Marching into line, the recruits of Cornwell Division were given the order they have been longing to hear for the past ten weeks.

"For the final time... dismissed!"

As they threw their caps into the air, proud family and friends clapped and cheered, marking the end of Royal Navy basic training for the 52 passing out.

From a starting division of 61, those passing out battled with the sweltering heat as they stood on HMS Raleigh's parade ground for more than 90 minutes yesterday afternoon.

They were inspected by Rear Admiral John Westbrook as their family and friends looked on.

Speaking after the parade, Divisional Training Officer Warrant Officer Dickie Bays said the Port and Starboard classes had been "above average". "It's been emotional but we've made it. I think they have been an above-average group – I will see them in the Fleet."

Beaming Kathleen Kennedy, mother of Honicknowle recruit Chris, said: "Seeing him on parade was fantastic – I was very proud."

Her son, a former Army soldier, said: "It was lovely, it was a bit much in this heat but it's all done now.

"Training was completely different to what I expected and completely different from the Army."

He added: "It's been really good but I can't wait to get out of here, if only for a few days."

More than a million holidaymakers and daytrippers are expected to hit the roads for the Westcountry this weekend with the tourist industry reporting a huge spike in visitors from both home and abroad.

Bookings for so-called stay-cations are up by 20% in parts of the region as holidaymakers buoyed by the recent good weather are turning their backs on overseas visits in favour of a holiday in the Westcountry.

Forecasters are predicting the heatwave will continue into next week, with temperatures in the region reaching highs of 28C for the start of the school summer holidays, making it the longest prolonged period of such weather since 2006.

However, those looking to take advantage of the recent sweltering temperatures by making last-minute bookings are having to compete with a surge in bookings from abroad, as Dutch, German and Italian visitors are up by almost 20% in some regions.

The news has provided a big boost to the Westcountry's tourist industry, with some accommodation providers boasting near-record figures, and a welcome reprieve after a succession of disappointing summers.

Alistair Handyside, chairman of the South West Tourism Alliance, said interest had soared since the weather improved this month. "I think it's the summer to stay in England," he said.

"The website traffic of all the people we have spoken to has been very good. People will come down for a week, but then there's a lot of people who come down for a day. There will be lots more of those visitors.

"I think if you talk to most businesses they have been keeping their fingers crossed for this weather. It's been a long time coming. It's been five or six years since we had a weather like this and the businesses need to make the most of it. Long may it continue."

Research from the RAC showed 1.2 million motorists hit the road for Devon and Cornwall last weekend, with that figure expected to rise this weekend.

Carolyn Custerson, chairman of VisitDevon, said the county's biggest operators were reporting a 20% uplift in bookings for July and August.

"There's is no doubt that this good weather has caused an uplift in people either taking a short break or a day trip," she said. "Some providers are reporting their strongest bookings for five years."

But the boost isn't just being provided by holidaymakers staying in Britain. Agency holidaycottages.co.uk, said bookings from overseas in Cornwall were up 18%, with German interest up 22% alone.

Dick Cliffe, chairman of Penzance Chamber of Commerce and a guesthouse owner in the town, said he took record takings for June, and July is shaping up to be similar, with a lot of tourists coming from abroad.

"We have just had a constant stream of Dutch, Germans, Italians and Swiss." he said. "The demand now is amazing. The phone hasn't stopped ringing. The majority of times we only had a few rooms left. The town is packed out."

With the heatwave set to move in to its third week, the Met Office delivered a level three health warning for the Westcountry on Thursday, only triggered after seven consecutive days of above-30C temperatures, with social and healthcare services asked to target specific high-risk groups. The hottest recorded temperature of 2013 was notched on Wednesday – 32.2C at Hampton Water Works in London – but was still short of the record 38.5C recorded in Kent in 2003. Temperatures in the Westcountry will reach a high of 28C in Yeovil, Bridgwater and Somerset over the next four days, with the highest coastal temperature set to hit at least 27C at Bude in Cornwall later today.

A Westcountry photographer with a $1million price on his head in Syria is to see his dramatic escape turned into a major film.

Paul Conroy survived a deadly missile attack by the brutal Assad regime on the Press Centre in the besieged city of Homs last year.

