Coronavirus: Live updates on COVID-19 in the West Country
Welcome to the ITV News West Country coronavirus live blog for the week beginning 11 May.
Here you will find the latest information and updates regarding the pandemic.
We will also be highlighting some of the positive efforts being made by our local communities to support one another during the crisis.
19:00pm - That's it from us
In the meantime, for updates from the national ITV News team, click here.
18:55pm - Your West Country headlines this evening
Two people remain in police custody as human remains discovered inside suitcases in Gloucestershire
Beauty spots and attractions bracing for influx of tourists amid lockdown easing
Parents and teachers across South West concerned about plans to reopen schools
18:40pm - West Country beauty spots and attractions bracing for influx of tourists this weekend amid lockdown easing
Beauty spots and visitor attractions across the West Country are bracing themselves for an influx of tourists this weekend, the first since lockdown restrictions were relaxed.
Cheddar Gorge in the Mendip Hills in Somerset, attracts a number of people at this time of year.
And amid the coronavirus pandemic that fact is a cause for concern among locals.
18:10pm - Coastguard urge caution as boating resumes in the West Country
Harbours, boatyards and marinas are now starting to re-open and re-launch boats after they were forced to close due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Falmouth Boatyard now have to launch more than 250 boats, which will take between six and eight weeks.
As Covid-19 remains a threat, extra safety measures are now in place.
17:40pm - Swindon man jailed for 12 weeks for coronavirus assault on police officer
A Swindon man has been jailed for 12 weeks after he told a police officer he had coronavirus before deliberately blowing in her face.
Matthew Brown, aged 32, of Ermin Street, was found guilty of one count of assaulting an emergency worker at court yesterday [May 14].
17:10pm - WATCH: Today's coronavirus press conference
16:24pm - More than 12,500 people in care homes have now died with Covid-19
More than 12,500 care home residents have now died having contracted coronavirus, new figures show.
The majority of the deaths occurred in the care home the patient was living in.
For more information click here
15:53pm - Conversations in Lockdown: The Unmumsy Mum
As part of a new series Jonty Messer has been speaking to some well known faces across the West Country to find out how they have been coping during the last few weeks of lockdown.
This week it's the turn of Devon based Sarah Turner, aka The Unmumsy Mum.
15:46pm - League Two clubs agree to end the season as long as play-offs can be played
League Two clubs have agreed to end the season but want play-offs to be played to determine promotion spots.
That was the unanimous view of club bosses who attended a virtual meeting with EFL Chairman Rick Parry on Friday [May 15] but is yet to be ratified.
14:36pm - RSPB reports rise in birds of prey being killed across West Country during lockdown
There has been a spike in the number of birds of prey being killed in the South West during the pandemic lockdown.
The RSPB reports that 10 buzzards have been poisoned in the region and the charity says it has been "overrun" with reports of birds being killed by criminals who believe there is less chance of being caught.
14:23pm - Every person prosecuted under new Coronavirus Act was 'wrongly charged'
Dozens of people have been wrongly charged by police under a new coronavirus law, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has admitted.
All 44 charges brought under the Coronavirus Act, which allows officers to remove or detain a "suspected infectious person" for screening and assessment, since it was brought in on March 27 were incorrect.
For more information click here
14:18pm - Cornwall's Eden Project loses millions in coronavirus lockdown but is looking to re-open
Managers at the Eden Project near St Austell say the lockdown has already cost them almost £5 million in lost revenue.
It is one of Cornwall's best known tourist attractions but it has been shut since 22 March, the day before restrictions were introduced to help stop the spread of Covid-19.
13:50pm - Boardmasters Festival postponed until next year due to coronavirus pandemic.
Boardmasters - Cornwall's largest music festival - has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the event's organisers have announced.
The event will now return in 2021 in Newquay from the 11-15 August.
13:17pm - Fire causes damage after large gathering in Bath
12:55pm - Contact tracing: What does it do, why is it crucial, and can I be recruited?
The Government has come under fire from Labour over the nuts-and-bolts of its track-and-trace operation, seen as a crucial component of efforts to safely ease strict lockdown measures further without risking a second wave of coronavirus infections.
12:25pm - Parents and teachers across South West concerned about plans to reopen schools
Parents, teachers, and council leaders across the West Country are concerned it's too soon to be sending our children back to school.
Teaching leaders have spent the week making plans for a phased return to the classroom after Boris Johnson announced that he hoped foundation children, year one and year six, could start to go back from 1 June.
