A free vote is the cornerstone of our democracy, but did you know that technically, you can make your mark on the ballot paper using your own blood? Also, no matter how passionately you believe in a candidate, signing your name on the ballot paper will consign it to the dustbin while snapping a picture could mean a £5,000 fine. So here Cornwall Live brings you the definitive instructions and how, why and when to vote, along with the list of things you must never do on election...

A driver has died after their car crashed off the road and into a Cornish lake. The emergency services were called to Stithians Lake on Tuesday evening after reports that a vehicle had left the road. Police said the incident happened at around 9pm at Hillside, just outside of the hamlet of Carnmenellis by the south side of the lake. Read next: Three people including a child taken to hospital after multi-car accident near Bodmin The driver was taken to Royal Cornwall Hospital but...

A new games room has been unveiled at a west Cornwall primary school, following a community fundraiser set up to help an eight-year-old who could not play with his friends because of a rare hip condition. Harry Johns, from Leedstown, was diagnosed with Perthes – a rare childhood disease that affects the ball and socket joint of the hip. The keen rugby and cricket player was forced to watch his friends play outside because he could no longer run, enjoy football or use soft play. In...

A number of complaints have been received about "nuisance" trial bikers speeding through a peaceful woodland in Cornwall on motorised bikes.Locals said that there had been ongoing problems with the high powered vehicles being used illegally in the popular Parc Shady woodlands near Mount Hawke.Read more: Fraudsters claiming to be from Cornwall Council falsely promise council tax refundSt Agnes Parish Council is now taking a new approach to put a stop to the illegal bikers after teaming...

A Bodmin woman, who blamed the colour of the town's new pavement on Church Square for nearly causing her to fall over, has raised concerns over the design of the Building a Better Bodmin scheme. Hannah Lloyd said she believes visually impaired people will struggle to notice the drop between the pavement and road due to the colour - particularly when it is wet. Read more: Brothers Lee and Robert Firkins jailed for Wadebridge murders could appeal life sentencesCornwall Council says that the...

Three people are being taken to hospital following a multi-car accident on the A389 near Bodmin.A serious crash involving multiple cars took place earlier this evening near the village of Washaway and the B3266. Read more: Major works have started on Saltash Tunnel and this is what motorists should expectThe incident happened shortly before 6pm. A black Jeep Grand Cheerokee, a blue Volkswagen Golf and a silver one were involved, with the three cars registered to the Cornwall area.One lane of the...

Bargain homeware retailer Wilko is getting ready for the opening of its Truro store. It will welcome its first customers this morning.The firm is now putting the final touches to its latest shop, located in Boscawen Street, and staff could be seen from the street yesterday getting everything ready for when shoppers first come through the doors.Read more: Fraudsters claiming to be from Cornwall Council falsely promise council tax refundThe long-awaited opening will take place at 9am with a ribbon...

When a mum and dad wouldn't budge on the packed lunch gripes of twins they brought in their grandad as their secret weapon – and the response to their request will certainly raise a smile. Claire and Nick Jones received this hilarious letter sent on behalf of Lily and Maisie, aged seven, of St Austell last week, from grandad. Their daughters were most upset about being sent to school with sandwiches made from bread that they felt would only be fed to ducks. Claire's dad Michael...

Highways England have started major works on Saltash Tunnel and this is everything you need to know about them.Works on the A38 tunnel started this week and commuters that use it are likely to experience delays and diversions.Read more: Cornish England rugby star Luke Cowan-Dickie cleared of speeding with bungling postmen blamedWhy the works?Highways England are renewing fibre optics within the tunnel.Fibre optics provide the main communications link for the tunnel's safety system and the...

An England international rugby player from Cornwall has been cleared of speeding after a court blamed bungling postmen. Former Mounts Bay Academy and Truro College student Luke Cowan-Dickie, 23, was at training with Exeter Chiefs when his Mercedes car with personalised plates was caught by a speed camera five miles away. His vehicle was caught doing 55mph in a 30mph zone in West Clyst, Devon, but he denied the speeding offence and failing to identify the driver. Read next: Residents bid...