The Sunday Times photographer, who lives in Devon, underwent 19 operations to save his leg following the attack which killed veteran correspondent Marie Colvin.

During the year-and-a-half since he returned to the UK, he has recalled the ill-fated trip in a book – Under the Wire: Marie Colvin's Final Assignment.

His work to promote awareness of the conflict has seen him named among the 100 most influential people in the world, alongside luminaries such as Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon.

Mr Conroy, originally from Liverpool, is now in talks with film companies, including some big names, keen to turn the tale into a movie.

In an interview inside, he tells how he is happy to be back home after a tough year, but admits he is quietly eyeing developing conflicts on TV whilst "polishing his lenses" for a return to the war zone.

A POPULAR section of the South West Coast Path, around Lantivet Bay, near Polruan, is undergoing improvement work having been highlighted by the Great South West Walk as one of 90 areas in need of help.

The walk, which took place earlier this year to celebrate the South West Coast Path Association's 40th anniversary, identified the areas along the 630-mile coastal route while raising more than £500,000 for the cause.

The walk event itself and all the identified areas of improvement are under the coast path team's Unlocking our Coastal Heritage project.

The project received funding from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) to conserve and enhance the coast path with a requirement to match-fund the investment.

The work around the section near Polruan has been led by the National Trust in Cornwall.

Drainage of the old path is being improved and two stone stiles have also been restored.

Andy Simmons, South Cornwall coast path ranger for the National Trust, said: "The improvements will enable safer and easier access to the path at Lantivet, enabling walkers to enjoy this beautiful section of Cornwall's coast.

"This project has received funding from the RDPE and significant sponsorship from Encounter Walking Holidays, for which we are incredibly grateful."

Damon Wilcox, owner of Encounter Walking Holidays, said: "This section of coast path is very special and wild, largely untouched by the modern world, so we wanted to help protect it for us and our future generations."

John Slater, from the coast path team, who co-ordinated all of the funding for the walk, said: "We now have until the end of 2013 to complete all of the 90 or so improvement projects involved with the Great South West Walk.

"With all the support we have received so far, we hope to have many completed in the next few months."

For further information on the section of the path near Polruan, or any other improvement project being funded by the walk and its partners, please visit www.GreatSouthWestWalk.co.uk

AN 83-YEAR-OLD has hit out at vandals who trashed a beach hut leaving behind a trail of destruction and a three-figure repair bill.

Bryan Thomas has spoken to the Cornish Guardian after the building was broken into and damaged last week.

Although he lives in Taunton, the hut has been used for decades as a holiday retreat by his family for three generations.

When not using it, Mr Thomas had granted the Friends of Par Beach permission to use the building if ever they needed to shelter from bad weather.

However, he could not believe his eyes when Mike Freemantle, from the group, sent him photographs of the damage.

"It had been completely and utterly vandalised," he said.

The heavy padlock and been forced off and the stable door completely ripped off its hinges. Somebody has come armed with forethought and malice."

"They seem to have nothing better to do than just go and trash a beach hut. The building was the most valuable thing."

What was inside had little or no value.

Mr Thomas estimates it will cost in the region of three figures.

"Until I went into the Forces and even after I returned this is where we went on holiday."

"As an 83-year-old coming down to Cornwall I cherish that hut, as does my family, who travel from other parts of the UK."

Mr Freemantle added: "It's very sad that a small minority of people cannot be trusted to act sensibly."

The damage has been reported to the police who are investigating it.

A Devon and Cornwall spokesperson said it is warning other beach hut owners to be vigilant.

Anyone with information should call 101 quoting the crime reference number GW/13/548.

A FARMER feels his unique way of life is under threat after a quarry was given planning permission to extend its operation.

Clive Fry, who lives at Langford Farm, near Kilkhampton, with wife Sandra, uses traditional farming methods – including what could be Cornwall's only pedal-powered threshing machine.

The Frys believe their fields have not changed much from those of 800 years ago when the land was a series of enclosures, but fear their rural idyll may be coming to an end because of the future extension of Pigsdon Quarry which adjoins them.

Mr Fry recently objected to the extension and told the Cornwall Strategic Planning Committee, sitting at County Hall in Truro, of the problems he is already suffering from dust created by the quarry works, which contain silica and blows over onto his fields and sheep.

