contact details. The trust reminds people that it's a crime to disturb whales and dolphins, so anyone who sees anything happening at sea should contact Devon and Cornwall Police.
ITV News
29-07-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
With almost 25,000 people in need of a home in Cornwall - who is being hit the hardest?
More than 1,700 people are currently living in temporary accommodation across Cornwall, new figures have revealed. The data, obtained by ITV News West Country, has found the number of households sleeping in caravans, hotels, B&Bs and semi-permanent flats has increased four-fold since 2019. And those waiting for accessible housing are facing an even more frustrating situation - with just 13 properties available to bid on, with more than 1,000 people currently in need. ITV News West Country has been speaking to people across Cornwall who are currently stuck in limbo waiting for accommodation to suit them and their loved ones. What is the current housing situation in Cornwall? There are currently more than 25,000 people looking for a home in Cornwall. This has risen significantly since March 2020 when there were around 9,000 people searching. Cornwall Council say they receive an average of 10,000 applications for the 1,200 homes which become available each year. Our exclusive figures highlight the issue is even more frustrating for those waiting for accessible housing. There are currently 1,037 people waiting for properties labelled as accessibility adapted - of which there are currently just 13 to bid on. More than 320 people are waiting for a property suitable for wheelchair use both inside and out - which the council currently has zero to offer. What is causing the problem? Councillor Peter La Broy, who was elected as Cornwall Council's portfolio holder for housing in the recent May elections, admits there is currently a 'perfect storm' contributing to the housing issues in the county. He explains that property prices went "through the roof" after Covid - with rental properties rising by 20 to 30%. Private landlords converting houses into summer accommodation is also an issue for the area. He adds this all comes at a time when there is a low wage economy and the council hasn't been building as many affordable houses as they need to. What is temporary accommodation? Temporary accommodation is not for long-term living, it is supposed to be a short term measure until a suitable home is found. It can be anything from shared housing, a caravan, B&B, hotel rooms, hostels or a private rental costs rising, a lack of affordable housing, and the challenges of second home ownership in the country, more people in Cornwall are finding themselves in temporary accommodation. Cornwall Council said the number of people living in temporary accommodation had increased four-fold since 2019, reaching a peak of over 950 households last year which has now reduced to around 830 households. Among them is Kenya who has spent two years in short term solutions. She said of a bedroom she was put in with a shared kitchen and toilet: "It was just a small bedroom. A couple weeks in I was getting bit by fleas." Placed miles from her support network she added: "I was lonely all the time. I had really bad anxiety because I didn't know the place." Delays from her housing officer meant Kenya wasn't able to bid on a two bedroom property after the birth of her daughter for months. She added: "They don't care, you're just a number in their system." Wiliam Wong from Citizens Advice Cornwall said: "There are many reasons people can lose their home, but it's largely due to evictions. "If they're in emergency accommodation they shouldn't be there for more than 6 weeks, but we know that the council is under a great deal of pressure because there isn't enough accommodation around."How do you get out of temporary accommodation? People who are hoping to move from temporary accommodation or into different council accommodation can register on the HomeChoice website. Properties are uploaded once a week for people to bid on. People can place up to three bids on a home at a time. Those on HomeChoice register include John who is living in an over-crowded one bedroom flat with his two teenage children. He says he has tried to bid every week for the last 18 months, but finds there are not always properties available to place a bid on. He said: "I'm frustrated because any parent would just want to make sure their kids are safe and sheltered. "They are not getting that, they are not getting the shelter and the privacy they need. "If I could get a magic wand and it would be done, but I can't."I go on the site every week and there's hardly ever anything suitable for me. It's broken, their system is broken. And people outside of that system are suffering. 'I have to bump down the stairs', says Michael, who is waiting for an accessible home Our exclusive figures also reveal that more than 1,000 people are waiting for a wheelchair-accessible home, but only 13 available to bid on. There are also 324 people who need a council house where they can use their wheelchair inside and outside. The council said there are currently none available for bidding. Michael has cerebral palsy and has been on the waiting list for 5 years for a one bedroom wheelchair-accessible home. He currently lives at his parents' home and finds getting up and down their stairs a daily struggle. He said: "There are times when no one is around, so I have to bump down the stairs which doctors have told me not to do. It is painful and extremely tiring and I'm in so much pain that I can't physically do what I was doing before." He added that in those 5 years, only one wheelchair accessible home has been available in Penzance to bid on. But he says when they went to look at the property, it was on a main road with no pavement, and had steps up to the front door. "Why do I have to be the one left behind? The one forgotten about?", Michael said. The reality of unsuitable housing More figures obtained by ITV News West Country reveal that around 25,000 people are on the register which allows thousands of people in need of homes in Cornwall to bid on council and housing association properties. It is known as the HomeChoice register. This figure is up from 9,000 in March 2020. That includes John who is living in an over-crowded one bedroom flat with his two teenage children. He says he has tried to bid every week for the last 18 months, but finds there are not always properties available to place a bid on. He said: "I'm frustrated because any parent would just want to make sure their kids are safe and sheltered. They are not getting that, they are not getting the shelter and the privacy they need. If I could get a magic wand and it would be done, but I can't. "I go on the site every week and there's hardly ever anything suitable for me. It's broken, their system is broken. And people outside of that system are suffering." What are the council doing to try and ease the pressures? Cllr Peter La Broy said he knew there was work to be done around the housing issues in the County. He told ITV West Country: "The difference we can make is to really look hard at the opportunities we have. "The government has announced a new housing target of 4,421 homes for Cornwall per year, which is a dramatic uplift on the previous target in the region of 2,600. "I think we need a dramatic uplift in building properties, I know that won't be popular with everyone, but for those that have been having trouble they will be very grateful more houses are coming on the market."I want to really explore with Homes England that as many as possible homes that we build in Cornwall are in the right place, with the right number of bedrooms. "What we don't need is five, six bedroom executive houses to bring rich people in from across the border."What we do need is one, two, three bedroom houses to suit local families that have problems and more than that they need to be affordable."
