Cornwall

Cornish disaster relief charity ShelterBox went into action within hours of the Japanese earthquake.

The UK, New Zealand and South Korea responded immediately after Japan called for international aid to deal with the aftermath. 
 
ShelterBox's Tommy Tonkins told Rebecca Novell of UCF Journo's The World Tonight programme how one of their crack teams was already on the ground.

EU water regulations from Jessica Dowse on Vimeo.

New European regulations on bathing water quality are threatening to strip some of Cornwall's most beautiful beaches of their clean status.   

East Looe is one of three places in the county facing the loss of their EU-designated bathing areas.

Cornwall car park price rises from Calum MacDougall on Vimeo.

Car parking prices in Cornish towns are set to rocket, leaving many fearing for the future of high street businesses.

Drivers may well now choose to stay away from town centres and head to the out of town superstores, according to Councillor Jeremy Rowe.

National Coastwatch Institution search for volunteers from Claire Louise Jones on Vimeo.

A national charity needs more volunteers to help keep an eye out on the Cornish coastline.

The National Coastwatch Institution has over 40 fully operational stations nationwide staffed by 1,700 people.

Claire Jones reports.

Cornish Pasties from Valerie King on Vimeo.

Cornwall's national dish has got legal protection from the European Commission alongside champagne, Stilton cheese and Scotch whisky.

It means that only pasties which are baked west of the Tamar to a traditional recipe can be called Cornish.

Claire Jones reports.

Libraries across the county have reduced their opening times to save more than £1.5m.

Cornwall Council has decided to spare its 32 libraries from closure despite plans to save almost £250,000 a year from its £7m budget in the face of government cuts.

Savings will be made by reducing opening hours when demand is at its lowest and cutting money spent on new books.

Beach Clean from Clare Salisbury on Vimeo.

Chapel Porth near St Agnes is just one stretch of sand that is being cleared of litter.

Volunteers with the National Trust have been out en-masse to rid the area of harmful plastics in an effort to clean up the Cornish coastline.

A financial incentive scheme to encourage more use of renewable electricity faces the axe.

The feed-in tariff scheme was introduced by the UK government in October last year. It provides cash subsidies to householders and small businesses who put up solar panels or wind  turbines.

Heating Oil Thefts in Rural Britain from Calum MacDougall on Vimeo.

A new type of crime has hit the British countryside this winter as fuel prices rise.

Heating oil tanks are providing clever criminals with valuable and easily-accessible targets. 

Council leaders are calling on the Government to reconsider cuts to the UK coastguard service.

Leader Alec Robertson and chairman Pat Harvey, are among those who have signed a letter to maritime and shipping minister Mike Penning raising their concerns about the proposals.

The number of coastguard offices around the UK coastline could drop from 18 to eight, and Falmouth will become a "sub-centre", only operating in daylight hours.