However his concerns, which also include fears of losing his water supply when the quarry begins to extract sandstone for aggregate from deeper depths and closer to his farm, fell on deaf ears.

He is worried about how the dust, which has already meant he has had to keep sheep out of one of his fields, increases through greater exposure.

Mr Fry feels his methods are not only sustainable, but they also work.

His sheep, fed on whole oats cut with a 100-year-old horse-drawn binder and separated from the straw by a bicycle-powered threshing machine, have topped sales prices at Holsworthy market.

"This farm has everything we need. There are lime trees for making clogs, ash for horse-drawn vehicles, sycamore for kitchen utensils and for burning to keep us warm. The house is heated solely by wood I have chopped myself. We have electricity but it is used very sparingly.

"Five years ago I made a horse-drawn vehicle and every piece came from this farm. All our three horses, strong cross bred cobs, were born on the farm.

"After I injured my foot a few years ago a friend persuaded me to have a tractor so I went to a sale and bought one, but I use it very sparingly. The big problem with tractors is they can't reproduce themselves – horses can."

A charity walk on Sunday from Kilkhampton's Lamb Park from 2.30 to 3.30pm, will include a visit to Langford Farm. The organiser of the six-mile walk is Graham Jewell, who can provide information on 01288 321785.

A WEST Cornwall nightclub has been named as one of the top venues in the country.

Sound nightclub narrowly missed out on the top spot in the Best Bar None national awards.

After winning the Cornish heat Sound staff headed to the House of Lords for the finals, where they came a close second to a Welsh nightclub.

"We're immensely proud to fly the flag for Penzance, and of our staff for the job they do," said Rob Matthews, the owner of Sound, at Bramwell's Mill. "We were devastated not to win but were told it was very close and that our standards were amazing."

More than 160 people attended a parliamentary reception to celebrate nationwide efforts being made to reduce alcohol-related crime.

"This award is about making sure you deal with under-age drinking, you have policies that tackle drugs and that you are operating in the best possible way," said Mr Matthews.

"We hope our achievements will encourage more venues to enter Best Bar None voluntarily and have the desired knock-on effect on the late-night economy locally."

The overall winner was The Royal Pier in Aberystwyth.

In the Cornish heats Sound was not only overall winner but also named best nightclub and best accredited venue, and also honoured for its commitment to staff training.

"We now have the licensed trade, Pubwatch, the police and local authority all aiming for the same goal," said a club spokeswoman. "It's helped us to develop a night-time economy that's become a major attraction for both locals and visitors."

Inspector Jean Phillips from Penzance said: "Sound has been really supportive of all the local crime prevention initiatives around the night- time economy and so this is well deserved."

For more information about the scheme visit www.cornwallbestbarnone.co.uk

ST IVES' lifeboat station will host an open evening on Monday to explain the importance of its latest appeal.

The RNLI is trying to raise £100,000 in the town towards the £1 million cost of a special vehicle to launch and recover its new Shannon-class all-weather lifeboat, due to arrive by 2015.

The appeal officially began with the Queen's visit to the station in May.

The open evening will start with the launch of the station's existing boat, the Mersey-class Princess Royal, at 6.30pm.

This will be followed by a presentation about the new fundraising campaign, with crew volunteers and fundraisers on hand to answer any questions.

Organiser Suzanne Tanner said: "We're going to need a lot of help to raise this money but the end result will mean an updated and efficient lifesaving presence in the town for many years to come."

St Ives will be one of the first stations in the country to receive one of the £1.5 million Shannon-class boats, funded by a legacy, and will need one of the new launch and recovery units to operate it.

The new lifeboat features twin water jets instead of screws – the first RNLI all-weather lifeboat propelled in this way – allowing her to operate in shallow waters and be highly manoeuvrable, giving the crew greater control when alongside other craft and in confined waters.

The Shannon will also be eight knots faster than the current Mersey-class boat.

Like all RNLI all-weather lifeboats, the Shannon is self-righting and will return to an upright position in the event of a capsize during extreme weather or sea conditions.

