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Inquest opened into deaths of married couple

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A husband and wife from Carbis Bay suffered violent deaths, it has emerged.

The inquests into the deaths of Derisa and Jonathan Trenchard have been opened and adjourned in Truro.

The couple were found dead at their home in Polwithen Drive on October 2.

At Truro City Hall on Wednesday, Cornwall coroner Emma Carlyon opened the inquest into the death of Derisa Trenchard.

Dr Carlyon said the body had been identified and, following a post-mortem, the cause of death was given as head injuries.

The inquest was then opened into the death of Jonathan Trenchard. The post-mortem report gave his cause of death as stab wounds to the neck and chest.

It has previously been established that on the day the bodies were found neighbours had seen the couple's 13-year-old son Joel leave for school and the couple were then spotted walking their King Charles spaniels at 8.45am.

Police have previously said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.


End of an era as Richard Austin's trusty old lens develops a fatal fault

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There is a single lens – now broken beyond repair – that has witnessed more amazing events in this region than most people have in the past two decades. Martin Hesp has been looking through its historic optics…

A well-known Westcountry photographer has had to buy a new lens – a fact that would not normally be mentioned in a newspaper, but this time the snapper concerned is Richard Austin and the old lens that needs replacing has been responsible for some of the most iconic pictures the WMN has published in the past 20 years.

The giant optics inside Richard's huge Canon 400mm f2.8 lens allowed him to get closer to the action than just about any other lens on the market – which is how, for example, he was able to bring the Westcountry its first terrifying images of cattle being loaded on to a Devon pyre during the 2000 Foot and Mouth outbreak.

The lens took other images that were to become world-famous – like the shot of the ill-fated Exmoor Emperor stag which Richard discovered living in woodland just south of the moors.

Such lenses don't come cheap – you could expect to spend the best part of £10,000 on such optics today – which is why there are so few around. But for a professional like Richard they can be an essential part of the job…

"There is no way I'd have got the shot of Pete Goss's catamaran leaving Totnes for the first time back in 2000 without that lens," says Richard. "Everyone was looking forward to see the newly built boat that was going to take part in a round the world race – so when I knew he was leaving Totnes I took my camera and big lens a few miles down-river and up on to the hill above Sharpham Vineyard. That photo was made in to a poster by the Western Morning News."

But Richard admits the bulky piece of equipment has cost him in more ways that one. "Its heavy weight has been responsible for various medical problems I've had lugging it around – like tennis-elbow, a hernia and various shoulder aches and pains."

The lens been used for a multitude of sports in the Westcountry and many hundreds of pictures in the WMN in the last 17 years.

"One photo I will always remember taking was of Concorde making its first ever landing at Exeter Airport, in 2000," says Richard. "I was allowed inside the perimeter onto the grass – and it was so loud I had two fillings fall out with the vibration!

"Another image it grabbed for me that went into papers and magazines around the world after it had been in the WMN was of a swan at Abbotsbury Swannery. I caught her going up this little stream with a dark canopy overhead – it was full frame and if you look carefully there were two little cygnets on mum's back. People said I did it on Photoshop – which professional photographers find quite hurtful – but if you look at the reflection in the water you will see the full face of the cygnet which you can't see above. You couldn't mock that up."

All good things come to an end and recently Richard's faithful Canon 400mm f2.8 bit the dust and he's been told there is no one in the UK capable of repairing such a rare piece of kit. He's now had to purchase an even more powerful Canon 600mm – and we look forward to seeing some of the images which will be captured by that.

End of an era as Richard Austin's trusty old lens develops a fatal fault

Senior council housing official accepted bribes

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A council official who accepted thousands of pounds worth of bribes from contractors will have to wait until the New Year to learn his sentence.

A Judge has delayed the sentencing of Anthony Bodgin until March at the earliest and he may not know his fate until the end of a trial involving the contractors who are alleged to have paid him.

Anthony Bodgin, aged 63, from Melbourne Street, Tiverton, has already admitted accepting corrupt payments when he was a senior official in Exeter City Council's housing department.

His case was adjourned until March 27 by Judge Francis Gilbert, QC, when he will return to court with the four fellow defendants.

A trial is expected to take place next summer of two men and a women who have denied their involvement in the alleged scam.