9:30 - West Country's young carers are 'more stressed' during lockdown and find it hard to balance caring and school work
Young carers in Somerset have told ITV News they feel more stressed during the coronavirus lockdown and are finding it hard to balance looking after a loved one with school work.
More here.
9:00 - Extinction Rebellion Exeter plan weekend of socially distanced action
Extinction Rebellion Exeter are inviting people to ‘Reclaim the Streets’ and join them in peaceful, physically distanced protest in the area.
The actions are calling for the government to prioritise public health and well-being as the UK lockdown is eased and to invest in safer streets for walking and cycling.
More here.
7:00 - Your headlines this morning:
Friday 15 May
19:05pm - That's it from us
We will be back with the latest tomorrow morning.
In the meantime, for updates from the national ITV News team, click here.
18:55pm - Your West Country headlines this evening
Coronavirus antibody test is 100% accurate, says Public Health England
Great Western NHS Trust doctor dies having tested positive for coronavirus
Police chief asks people to 'wait' before returning to Devon and CornwallCoronavirus:
17:15pm - WATCH: Today's Government coronavirus press conference
16:50pm - Great Western NHS Trust doctor dies having tested positive for coronavirus.
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (GWH Trust) has announced a doctor who tested positive for Covid-19, died earlier this week.
Dr Thaung Htaik, aged 65, was a consultant in general medicine and had worked at the trust since January 2019.
For more information click here
15:15pm - At-risk Exmoor Zoo first in West Country to receive Government funding
A Devon zoo at risk of closure due to the coronavirus outbreak has become the first in the West Country to receive Government support.
Exmoor Zoo in North Devon has been granted access to the Government’s Covid-19 zoo emergency fund.
14:04pm - Can I get the new coronavirus antibody test?
A test to find out whether people have been infected with coronavirus in the past has been approved by health officials and could be rolled out within weeks.
For more information click here
14:00pm - Owner of Forest Green Rovers believes the EFL season can be finished
The owner of Forest Green Rovers believes the EFL season can be safely finished behind closed doors.
Dale Vince has also supported a wage cap or a limit on the size of squads, saying it will bring more sustainability into the Football League.
13:32pm - Cheltenham General Hospital's A and E could close to emergency admissions
Cheltenham General Hospital could close its A&E department to all 999 and GP emergency admissions.
The move - which health chiefs are calling temporary - is to help the county's response to coronavirus.
13:25pm - Tour of Britain race postponed to 2021 but will still visit Devon and Conrwall
Organisers of this September's Tour of Britain - which was due to visit Cornwall for the first time - have decided to postpone the event until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
A Tour of Britain spokesperson said Covid-19 had made "the planning and organisation of the 2020 race impractical".
12:53pm - Police chief asks people to 'wait a little longer' before returning to Devon and Cornwall
People who want to travel to Devon and Cornwall following the easing of lockdown restrictions have been asked to "wait a little longer".
The Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, Shaun Sawyer, has asked people from outside the force area to continue staying away while the pandemic continues.
12:50pm - Honda to resume car production in Swindon next month
Honda is to restart production next month at its Swindon site, the car manufacturer has announced.
The company says it has told employees and suppliers that it intends to commence production operations at the plant from June 1.
Production was stopped when the lockdown started on March 23.
12:11pm - Dorset County Show 2020 cancelled
Organisers of the Dorset County show have announced this year's event has been cancelled.
It was originally due to take place on the 5th and 6th of September, marking its 180th anniversary.
However, due to the Covid-19 outbreak it has now been cancelled until next year.
12:00pm - Dartmoor National Park asks public to consider safety of locals before visiting
Dartmoor National Park has written an open letter to the public asking them to consider the safety of locals before making the journey to Devon.
The car parks are now open, but toilets and visitor centres remain closed.
9:00 - Coronavirus antibody test evaluated by Wiltshire experts is 100% accurate, says Public Health England
A test rated by experts in Wiltshire to determine whether or not people have had coronavirus is 100% accurate, according to Public Health England.
Read more here.
8:50 - South Gloucestershire special needs school closes as two teachers test positive for coronavirus
The Sheiling School in Thornbury has remained open during the lockdown for children of keyworkers' and their most vulnerable students but it's now had to close while all staff are tested for coronavirus.
Full story here.
8:00 - The South West reacts to the easing of lockdown
Thousands of people across the West Country have been adapting to the new relaxed lockdown rules.
Watch the full report here.