"The Shannon has been designed in-house by RNLI naval architects who have harnessed cutting-edge technology to ensure the new lifeboat meets the demands of a 21st-century rescue service and to allow the charity's volunteer crew to do their lifesaving work as safely as possible in all weather conditions," said a spokesman.

A PENZANCE duo are planning to drive to the edge of the Arctic Circle in a 20-year-old Lada for charity.

Rob Davies and Simon Horsfall are set to leave Cape Cornwall on Sunday and hope to make a 6,000-mile journey to North Cape in Norway in just three weeks.

The pair are raising money for Help For Heroes and the Bone Cancer Awareness Trust, and will drive the old Russian motor across 15 countries, including Denmark, Sweden, Russia and Latvia during the expedition.

Mr Davies, a carpet fitter, said he was looking forward to the trip but expected it to be a difficult journey.

"I can't wait," he said, "but it's going to be tough.

"It's not a jolly – it's like driving from here to London each day with no power steering or air con."

Mr Davies and Mr Horsfall hope to raise around £2,000 and have held a number of fundraising events building up to the drive.

Local businesses around west Penwith have provided sponsorship for the fuel.

The adventurer said he planned to jump in the sea when he arrived at mainland Europe's most northerly point. "I think it's the thing to do when you get up there," he said.

PUPILS past and present came together to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Sithney School.

Head teacher Susan Evans said the pupils themselves have been in charge of a large collection of memorabilia and old log books of the school's history, which visitors were able to see on the day.

The afternoon's activities started with a visit by older people who join the children for lunch each half-term.

Lunch was followed by the leavers' service which celebrated the ten pupils moving on to secondary school and also welcomed ten new reception pupils.

The opening ceremony for the big event included guest of honour Eunice Woolcock.

She is known as the Pasty Queen and is a former pupil of the school. She said a few words and then cut the ribbon with Hayden and Imogen, currently the youngest pupils in school. Eunice then hosted a pasty-making workshop where she shared her skills.

An interview with Garfield Pryer, a former pupil who desperately wanted to attend but could not through ill health, was broadcast on the interactive whiteboard.

He recalled his own silent days where pupils were fearful of the teachers.

More people arrived after work and as the celebration came to a close a time capsule was buried and the school family reflected on the next 100 years.

Mrs Evans said: "This part of the day was particularly poignant. To a huge cheer, we then released balloons.

"So many people have been involved in ensuring the day was memorable and special. I am so proud to be a small cog in this massive wheel.

"I have met a teacher, Mr Chappell, who taught here 60 years ago, former pupils from long ago and cuddled babies who are our future.

"This really has been something very special."

PEOPLE are being urged not to ignore fire alarms after a woman was rescued semi-conscious from a smoke-filled flat in Falmouth.

Firefighters had to break down the door as they could not raise the occupant and found her collapsed in the hallway and had to pull her out.

Twelve other occupants of the DCH (formerly Devon and Cornwall Housing) property Aberfal House in Arwenack Avenue had to be evacuated on Sunday evening.

Watch manager Stuart Williams said: "It could have potentially been really bad.

"The alarm was sounding in the block of flats and residents ignored it until about an hour later when someone could smell burning.

"I don't think people realised what was going on, but my advice is, if you have an alarm sounding we advise you to check it out and call us."

Two crews were sent to the flats at about 10.30pm.

"We were there within three minutes and smoke was coming out the letterbox of her flat," said Mr Williams.

"Firefighters Giles Kent and Justin Smith took it on instinct that someone was inside and smashed the door down.

"They recovered a young lady in the hallway and pulled her out. She was semi-conscious.

"We evacuated the rest of the residents. Some were elderly and frail, and the crew helped them into the back of the fire engine to get comfy.

"They were out for about half an hour. We ventilated the building and, once it was cleared, they could go back in."

The fire itself was contained to a cooker, where Mr Williams said something had been left on and boiled dry, setting fire to items next to it.

"The property was smoke-logged rather than full of flames, but it is smoke that kills," he said.

The woman was taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Truro for treatment for smoke inhalation.

Safe

No further details on her condition were known.

A spokesman from DCH said: "Our housing team attended the flats promptly and all residents were able to return to their properties as soon as the fire service declared it was safe.