One of the other four defendants also admitted conspiracy to steal from Exeter City Council.

The charges against all the defendants allege they were involved in the corrupt awarding of contracts for scaffolding work or insulation work which was not carried out.

Former Exeter City Council special projects and tenant liaison manager Bodgin has admitted a total of eight counts including theft, fraud, conspiracy and misuse of his public office.

He admitted receiving payments running into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Harold McGirl, aged 63, of Southbourne Road, St Austell, admitted one count relating to a payment of £5,000 to Bodgin to secure a £81,000 contract.

Building contractor Kevin Wingrave, aged 50, of Periwinkle Drive, Plymouth, denied five counts of conspiracy to steal. His partner Lynda McMayon, aged 56, of the same address, denied one similar charge.

Gary Rawlings, aged 57, of Langford, Biggleswade, denied conspiracy to steal from Exeter City Council.

The charges relate to work done by a number of firms for Exeter City Council and the Devon Tenants Partnership Group between 2005 and 2010.

Companies including First Scaffolding, MAC Services, Miller Pattison ltd, were allegedly paid £700,000 of public money.

The court appearances follow a lengthy police inquiry codenamed Operation Bathgate.

Judge Francis Gilbert, QC adjourned all the cases for a pre-trial review at which the judge who will hear the case next summer will decide when to sentence Bodgin and McGirl.

Bodyboard stars drop in on Duchy

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World bodyboarding elite will descend on Cornwall this weekend as part of a UK-wide tour.

Hawaiian-born Mike Stewart, who is widely regarded as the godfather of the sport, will be joined by Australian pro rider Tom Rigby at Bodyboard HQ in Portreath this afternoon.

The pair, will meet and greet fans, sign autographs, take part in a question and answer session and, if conditions are right, demonstrate their skills in the water.

Bodyboard HQ owner Dave Heard said Stewart was the bodyboarding equivalent of legendary athletes like Michael Jordan or Pele.

He said: "The buzz around his visit is very exciting; this will be a great day for British bodyboarding."

The day will also include a raffle to raise money for a new British Bodyboarding Initiative which will help disadvantaged people to experience the sport.

Bodyboard stars drop in on Duchy

One last mountain to climb: postman to scale Antarctic peak

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Cornish postman Ed Buckingham sets his sights on last of the world's seven highest continental peaks. Martin Freeman finds out how he does it.

Ed Buckingham is rightly proud of his winter boots – all £800 of them.

The price tag would match something to die for from London fashion week. But these are meant to keep him alive.

They were made for walking: they took him to the top of Everest.

On the way up those boots stepped over the remains of a man who had died near the summit years ago.

On the way down they took him past the corpse of a climber he'd seen alive days earlier.

He scaled the highest point in the world in 2011 at the age of 38, a step along the way to his goal of climbing the greatest mountains on all seven continents.

If all goes to plan, Ed will complete the list in January by scaling the 4,892m Mount Vinson in Antarctica.

Ed has been feted as the first Cornishman to climb Everest, which helped land him the Cornish Gorsedh Exceptional Endeavour award in September this year.

He reckons his greatest achievement, though, is to have come back in one piece.

"People look surprised when I tell them the boots cost £800," he says. "But I've still got ten toes. My gloves cost £100 – but I've still got two hands."

Those are sobering comments from a man who does not go in for emotion, not even when on top of the world.

He says he did not celebrate when he reached the summit of Everest because he knew the job was only half done.

"I was so focused because I knew that most accidents happen on the way down," he says.

And while the thought of losing a toe or a finger or a foot or a hand to frostbite is enough to send a shiver down the spine, Ed is not talking about a mishap that would leave him maimed. He is talking about something that might cost him his life, as his chilling experience on Everest illustrates.

About 3,500 people have reached the summit and more than 200 have died on the mountain. Conditions are so dangerous that if you die you will probably stay there. Other climbers would be risking their lives by bringing a body down.

Ed's achievements are remarkable on two further scores: he is not a wealthy man and he does not have a long list of sponsors. He finances his climbs on his modest wage as a Royal Mail lorry driver based in Plymstock.