Your headlines this morning:
Thursday 14 May
19:00pm - That's it from us
We will be back with the latest tomorrow morning.
In the meantime, for updates from the national ITV News team, click here.
18:50pm - Your West Country headlines this evening
'We wish we could give you a hug' - Cornwall hospice staff on life in lockdown
Police respond to ‘mass gathering events’ planned in Bristol
18:35pm - Cornwall Council set to reopen waste and recycling centres
Cornwall's waste and recycling centres are set to reopen next Tuesday (May 19) with strict rules in place to avoid overcrowding.
The days on which residents are allowed to go to the tip depend on the year their car was registered.
For more information click here
18:07pm- Bristol wishing tree
Have you seen this wishing tree in Bristol?
It has been adorned with ribbons, messages and poems to support one another during the coronavirus lockdown.
17:30pm - Yacht firm gets staff back to work during Covid-19 thanks to safety measures
People in the West Country are being granted new freedoms from today, 13 May 2020, as the Government begins to relax coronavirus lockdown measures.
Many people are being encouraged to go back to work with ministers aiming to get the economy going again following the outbreak.
17:07pm - WATCH: Today's daily coronavirus press conference
16:50pm - Bristol's Clifton College raise more than £20,000 to produce PPE for key workers
Clifton College in Bristol is producing Personal Protective Equipment for frontline and key workers, to help tackle the Coronavirus pandemic.
The news comes as The Old Cliftonian Society (OC) - the school’s alumni association - and other supporters have raised more than £20,000 to pay for materials.
16:27pm - Plans fast tracked to pedestrianise large parts of Bristol city centre
Plans to pedestrianise a large part of Bristol city centre are being fast tracked in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
A number of roads - including Corn Street, Small Street and Broad Street - could be shut to traffic under the measures.
16:13pm - Police respond to 'mass gathering events' planned in Bristol
Police are reminding people to act responsibly during lockdown after details of mass gathering events in Bristol were posted online.
Posters advertising mass gatherings in two of the city’s parks started circulating on social media earlier today [May 13].
15:50pm - Authority issue guidance for those using their cars for the first time in weeks
Highways England has issued guidance for drivers who may be using their cars for the first time today in weeks, following the easing of the lockdown.
The authority is urging drivers to still stay at home as much as possible.
But if leaving home for one of the reasons the Government has given, any vehicle which hasn’t been on the road for some time will need a thorough check to ensure it is roadworthy and safe.
Here is Highways England’s advice for drivers:
Check tyres: prior to setting off on a long/significant journey, check your tyre pressures are suitable for the load and the condition of your tyres, including the spare. Look out for cuts or wear and make sure the tyres have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, which is the legal limit
Check engine oil: use your dipstick to check oil regularly and before any long journey, and top up if needed. Take your car back to the garage if you’re topping up more than usual
Check water: to ensure you have good visibility, always keep your screen wash topped up so you can clear debris or dirt off your windscreen
• Check lights: if your indicators, hazard lights, headlights, fog lights, reverse lights or brake lights are not functioning properly, you are putting yourself and your family at risk. In addition, light malfunctions can be a reason for your vehicle to fail its MoT
• Check fuel: before setting out, check your fuel levels and make sure you have enough to get to your destination
15:30pm - NASS Festival postponed until next year
The organisers of the NASS festival have announced the event will no longer take place this year.
All tickets for this year's festival will automatically be rolled over to 2021, with the same line-up of artist in addition to some more expected.
The event will now take place between the 8-11 July 2021.
Organisers say an email will be sent to ticket holders within the next 72 hours which will include more info about how to reclaim a refund, should this be your preferred option.
13:55pm - Police in England told they do not have powers to enforce social distancing
Fresh guidelines issued by the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council urges officers to only enforce what is written in law, adding that “Government guidance is not enforceable; for example, two-metre distancing, avoiding public transport, or the wearing of face coverings in enclosed spaces”.
12:20pm - Government sets up task forces to plan safe reopening of pubs, salons and more
The government has set up five ministerial-led task forces looking at how to safely reopen pubs, salons and other industries closed due to coronavirus.
The task forces - which will be "crucial" to boosting the economy - will look at developing "new Covid-19 secure guidelines" to reopen businesses where loser contact between people is unavoidable.
11:45am - Mulberry produces reusable PPE gowns for frontline NHS workers in Somerset factories
World-famous fashion brand Mulberry is producing thousands of reusable PPE gowns in its two Somerset factories for hospitals across the region.