"There was minimum smoke damage to one property, which originated from a cooker, and safety checks are currently being carried out at the property as a matter of urgency so the resident can return to their home as soon as possible. We will give continued support and advice to residents about fire safety in their homes."

The 'no' camp is leading the Western Morning News' exclusive online poll into the controversial badger cull.

As of 4pm yesterday, 2,774 votes had been cast on ourwebsite at westernmorning news.co.uk on the question: Do you support a cull against badgers to eradicate spread of bovine TB?

Some 55% – or 1,519 votes – were against the Government-licensed cull which will see badgers on Exmoor and in Gloucester shot to halt the spread of bovine tuberculosis in cattle.

Meanwhile, 45% – or 1,255 – have voted in favour of the cull, which only seems to reinforce the divisive nature of the long-running debate.

The poll was launch on Wednesday after official Government figures revealed that 12,061 cattle were slaughtered due to bovine TB in the first four months of this year.

Initially, the WMN reported that this represent a year-on-year increase in the total number of animals killed, which was incorrect.

Instead, the number is slightly lower than the number during the same period in 2012, which was 12,279.

To cast your vote in the WMN online poll, visit www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/polls

The Earl of Wessex will today open a new £5.6 million outdoor education and training centre in Exeter.

Prince Edward will see students kayaking, canoeing and building improvised rafts in the canal basin and abseiling down the new climbing tower and will inspect the training rooms and facilities at Haven Banks on the Exeter Quay.

The centre was officially handed over last month and is already hosting activity sessions and classes. It replaces the existing, outdated activity centre on the canal basin.

Devon County Council paid for the building and, in a pioneering partnership, it will be run by Exeter College on a day-to-day basis.

The old activity centre provided outdoor education courses for more than 25,000 young people a year. The new centre will increase the take-up by providing a contemporary hub for outdoor adventure activities for young people and adults from across the region.

They were heartbreaking scenes. Dead and dying birds littered the south coast beaches of Devon, Cornwall and Dorset, their feathers glued together by a mystery substance.

It was identified by scientists soon after the first incident in February as polyisobutylene – or PIB – which is used in chewing gum, adhesive tape, cosmetics and as an oil additive.

Scores of dead seabirds, mostly guillemots, were washed ashore that month and while concerns were raised by conservationists, it was thought the worst was over.

But two months later, a second wave of pollution hit the region's shores, this time focused on South East Cornwall and South Devon, rapidly increasing the death toll.

In all, some 3,500 seabirds died as a result of the contamination, while a further 500 were rescued. Many, though, had to be euthanased. The bodies of thousands of other birds are thought to have been taken by the sea.

Unsurprisingly, environmentalists called for an immediate ban on the dumping of PIB, which can legally be disposed of at sea under certain conditions.

The Government pledged action and an investigation was launched by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) which has so far narrowed the source to seven ships.

"Since tests confirmed the product was PIB, the MCA has been collecting data of the ships that passed through the area during a specific time frame, and has been looking through detailed cargo manifests," a spokesman for the agency said.

"Information is also being sought from authorities in Portugal, the Netherlands and the USA, along with ports, the chemical and shipping industry.

"If the MCA can locate any ship that was responsible for an illegal discharge then we will take steps to prosecute."

Transport Minister Stephen Hammond said "informal discussions" had taken place between the MCA and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the global shipping regulator, "on the classification of PIB".

"Investigations are ongoing," he said in a written answer, "and once the reasons for the incidents are established, we will if appropriate formally approach the IMO to review the carriage requirements for polyisobutylene."

Regulations for what the IMO calls the "operational discharge of noxious liquid substances carried in bulk by ships" are set out in the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution by Ships – known as the MARPOL Convention.

PIB is listed in "Category Y" which covers "substances which, if discharged into the sea from tank cleaning or deballasting operations, are deemed to present a hazard to either marine resources or human health or cause harm to amenities or other legitimate uses of the sea and therefore justify a limitation on the quality and quantity of the discharge into the marine environment".

Nevertheless, the regulations allow for PIB to discharged at sea when the ship is "proceeding en route at a speed of at least seven knots in the case of self propelled ships or at least four knots in the case of ships which are not self propelled".

The discharge should also be made through underwater outlets "at a distance of not less than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land in a depth of water of not less than 25 metres".