Climbing Everest cost him £20,000 and the Antarctica trip will set him back about £30,000. His total expenditure on climbing the seven peaks will be about £80,000, he says.

"I have made a lot of sacrifices. I don't go out for meals, I don't go out drinking and I'm single. If I did have a partner, I don't think it would last long.I use all my holiday for this."

On top of that he has raised thousands of pounds for charitable causes. And it all started when he was a couch potato at home in Saltash in 1999.

"I'd broken my foot playing football," he recalls. "I was sitting with my foot up, putting on weight and watching television.

"I saw a travel programme about climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

"I thought that it looked quite interesting. The farthest I'd been was Spain. I was 26 and getting a bit old for lads' holidays like that, so I thought I'd have a go."

He had twin worries about attempting to climb Africa's highest mountain (5,895m or 19,341ft): about getting ill on his first trip outside Europe, and about the thin air of the altitude.

"Nobody knows how their body will react at altitude. Anybody can suffer and not be able to get over it. If you do, the only cure is to come down.

"I got a slight headache but I followed the advice, to drink lots of water, even through the night when you wake up.

"I really enjoyed it and I felt overjoyed at the top."

After the Tanzania trip he was hooked on the idea of doing more climbing.

He did some winter training in Glencoe in the Scottish highlands and set his sights on Mont Blanc in France, at 4,810m the highest peak in western Europe, the following summer.

Unseasonal weather foiled that attempt and gave him his first experience of how dangerous high mountains can be. "We were thigh-deep in snow and had to turn back. I was so cold I had to be helped to put a coat on.

"Safety comes first. Nobody likes to give up but if you don't you are a danger to yourself, to the (expedition) leader and also to the rescue services who have to try to get you off the mountain." (After a second failed attempt it was third time lucky on Mont Blanc in 2004.)

After the French Alps disappointment Ed raised the bar in the winter of 2000 with a trip to Argentina. His aim was to tick off another of the seven summits, although he says at that stage he had no intention of climbing them all. "Everest never entered my head."

Aconcagua, the highest mountain in South America, was "a different kettle of fish at a few metres short of 7,000m (nearly 23,000ft). It was very hard going through a very dry valley at 35C to get to the mountain, very barren with no snow. The wind was 50-60mph – the higher you get, the stronger it gets – and we had to sit out a storm." Ed made the summit but suffered from altitude sickness.

The term makes the affliction sound like a bout of nausea. The reality is much, much worse. Ed was in the early stages of a potentially fatal, high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE), in which fluid begins to build on the brain.

"I was losing my balance and staggering and my speech was slurred." The guide gave him medication to reduce the effects and they descended.

Money saved, two years later he scaled Europe's highest peak, Elbrus in the Caucasus mountains in Russia. The 5,642m peak was not as hard as Aconcagua and "I did not really enjoy it," he says.

The following summer came his favourite climb so far: Mount McKinley (6,194m), in Alaska, the highest point in North America.

"The Inuit call it Denali, The High One, and I really enjoyed it. Because of the cold and the remoteness you have to bring more with you. I had a 100-litre pack and pulled a sledge.

"We were roped together in threes so if one of you fell through a crevasse – that's a real danger on the glacier – you had to hope the others braced and stopped you falling too far. It was hard. There were three bouts of bad weather and a lot of fresh snowfall.

"People are very environmentally aware there. You have to take every bit of waste out with you."

Every bit?

Ed smiles. "Everything, including your poo! You poop and scoop." A comment by one of the guides, that McKinlay was equivalent in difficulty to some of the easier 8,000m peaks in the Himalayas, got him thinking about the highest mountain range in the world.

And so in October 2005 he ticked off the sixth highest mountain on Earth, Cho Oyu. The 8,201m summit is considered the easiest 8,000m-plus mountain to climb and is a common target for guided parties.

Ed knocked that one off without oxygen tanks and was one of ten out of his group of 19 to make the summit. Most fell victim to debilitating stomach bugs and Ed suffered from frostbite.

"When you get to the top, you see Everest above you (about 12 miles away) and one of the climbers I met had climbed Everest."

That got him thinking. "I went to my GP and he said that if I wanted to do it, I was physically OK and very fit. It was up to me."