It follows a request from a Bristol doctor for items of personal protective equipment that do not have to be thrown away after one use.
11:40am- Doctors say surgery where coronavirus patients are treated is safe to visit
A GP surgery in Cornwall which has a specific Covid-19 wing to help treat patients during the pandemic, is urging the public it's safe to visit.
St Clare Medical Centre in Penzance has sectioned off part of the practice to only treat patients with coronavirus.
7:00 - Cornwall doctors say surgery where coronavirus patients are treated is safe for the public to visit
A GP surgery in Cornwall which has a specific Covid-19 wing to help treat patients during the pandemic, is urging the public it's safe to visit.
St Clare Medical Centre in Penzance has sectioned off part of the practice to only treat patients with coronavirus.
Read more here.
6:50 - Your headlines this morning
Housing market to be restarted as house viewings in England resume
Coronavirus: Money raised for railway worker who died after being spat on
Wednesday 13 May
19:00pm - That's it from us
We will be back with the latest tomorrow morning.
In the meantime, for updates from the national ITV News team, click here.
18:55pm- Your West Country headlines this evening
Councils face losing tens of millions of pounds in coronavirus crisis
RNLI urges people to take care along Devon and Cornwall coasts after PM's announcement
More than 200 reports of animals being left abandoned in the South West
18:10pm - 'Workers who do not feel safe have to take that up with their employer.'
17:53pm - 'The Chancellor has announced an extension to the furlough scheme which will help care homes.'
17:44pm - 'We're not going to be able to protect every single job.'
17:40pm - 'The number of daily cases is remaining static and that is good news in the context of an increased capacity of tests'
17:29pm - 'The same level of support of 80% of people's salary will continue to be met but through a shared effort.'
17:14pm- 'We are now in a position to begin moving to level 3 in careful steps,' says Business Secretary
16:55pm - Councils face losing tens of millions of pounds in coronavirus crisis
Councils across the region face losing tens of millions of pounds as a result of the coronavirus crisis, raising serious concerns about whether vital services could be cut.
Bath & North East Somerset Council and Bristol City Council are just two local authorities calling for more financial support from central Government.
16:40pm - RNLI urges people to take care along South West coasts after PM's announcement
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has urged people to take extra care along Devon and Cornwall coasts after the Government announced it will be okay to swim in the sea from tomorrow (May 13).
16:15pm - Chancellor to extend furlough scheme until October
The coronavirus job retention scheme, which paid furloughed staff 80% of their wages, has been extended to the end of October, but employers will share the burden with the government from August, the chancellor has said.
15:20pm - Can I refuse to go back to work if I think it's unsafe?
People who are unable to work from home have been told they can return to their jobs as part of the Government’s partial easing of the coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
Boris Johnson’s announcement has left many with unanswered questions about what to do if they feel unsafe at their workplace.
ITV News has spoken to Danielle Parsons, a senior employment lawyer at Slater and Gordon, about the different courses of action available if you feel unsafe at work.
Find out what Danielle said here
13:30pm - Devon and Cornwall Royal Television Society Awards to be held virtually
The Devon and Cornwall Students Royal Television Awards are being held virtually today for the first time - due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The awards, which mark their 25th anniversary this year, had been postponed in March in light of the pandemic.
The awards will be live streamed from 3pm today on the RTS website and on YouTube.
Around 15 films will be screened as part of the awards recognising the best audio-visual work created by students at undergraduate level.
12:45 pm - Care home coronavirus-related deaths surpasses 8,000 in England and Wales
The number of care home deaths linked to coronavirus has risen to 8,312 for the period up to May 1 in England and Wales, new figures reveal.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), deaths in care homes made up 40.4% of the overall number of coronavirus fatalities.
For more information click here
12:15 pm - Police forces come together to help boy deliver homemade PPE to Wiltshire grandmother
Wiltshire and Northamptonshire police forces came together to help a 12-year-old boy deliver homemade PPE to his grandmother.
12-year-old Cameron Douglas spent all of his of his pocket money on a 3D printer so he could make the equipment for his grandmother who lives in Bassett House Care Home in Wiltshire.
12:10pm - Bristol makes list of best cities in the world to visit virtually
It may be a while until we can get on a plane for an exotic holiday abroad, but it appears one of the best places to visit now is closer to home than you might think...
Bristol has been named one of the best cities in the world to visit 'virtually' while the world remains at a standstill because of coronavirus.