PIB's status was last reviewed in 2004. These revised regulations came into force in 2007.

The IMO said evaluation of such chemicals was carried out by the snappily-titled "Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP)-Evaluation of Safety and Pollution Hazards (ESPH) Working Group".

In turn, it reports to the IMO sub committee on "Bulk Liquids and Gases".

A spokesman for the IMO said: "As a scientific peer review body, the group are able to reassess ratings but this would normally only be undertaken following the provision of new studies/test data to demonstrate that the basis utilised for the initial assignment was inaccurate and at odds with the new information being made available."

He added: "Any specific consideration of more rigid controls would be addressed but this would need to be based on a fully documented case which was presented in accordance with the submission procedures employed by the organisation.

"This would require a formal submission to be made either through one of the member states or via one of the non-governmental organisations having consultative status at IMO."

The seafarers' union Nautilus has previously criticised the IMO for its "glacial" pace of change.

"One of our concerns is that initially the Government seemed to be talking quite dynamically about pushing this up the agenda, however recent statements from ministers appear to have gone a bit lukewarm," spokesman Andrew Linington said.

"Whether we are reading too much into it or whether they have had some feedback from the IMO about how long this is likely to take, we don't know.

"Even with the best will in the world it can take years to get stuff through because it has to go through sub committees and be assessed by technical and legal experts.

"Even if everyone was behind it, you are looking at a minimum of two years for it to get through the process. It isn't going to be quick."

Mr Linington stressed that seafarers took their environmental responsibilities seriously.

He said they supported action to prohibit PIB discharges but said it also had to be supported by action ashore.

"Where it falls apart is in the countries and ports which don't provide the facilities to dispose of such wastes," he added. "Sometimes when they do have the facilities, they charge extortion amounts to use them.

"Any new regulations must be practical and workable otherwise it is like asking people who go to the beach to dispose of their litter responsibly and then not providing bins or charging a fortune for them to use it."

Conservationists, backed by public petitions with tens of thousands of signatures, remained determined that the Government, and the IMO, act sooner rather than later.

The RSPB said previous pollution incidents involving PIB – in the Irish Sea in 1994, and in the North Sea in 1998 and 2010 – proved tank washing should be banned.

Tony Whitehead, from the RSPB in the South West, said: "The seabird disaster along the South West coast earlier this year highlighted the risks attached to the rapid increase in the use, transportation and discharge of non-oil products such as PIB – the so-called "Hazardous and Noxious Substances" (HNS).

"RSPB is calling for a review into the response to such incidents involving HNS and the way these products are tested and classified under international shipping regulations.

"If it's found, when tested in real conditions, these substances are harmful for wildlife there should then follow a ban on their discharge in any quantity.

"And we would urge all organisations involved to act quickly in response to the growing global trade. Global consumption of PIB alone is forecast to increase by around 40% by 2017 to 1.2 million tonnes per year."

A £2,000 reward is being offered to trace the people responsible for the death of a bottlenose dolphin that was allegedly mowed down in a Cornish estuary on Saturday.

It is believed a young calf was killed after a group of boats surrounded a pod of dolphins in the Camel Estuary near Daymer Bay, Padstow, at around 3.30pm.

Faye Archell, trustee of British Divers Marine Life Rescue, said: "Around 25 small vessels were harassing a pod of bottlenose dolphins out of the bay.

"As result of that general harassment a juvenile dolphin was killed.

"It is a criminal offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to harass the animals.

"We are appealing for anyone who has photos or videos of what happened to contact the police."

Ms Archell said incidents such as this have become more common in recent years and she urged boat users to keep a safe distance from the animals to prevent future deaths.

"This probably wasn't malicious – at least we hope it wasn't," she said. "It was probably just a group of people getting carried away enjoying seeing the dolphins.

"There are ways that that can be done safely and guidelines that people should follow that do not ruin the enjoyment but will keep the dolphins safe.

"Unfortunately we are seeing this happen more and more."

The £2,000 reward has been put forward by marine conservation charity Sea Shepherd UK.

A representative from the charity said: "Sea Shepherd UK, together with Bob Archell's Dive Master Insurance, is offering a reward totalling £2,000 for information leading to an arrest and successful conviction of the persons responsible for the suspected killing of a young bottlenose dolphin yesterday."