He consulted his mum and dad, Jean and Des, who also live in Saltash. They are keen walkers – ramblers rather than mountaineers – and were worried but accepted their son's desire to complete his adventure.

He set his sights on the notorious northern approach, the hardest route to the summit. It was a calculated risk. That route meant avoiding the Khumbu ice fall which eats up time (and money) and can stop climbers in their tracks because of crevasses. Many have died there.

Ed decided to go for it, despite the northern route necessitating two nights in the "death zone". That area, above 8,000m, is particularly dangerous because of high winds, low temperatures and the drastically reduced level of oxygen.

"Your body can't cope at that altitude. You are basically shutting down and the longer you stay, the more dangerous it is."

That was pressed home as he stepped over one corpse and past others.

He did not pay for a sherpa (helper), because he wanted the "full challenge" and to save money. His limited budget is always on his mind.

"At the top some people jumped about. Some got their mobile phones out. But I did not want to celebrate because I knew the job was half done.

"There was no point phoning my mum and dad until I was safely off the mountain."

The 20 minutes on the top was eaten up fumbling for a spare battery for his camera for some precious photos and getting read for the descent.

"I can't tell you how difficult it is climbing, even with oxygen, at that height. Everything takes ages."

The final mile to the summit typically takes 12 hours.

But he did it first time and raised £4,000 for the British Heart Foundation – his father suffers from cardiac disease.

Everest conquered, Kosciouszko (2,228m), the highest peak on the continent of Australia, was a relative stroll. "The biggest danger there was bush fires."

That leaves Mount Vinson waiting for him. He will set out from the UK on Boxing Day. Temperatures as low as minus 30C and the notorious Antarctic gales are among the hazards, although he says the mountain is not the most technically difficult.

"How will I feel when I make it? I can only surmise. I hope that I will feel relieved."

He is a changed person. Physically he has gone from 14st to 11st 7lbs on a 5ft 8in frame. "Your physiology is changed by high-altitude climbing," he explains.

The biggest changes are psychological. Saltash born and raised, and resident there all his life, Ed's horizons have been broadened.

"I've learned that the secret is being mentally strong, which I am. That's where the big difference is."

So will he hang up those boots once Vinson is bagged?

"I hope that will be my last," he says – though I wouldn't bet on it.

Ed will be raising money for the British Heart Foundation. You can sponsor him at justgiving.com/edvinson14

One last mountain to climb: postman to scale Antarctic peak

Dogs could be banned from Stanhope Park in Holsworthy

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Dogs could be banned from a park in Holsworthy if new control orders are put in place.

Holsworthy Town Council received a number of complaints regarding prolific dog mess in Stanhope Park.

Councillors discussed introducing a 'dogs on leads' order or a complete dog ban in Stanhope Park in this month's town council meeting.

The council's latest member Lyndon Piper said: "It is easy to catch people who haven't got their dogs on leads."

He also said having the pets on leads could potentially tackle dog mess issues.

During the meeting, Holsworthy town clerk, Lisa Bowman, said any new orders will have to go through a consultation process.

Town councillor Jon Hutchings said: "It makes sense to look at a consultation."

He added: "It is wrong when you have to clean up dog mess before you can do anything. If people can't look after their dogs, why should other people suffer."

Mr Hutchings said he was not suggesting dogs should be banned and that ideas were only put forward.

Stanhope Park is owned by Holsworthy Town Council rather than Torridge District Council. Other parks have dog orders enforced, for example dogs must be kept on a lead in Bideford's Victoria Park.

Dogs could be banned from Stanhope Park in Holsworthy

WMN opinion: Archbishop is a man who puts needs of people first

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We may be regularly reminded that Britain is a multi-cultural country with a population that follows a number of different religious faiths and – increasingly – no faith at all. But the Archbishop of Canterbury still plays a very significant role in British public life. That is why Justin Welby's visit to the Westcountry this weekend, is worthy of note and why his choice of places to visit, including, yesterday, a food bank in Launceston and a farm nearby, tell us something of his priorities in his role as head of the Church of England.