ITV News
11-07-2025
- ITV News
Somerset mother continues to search for son who vanished in Sardinia a year ago
Michael Frison's mother Cristina Pittalis speaks to ITV News West Country reporter Rob Murphy The mother of a Somerset man who vanished in Sardinia six months ago has spoken of her torment as the search for her son continues on year since he was last seen. Cristina Pittalis from Chard is desperately seeking answers about the disappearance of her 25-year-old son Michael Frison, who went missing whilst visiting the Italian island in July 2024. Michael had travelled to Sardinia to visit his grandparents and journeyed to the remote Luras region on 12th July. The following day, he set off for a walk and has not been seen since. Speaking to ITV News West Country, Cristina said it's her "mission in life" to find her son. The official search operation, which involved drones, a helicopter, mountain rescue teams and volunteers, was called off after 10 days. Since then, Cristina has taken it upon herself to continue searching for Michael alongside family and friends - and has since moved to Sardinia. Whilst in Sardinia, Michael met up with a friend he had encountered online, known as Niomi. She assisted Italian authorities with their initial search and investigation but has since left the island - ITV West Country has been unable to speak to Niomi. Cristina is particularly keen to speak with Niomi again, believing she may hold crucial information that could help locate her son. "We need to find Michael's friend, I'm sure she holds vital information, she was the last person who saw him," Cristina explained. She is urging UK authorities to help with the search efforts, as she believes Michael's disappearance is linked to a online community he had met when he was in the UK. She went on to speak of the impact Michael's disappearance has had on her, "some days it's hard to find the strength to carry on, but it's our love, our family which gives me the strength to continue."
ITV News
27-06-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Cornwall MP's 'final warning' to South West Water boss over sewage pollution
A Cornwall MP says he has become so frustrated with sewage pollution, he has put the Chief Executive of South West Water on what he has described as "resignation watch". Noah Law, the MP for Newquay and St Austell, has said he is issuing a 'final warning' to Susan Davy, calling for her to take immediate action to upgrade the region's sewage treatment infrastructure. South West Water has responded that it has a 15-year delivery programme to reduce its use of storm overflows across its network and redesign its infrastructure - but it also says that work of that scale takes time. Speaking to ITV News West Country in Pentewan, the MP said: "The sense of urgency just isn't there from South West Water. "Getting detail on the timeframes around this infrastructure upgrade has been like drawing blood from a stone and I want them to be extremely transparent with the public as to when they can expect to see some of that change which we've fought so hard for in Government and through the Water Special Measures Act.'' He added: "I'm pressing really hard to get that information on just when we are going to see those upgrades. A five-year timeframe isn't good enough, people want to see action now." According to South West Water's own figures, there were 134 spills from the water treatment works in Pentewan last year. Elsewhere in the region, MP for Taunton and Wellington Gideon Amos carried out water testing on the River Tone in a designated bathing water spot. The result was a reading of 'poor' quality and the MP says water companies should be making cleaner rivers a priority. The boss of Pennon Group and South West Water CEO, Susan Davy, received a total pay package of more than £800,000 in 2023-24, including almost 200,000 in long-term share awards. Meanwhile, customers' yearly bills rose by around a third from April this year. A spokesperson for Pennon said: "We run critical national infrastructure and have embarked on our largest ever investment programme across our Group - £3.2bn - which spans from Cornwall to Surrey - 11 of these major projects are in Mr Law's constituency. "We are prioritising our investment on what customers have told us are most important to them and to help us deliver on what we promised; to reduce the use of storm overflows, ensuring water resilience and supply, investing in vital infrastructure, supporting customers more than ever and taking a green first approach to our solutions as much as possible." They added: "We live and work in this region and care deeply about what we all do every single day – we are also customers of South West Water. "Our 4,000 brilliant colleagues work hard day and night to keep taps running and toilets flushing, we will not stop and we will continue to deliver on our promises."