Bottlenose dolphins have been spotted with increased regularity across the Westcountry in recent days.

Just last week, people were captivated when dolphins were spotted in the River Dart and in several spots off the South Devon coast.

A spokesman from Devon and Cornwall Police said its wildlife crimes officer was looking into the events surrounding the young dolphin's death in the Camel Estuary to determine whether any criminal activity had taken place.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the police on 101.

The 'no' camp continues to lead the Western Morning News's exclusive online poll into the controversial badger cull – though the gap is narrowing.

As of 5pm yesterday, 6,750 votes had been cast on our website at westernmorning news.co.uk on the question: Do you support a cull against badgers to eradicate spread of bovine TB?

Some 52% – or 3,491 votes – were against the Government-licensed cull, which will see badgers on Exmoor and in Gloucester shot to halt the spread of bovine tuberculosis in cattle. Meanwhile, 48% – or 3,259 – have voted in favour of the cull, which only seems to reinforce the divisive nature of the long-running debate.

Friday's figures, by comparison, were 55% against the poll and 45% in favour, based on 2,774 votes cast. The poll was launched on Wednesday after official figures revealed that 12,061 cattle were slaughtered due to bovine TB in the first four months of this year.

The Government has paved the way for two trial culls to take place – and a third in Dorset as a back-up.

The licences were granted for the culls to begin on June 1 but so far it is not believed that any badgers have been killed.

Many farmers insist the culls are necessary to eliminate the spread of bovine TB in cattle. Opponents, however, insist that the scientific evidence upon which the cull was approved is not sound.

To cast your vote in the WMN online poll, visit www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/polls

Countryside enthusiasts were treated to glorious weather in picture-perfect parkland as they enjoyed a big celebration of rural life at the weekend.

Around 20,000 people flocked to the Devon Country Fayre and English National Sheepdog trials at Castle Hill, Filleigh, near Barnstaple, where temperatures reached almost 30C.

The event, which ran from Friday until yesterday, included a gundog show, a sheep show, duck herding, ferret racing, and demonstrations by the Dartmoor Hill Pony Club and Young Farmers Club.

Chris Jaworski, a lecturer at Bicton College, an exhibitor at the event said: "It is just such a fantastic setting.

"This year it seems slicker. The weather has helped, although it was a killer on Friday."

Organisers had to ensure all the animals were kept cool throughout the event by giving them regular baths.

A campaign for an investigation into fuel price manipulation is being backed by a Westcountry MP.

A 30,000-signature petition has now been handed to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) calling for a full inquiry into soaring pump prices.

It follows allegations in May that BP and Shell had inflated oil prices – claims that are now being investigated by the EU.

North Cornwall Liberal Democrat MP Dan Rogerson also wants the OFT to intervene and has backed the petition organised by the campaign group Fair Fuel UK.

"Time and time again, local people and businesses tell me that the cost of petrol and diesel is one of their biggest concerns," Mr Rogerson said.

"That's why I am making it one of my priorities to do everything I can to keep fuel prices down to help local people with the cost of living – including by campaigning for the 5p-a-litre reduction in tax on fuel to be extended to rural North Cornwall.

"But it is important to explore all the options – we have heard allegations in recent years from whistleblowers that the oil industry actively engages in Libor-like oil price manipulation. It is about time that these rumours were fully investigated by the OFT so that we can get to the bottom of what is going on.

"With investigations under way in America and Europe, I am calling on the OFT to do the same. The coalition Government has acted to freeze fuel duty since 2010, but if oil companies are manipulating oil prices, all of our hard work could be going to waste."

The OFT did little to relieve the pressure on rural motorists earlier this year when its report on the fuel sector found pump prices were 2p a litre more expensive in the countryside but concluded the market was "working well".

It put the rise in costs over the past ten years down to increases in tax and the cost of crude oil.

It said there was "very limited evidence" that retailers quickly hiked prices when the wholesale price rose, but let them fall more when it dropped. Further investigation was ruled out.

The OFT did recognise that competition in areas like the Westcountry was weaker and found petrol was around 1.9p a litre more expensive and diesel around 1.7p a litre more expensive in rural areas than in urban areas.