Different Archbishops demonstrate different styles. Few, however, can avoid controversy with their public utterances and Archbishop Welby will be no exception. Yet already his view of the world and those things that he considers important for the church to campaign about are becoming clear. One of Archbishop Welby's major concerns is most definitely the alleviation of poverty. Although he is patently a made of enormous faith, it is people, rather than church institutions, that seem to make him tick. One needs only to read his recent interview on the church's link with education to see that. Church schools, he says, may be moving away from faith-based entry tests and opening their doors to a wider group of pupils. Significantly, he makes the point that the main reason this needs to happen is to help alleviate poverty.

Last month it emerged Archbishop Welby had met with the Duchess of Cornwall to discuss the fight against poverty and earlier this week he warned that excessively expensive Christmas presents could 'spoil life' and that love and affection were more important for families at Christmas than material things.

The theme that is emerging is of a man wholly focussed on the human condition. If he directs the church he runs – which has enormous national and international clout – to concentrate more of its time on improving that condition, he is likely to win more followers and more supporters.

Of course, traditional Christians will expect that the work to alleviate poverty, improve education and drive home the message about family 'love and affection' will all come wrapped in a specifically Anglican message. Justin Welby will want that too, we are sure. One already gets the impression, however that of even greater importance to him is that no one who needs support is neglected.

WMN opinion: Archbishop is a man who puts needs of people first

WMN calendar sales bump One Direction's effort from top slot

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Forget the latest boy band, sales of the Western Morning News' calendar of the region's beauty spots are outstripping the one featuring the lads from pop sensation One Direction, writes Sarah Pitt.

The Western Morning News' Westcountry Calendar 2014 features a selection of stunning views from the newspaper's popular daily Western Morning Views slot.

And according to retailer Calendar Club, the new release is proving even more popular in its six Westcountry stores than the one featuring One Direction, despite the pop band's calendar shaping up to be the national bestseller ahead of perennial favourite Sir Cliff Richard.

In the chain's store in Plymouth's New George Street, the WMN calendar came second only to the one featuring young Plymouth Olympic diver Tom Daley, who popped in to boost sales of his own calendar last week.

"It is interesting that One Direction have been bumped from the top slot in the Westcountry," said Natalie Taylor of Calendar Club. "I was really surprised."

Less surprised, perhaps, will be fans of the paper's regular Western Morning View slot, which demonstrates the sheer variety of beauty to be found in the region in photographs submitted by readers. The calendar features one view for every fortnight of the year, taken by Martyn Hasluck, Patricia Malek Rob Kendall, Rosie Spooner, Shaun Skinner, Robin Jacobs, Roy Curtis, Max Doble, Mike Watson, John Husband, Max Doble, Tim Barker, Jeffrey Blake, Dave Peake, David Dummett and Tina Haydn-Jones.They range from clifftop views over sweeping sands, to harbours at night, and lonely moorland tors in the evening light. Patricia Malek captures the daffodils in the woodland gardens at Castle Hill in North Devon, while Rosie Spooner shows the grandeur of the North Cornwall coastline with her photograph of the Towanroath Engine House overlooking Chapel Porth beach.

To order copies of the calendar, simply fill in the today's on page 18 of today's WMN or order online here

WMN calendar sales bump One Direction's effort from top slot


Claire Worden from Cardinham will lead YFCs nationally this year

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A CARDINHAM woman has been elected as the new chairman of the National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs.

Claire Worden, 31, a member of Lostwithiel Young Farmers' Club for 13 years, was voted in as chairman during elections in Coventry.

Claire, who works for Coca-Cola as a soft drinks consultant covering Plymouth, has represented Cornwall YFC and the South West area for the past five years and plays and coaches hockey at both club and county level.

She will now be the lead voice for 25,000 members from clubs and counties across England and Wales.

Claire takes on the role at a critical time for the federation as it develops a new strategy to reach out to more young people living in rural areas.

During her year as chairman, she said, she planned to campaign about rural isolation, raising awareness of the unique challenges rural young people faced and showing the support Young Farmers' Clubs could offer.

"I'm thrilled to be elected as the new chairman," she said. "I'm honoured to represent such an amazing organisation that has given me so much over the past 13 years of my membership.

"YFC has given me skills, confidence and friends for life," she said. "We're not just an organisation for young people involved in farming; we offer support and a social life to all young people in the countryside.