A third political heavyweight for the Conservatives was down in Cornwall today, campaigning to support the re-election of party members in the General Election. On a wet and misty day on Tuesday, party chairman and former transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin joined Derek Thomas in Helston. The pair went knocking on doors and asking the public for support, as the days count down to the election on June 8. It follows the recent visits by Prime Minister Theresa May and the new transport...

Fraudsters have been targeting people in Cornwall with a fresh scam leading them to believe that they are owed a refund after paying too much council tax. The scammers have been claiming to work for Cornwall Council. Read more: Residents bid to stop Newquay holiday property from becoming a summer party house Reports suggest that householders were led to believe that Cornwall Council might owe them money for a tax refund – but to find out if they were entitled to the refund...

A Charlestown woman has warned others not to appeal speeding convictions, after her failed attempt to seek mitigating circumstances for speeding while on her way to visit her dying brother in hospital. Brenda Edwards was travelling from St Austell to Dorset last year, in order to say goodbye to her brother who was in a critical condition in hospital. Read more: Brothers Lee and Robert Firkins jailed for Wadebridge murders could appeal life sentences Brenda said she was caught speeding on...

A man who was airlifted to hospital following a road traffic accident in Falmouth at the weekend suffered head and leg injuries. The accident involving two vehicles happened at Bickland Water Road just after 4pm on Sunday afternoon. The man had to be cut from the wreckage by firefighters before being transferred to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro. Two other people were treated at the scene by paramedics. A spokesman for Cornwall Air Ambulance said: "Cornwall Air Ambulance...

A number of valuable watches have been stolen during a burglary at a St Ives jeweller. Police are investigating after Calico Jewellers on Fore Street was broken into yesterday morning [Monday May 15]. Police were notified just before 4am to the burglary at the jewellery shop. Entry was gained by forcing the door and a substantial amount of watches were taken. Read more: Designs that will change a Cornwall town's waterfront forever revealed Officers wish to identify a blue car that was seen...

Plans for a huge rock-armour sea defence to protect six houses on the edge of a popular sandy beach in West Cornwall have been questioned by environmental campaigners. Cornwall Council planners are considering proposals for the project at Praa Sands on the south coast. The idea is to create a 375-metre bank of rock to halt erosion on the beach and protect the houses called Sandilands, Four Winds, Praaloha, Golden Sands, Morva and Little Cottage. Engineers for Cormac have advised the...

It's all too easy to find yourself cruising down the M5 calmly when out of nowhere someone does something rather stupid. This jaw-dropping video shows the moment that an Audi driver swerved from the outside lane to the exit, cutting across several lanes at speed. Watch him come sailing along in the right-hand lane overtaking cars as everything seems civilized and relaxed. Then suddenly, without warning, he swerves left between two cars in the middle lane - just feet apart.Read more: Man...

Desperate residents are campaigning to stop a Newquay holiday property from becoming a full throttle party house this summer. Residents of Pentire have decided to take action after 7 Lawton Close was marketed by the owner, Halulu Properties, as a beach house perfect for guests to "party and relax". The property sleeps between 18 and 24 people and boasts a swimming pool, hot tub and outside bar. Read next: Police are hunting thieves who smashed their way into a Newquay hotel in...

A chef who trained through Jamie Oliver's Fifteen project drove a car into a ditch after panicking over a hit-and-run. Neal James Hosking had borrowed his mum's Vauxhall Corsa without her knowing when the crash happened in Penzance. He lost control of the car on New Road shortly before midnight on Saturday December 10 last year, hit a parked silver Mercedes and left a trail of damage. But instead of reporting the incident to police Hosking checked no one was hurt then drove off and hid the...

A school's mascot Buzz the Bear has boldly gone where no bear has gone before after being launched into the edge of space. The Pool Academy bear was strapped onto a helium weather balloon and sent 20 miles up into space to capture images of the school and its surroundings. The space mission, called Project Infinity, was watched by about 100 students and members of staff when the countdown began at morning break. Despite the cloudy and windy weather conditions the launch was a success and a...