Fewer competitors, higher transport costs for getting fuel to rural forecourts and lower throughputs were to blame, according to the official report.

Calls for a fresh inquiry into the fuel sector came as the AA warned that prices of petrol and diesel could rise by 5p a litre because of market speculators. It warned that would cost a family travelling from London to Cornwall an additional £2.90 in fuel. In all, the AA said, that could strip some £250,000 away from the tourism business into the pockets of the fuel industry.

The Westcountry's longest heatwave in seven years is set to end in spectacular fashion this week, with the sizzling heat and humidity giving way to thunderstorms, torrential rain and even hail.

The Mediterranean-style weather is likely to peak today with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees in the South West before the dramatic change.

Storms are due to arrive in the region tonight, bringing thunder, lightning and heavy downpours of rain and hail.

Up to 50mm (two inches) of rain could fall in just a few hours tomorrow, leading to a risk of localised flooding.

The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning, telling people in the South West to "be aware" of rain on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Helen Chivers, spokesman for the Exeter-based weather centre, said the latest forecast signalled "something of a change" from long spells of unbroken sunshine.

"The high pressure system is moving away and is being replaced by low pressure, which means an end to the fine spell of weather we've been having," she said.

Mrs Chivers predicted the thunderstorms would affect many parts of Devon and Cornwall tonight, leading to "potentially heavy downpours" across the region over the following 48 hours.

Unsettled weather is likely to return later in the week and during next week, with spells of sunshine mixed with heavy rain and potentially thunder.

"There are some people who are desperate for rain," Mrs Chivers added.

Sweltering conditions are set to continue today, with highs of 28 degrees in the region before the current weather system moves away.

The storm forecast comes after the longest sustained period of hot, dry weather since 2006, when temperatures hovered in the late 20s and at times reached 30 degrees.

The Met Office issued a level three heatwave warning in the South West last week as concerns grew for the health of vulnerable people.

Emergency services were given a busy weekend, with numerous people getting into difficulties while out and about enjoying the tail end of the fine weather.

A 72-year-old paraglider was helped off a section of beach near Shaldon, South Devon, after he landed in a bay with the tide coming in on Saturday afternoon. And a man in his 50s needed rescuing from rocks at Wembury earlier in the day after his catamaran capsized off the South Devon coast.

On the north coast, four people were taken to safety at around 8am after their boat lost power near Ilfracombe in North Devon.

Also on Saturday a yachtsman made a mayday call at around midnight after his 23ft vessel ran over fishing gear two miles off the Cornish coast near Mevagissey. Crew members from Fowey RNLI spent around two-and-a-half hours bringing the man and his yacht to safety, due to tricky offshore conditions.

Another midnight rescue saw a man returned to the mainland after becoming stranded on Beggars Island, near Saltash in Cornwall.

The hot weather has provided a welcome boost to the Westcountry's tourism industry, with more than a million holidaymakers and daytrippers expected to have visited the region over the weekend.

Robin Barker, who leads Devon-based company Services for Tourism, said: "The heatwave has been absolutely fantastic for the industry.

"But we would like a bit of rain. If you were on holiday in the Caribbean, you would expect the odd tropical storm.

"The weather forecasts have been fair and accurate, but it's important the media report the weather in a balanced way," he added.

A chief forecaster at the Met Office explained that the change in the weather would be caused by low pressure mixing with the current "plume of hot, humid air".

"The developing set-up on Tuesday and Wednesday provides the ingredients for more widespread and energetic storms.

"Large rainfall totals, falling in short periods and on to hard-baked ground, may lead to flooding locally, with hail a possibility," he said.

The changeable weather is likely to continue into August, with the southern part of the country likely to see better weather than elsewhere.

Temperatures are predicted to drop during the first few days of the month, but remain warm at times in the south.

A motorcyclist was fighting for his life yesterday after he was involved in a crash with a car on a high-speed road. The man was rushed to hospital on Saturday following the collision in Helston, Cornwall. Emergency services were called to the scene on the A3083 close to Gunwalloe Road at around 10.45pm. A police spokesman said: "The rider of the motorcycle suffered serious, life- threatening injuries and is currently being treated in hospital."