"I love living in a very rural area of Cornwall, but it comes with its challenges. YFC has helped me to stay connected and feel part of a much bigger community, and I want to use my year as chairman to make more rural young people aware of our clubs, so they can enjoy the same opportunities I did."

She will be responsible for leading overall policy for the federation, continuing the development and leadership of YFCs to meet the needs of members and further enhancing the YFC's image.

More than 100 members gathered in Coventry last week to vote on motions that affect the running of the organisation and to elect the new council.

The national council is made up of 63 members, associate members and co- options from across England and Wales and is elected by YFC members to represent their views.

Through steering groups, the national council also decides and shapes the federation's programme of work, planning events, competitions, campaigns and training for members.

Claire Worden from Cardinham will lead YFCs nationally this year

Lostwithiel's Marcus Harrison shows military how to live off the land

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AN EXPERT on edible plants has been teaching Britain's Armed Forces how to survive behind enemy lines by foraging for wild food.

Marcus Harrison from Lostwithiel is an authority on what can be eaten and what species to avoid, and regularly dines on nettles, brambles and weeds when running his courses.

Mr Harrison's Wild Food School in the town conducts courses on foraging and the safe preparation and cooking of plants not normally found on the dining table.

He has published numerous books on the subject and his latest is entitled The Armageddon Cookbook And Doomsday Kitchen.

He has now been teaching UK service personnel how to survive by gathering edible plants, and ways of extracting drinkable water from plants including trees.

Mr Harrison has just completed a ten-day course with survival training instructors from the Armed Forces at RAF St Mawgan, who will pass on what they have learnt to their students.

Mr Harrison has been interested in edible wild plants since he was a child, after picking up a book on the subject published in 1917.

He said the courses at St Mawgan involved instructors from the DSTO, the Defence SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Extraction) Training Organisation, which is based there.

"The course I run is to instruct Armed Forces personnel on what is edible and what toxic species to avoid, which can maximise their chances of survival if they become separated from their units," said Mr Harrison.

"Fluid intake is also vital and I teach the instructors how to extract water from certain plants and trees, and obviously that's very important if someone is trapped behind enemy lines after three or four days.

"During the course, I spend two or three nights with the instructors sleeping in the open air, although I always pitch my tent a good distance away from them to avoid overhearing something I shouldn't."

The students were also taught to kill and cook wild animals, but that wasn't his department, he said.

Eating wild food has become topical lately, but Mr Harrison said his interest dated back more than 35 years, as he was raised on a farm until his late teens and acquired an instinctive understanding of the English countryside, terrain and landscapes generally.

"People might think I'm a vegetarian, but nothing could be further from the truth; I'm very partial to steak and chips," he said.

Lostwithiel's Marcus Harrison shows military how to live off the land

Polgooth mum Debbie Watson calls for screening after daughter's hip condition goes undetected

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A MUM from Polgooth is calling on the Government to screen all newborn babies for a debilitating hip condition after doctors failed to diagnose her daughter for five and a half years.

Ellie Datson, now aged 8, has had to undergo two major operations in the past three years, after doctors realised she was born without a hip socket in her left leg – a condition known as hip dysplasia.

"They were absolutely amazed she could walk," her mum Debbie explained. "She did everything any other five-year-old would do. She never kept still.

"It was only when she went through a growth spurt when she was 5 I noticed she had a limp and took her to the doctors."

After having an X-ray at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, Ellie was diagnosed with the condition in 2010.

"The radiographer took one look at the X-ray and she went white," Mrs Datson explained.

Subsequently the youngster has had to endure two operations followed by months of being wrapped in plaster cast, as well as continuing physiotherapy and the prospect of having more operations in the future. But Mrs Datson, a former nurse, said her daughter's treatment would have been less complicated if the condition had been picked up earlier.

She is now urging people to sign a petition to present to health ministers calling for all babies to be scanned at birth.

Around 1 in 20 babies is born with some form of hip instability, although only 2 to 3 per cent of these are serious enough to require treatment.

Joining forces with another mum, Hayley Donald from St Newlyn East, whose six-year-old daughter Isabelle was born with the same condition, the pair are hoping to raise awareness about hip dysplasia.