10:00 - Summer solstice celebrations at Stonehenge cancelled
The 2020 summer solstice celebrations at Wiltshire's Stonehenge have been cancelled as England's coronavirus lockdown continues.
Instead, it will be live streamed by English Heritage to give people at home a "rare view of Self-isolation Solstice".
More info here.
9:00 - Cornish businesses find 'bright spots' amid coronavirus lockdown uncertainty
Many sectors in Cornwall are struggling during this Covid-19 pandemic - tourism, hospitality and manufacturing are some facing the toughest of times, but there are some businesses finding new ways to forge ahead.
Read more here.
8:00 - How coronavirus has changed the way we mourn - a poignant goodbye to Gloucestershire 88-year-old
Rod Prole, better known as 'Rodders', died on April 16. Only the 88-year-old's four daughters - and their households - were able to attend his funeral.
Mr Prole's daughter Jo Main said that funerals were "bad at the best of times", and not being able to embrace her family was just "horrible".
Full story here.
7:00 - Here are your morning headlines
Tuesday 12 May
16:55pm - Plans for Bath's Christmas Market going ahead, even though it might not happen due to social distancing restrictions
Organisers say they are planning for Bath's Christmas Market, even though it might not go ahead due to COVID-19.
The event attracts tens and thousands of people and needs to be organised months in advance. Visit Bath says it will follow the latest health and safety advice and won't make a final decision until nearer the time.
16:15pm - Cornwall care home boss urges against complacency after brother and mother die from virus
A care home boss has warned people not to be complacent and start flouting social distancing rules following the death of both her brother and mum from coronavirus.
Sue Aldridge, manager of Penberthy, a residential home run by Cornwall Care in Newquay, has lost her mum, 76-year-old Jean, and her brother, 48-year-old Ian.
15:55pm - Public Health England release latest numbers of Covid-19 deaths in the West Country
We're sad to report that 1070 people who tested positive for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) have passed away as a result of coronavirus in our hospitals.
That figure is an increase of 6 from yesterday's total of 1064.
For more information click here
15:02pm - Lockdown adjustments clarified: What you can and cannot do in England
The government has updated its advice on outdoor activity, after evidence showed the "risk of infection outside is significantly lower than inside".
From Wednesday people may go outdoors "as many times each day as they wish," the document says, as opposed to just for one hour, as was previously the rule.
14:00pm - Male security guards, taxi drivers and construction workers among those at highest risk of dying with Covid-19
Workers in low-skilled jobs are the most likely to die after contracting Covid-19, with male security guards among those with the highest death rates, new figures reveal.
Male construction workers, taxi drivers, bus and coach drivers, plant processing workers and chefs are also among those with the highest coronavirus death rates, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
13:20pm - Face coverings to be advised from Wednesday
The wearing of face coverings in public will be encouraged from Wednesday to help slow the spread of coronavirus, Dominic Raab has confirmed, as he set out to clarify the prime minister's lockdown adjustments.
The foreign secretary told ITV News that face coverings "don't really have much of an impact" in protecting the wearer, but they can "provide an incremental mitigation" of the risk to other people.
12:45pm - Royal Cornwall show cancelled
The Royal Cornwall Agricultural association has announced this year's Royal Cornwall show has now been cancelled.
The event had been previously pushed back from June to September this year in light of the pandemic.
But organisers now say with the Government restrictions on large events for the foreseeable future, 'it is just not possible to host a safe event for all those involved'.
For more information organisers of the show have set up an FAQ page, which you can visit by clicking here
12:35pm - Taunton visitors among those asked to 'move on' by police after visiting beauty spot
Tourists from Taunton were among those asked to "move on" by police officers after visiting a Dorset tourist destination.
Portland Bill has been closed to visitors for several weeks and its car park has been closed in a bid to discourage visitors from travelling to the beauty spot.
12:00pm - Person showing possible COVID-19 symptoms assaults police officers in Devon
Four Devon and Cornwall Police officers were assaulted by a violent man who was showing symptoms of coronavirus.
Officers were left worried they may have caught COVID-19 after two separate incidents in Plymouth and Exeter.
11:55pm - Slimbridge Wildlife and Wetlands Trust to apply for Government zoo support
Slimbridge Wildlife and Wetlands Trust will be applying for a share of the £14million of Government support fund for zoos across the country.
The social distancing guidance means that zoos and aquariums have had to close temporarily for the safety of their staff and customers.
7:10am - Here are your morning headlines
You can find our live blog from the week of 4 May here.
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