01/02/2014 Spotlight

Thank you very much. That is it from us.

A van driver has walked away with minor injuries after his vehicle

crashed over a bridge and plunged 20 feet into the fast flowing river

Tamor. The partially submerged transit van came to rest near

Gunnislake after the accident early this morning.

A Brooklyn Bridge and a 20 foot drop into the river and 200 yards

stream, a partially submerged transit van and incredibly, the

driver managed to get to safety. As far as the aware, the driver was

with the vehicle all the way through and he made his escape after it came

to rest downstream. We don't know where the driver managed to get out

of the river but there is his vehicle, pointing straight back up

towards the bridge. It really is an incredible escape. It happened at

around 9am this morning. It appears the van was crossing the bridge from

Cornwall when something went wrong. Sometimes lorries scrape the side of

the wall because it is very tight. This is the most serious accident we

have had here for a long time. The van driver, a 30`year`old man were

leaved to be from the area, was taken to be hospital but it is

thought he only had minor injuries. It is a pleasant surprise to find

that somebody is OK after such a fall. It is not clear when the

bridge will reopen. One thing is certain, the driver of this ban is

very lucky. That bridge will be closed for at

least a week. Several gale force winds are

expected to bring further disruption to coastal communities later today.

Gusts of up to 70 miles an hour could force the high tides to

overtop sea and harbour walls. Jersey has been hit by stormy seas

today and some homes were left without electricity. In Portreath in

Cornwall there was some minor flooding with this morning's high

tides but the Environment Agency say more severe weather is on its way

this afternoon. This weekend sees Yeovil Town away

to Nottingham Forest and Plymouth Argyle try to end their losing

streak against Mansfield Town at Home Park. Exeter City bid to stop

their slide down League Two with a good result at Burton Albion. Winger

Danny Stevens is back with Torquay United on a short`term contract

until the end of the season. He could feature at Portsmouth.

Exeter Chiefs winger Jack Nowell is prepared to make his senior

international debut for the England rugby team later today. The

20`year`old who is from Newlyn, goes straight into the deep end against

France in Paris this evening. The weather is next.

We have further heavy showers on the way for this afternoon and some

strong winds. We do have a Met Office yellow warning and we could

see gusts of up to 60 miles an hour. Heavy showers this afternoon. They

will form a band a time, ringing a risk of hail and thunder. Highs of

just seven or eight degrees. This evening, the showers ease away and

they become more of a scattering by the early hours. Lows of four or

five degrees. Tomorrow, further showers expected and a blustery day

but the winds not as strong and more sunny spells.

I'm back with the evening news at 7:00pm.

Do have a very good afternoon. Goodbye.

Some of us will have to brace ourselves today. Leaning forward

into the wind. If you live over the west of the UK, there are gale-force

winds on the way, but the main hazards are the gales and the

potential for flooding.