They currently have 2,500 signatures on an e-petition aimed at getting the subject debated in Parliament. They need to collect 100,000 by April next year.

Mrs Datson said: "If detected early, the condition can be much easier to treat with a special harness which holds the legs in a frog-like position and aids the hips to develop in the correct position.

"If missed, as in Ellie and Belle's cases, the treatment can be much more complicated, traumatic and invasive."

Although Mrs Datson said her daughter would have had to have surgery at some stage, her treatment would have been less complicated and less stressful for both Ellie and the family.

The duo also support other families with children being treated with the same condition and give advice to other parents on a Facebook group called Families Coping With Hip Dysfunction Dysplasia, which now has more than 440 members.

And they have launched a campaign called Hearts for Hip with the hope of raising funds to support families to buy specialist equipment for their children such as specialist car seats and wheelchairs.

To sign their petition, visit http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/55946

Polgooth mum Debbie Watson calls for screening after daughter's hip condition goes undetected

Connor Downs Primary School's project needs your vote

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CONNOR Downs Primary School is hoping to secure enough votes in a competition to secure a £50,000 grant.

The school is one of the finalists in the running to win funding from People's Millions, a Big Lottery Fund grant programme, to create an outdoor learning environment.

If successful, the money would be spent on a sensory garden, with plants, a pond and space to grow fruit and vegetables.

The project, called Cultivating Futures, aims to teach children the process of food production and encourage their interest in local habitat and wildlife.

Susan Costello, head teacher at Connor Downs, said: "Increasingly we are finding that many children do not know basic facts about the food we eat, such as that vegetables came from the ground and how they are packaged and delivered to supermarkets prior to being sold.

"Due to the rise in convenience food, many children have never planted fruit or vegetables, had the pleasure of tending them as they grow, or have cooked with home-grown produce.

"Planting, nurturing and harvesting food and keeping chickens and bees are complementary routes into understanding how our actions can make our world healthier.

"Our children will plan and develop a kitchen garden including a polytunnel and fruit cage to grow herbs and a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. Produce will be used by children and volunteers in school to invent healthy recipes and our cookery clubs will then create these dishes.

"Some sustainability issues may seem too big to tackle, but at Connor Downs Primary School we feel that we have a responsibility to pass on a rich environmental legacy to our children."

Mrs Costello said that outdoor education enhanced the classroom work.

On Wednesday, November 27 the school will go up against another South West project in a battle to win the £50,000.

The voting line and further information can be found at www.peoplesmillions.org.uk/2013-finalists/west-country-west/cultivating-futures

Connor Downs Primary School's project needs your vote

Camborne Brownie Ciara McShane's centenary badge design goes global

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A FORMER Camborne Brownie will see her unique Cornish badge celebrating the organisation's centenary worn by members across the world.

Ciara McShane's colourful badge has been chosen for next year's countywide Big Brownie Birthday celebrations.

Ciara, who was a Brownie with 3rd Camborne Brownies and is now a member of 7th Camborne Guides, cleverly designed her badge in the shape of the county, depicting a Cornish flag, tin mine, surf-board and even a pasty.

The competition was open to all Brownies in Cornwall and attracted more than 1,000 entries in all shapes and sizes.

Special

Paula Volkner, who is heading up all of the county celebrations, said: "We had so many designs to choose from but Ciara's Cornwall-shaped badge won the judges over, especially as she had put in the main things which represent our special county."

To obtain one of the badges, all members of Girlguiding have to complete a challenge which revolves around the history of Brownies and the county.

Already requests have come in from all over the UK, as well as from overseas, from members who are keen to get their hands on the unique badge.

Brownies all over the world will be celebrating the 100th anniversary in 2014.

In Cornwall, a number of large-scale events are planned, including a party for all members of Girlguiding Cornwall at the Port Eliot estate at St Germans, as well as a special sleepover for all 1,900 Brownies based in the county at the Royal Cornwall Showground in Wadebridge.

Camborne Brownie Ciara McShane's centenary badge design goes global

Plans already afoot for next year's St Ives Business Fair

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MORE than 30 businesses exhibited their wares and services at the inaugural St Ives Business Fair.

The event has been declared a success by organisers St Ives Chamber of Trade and Commerce.

Nearly 100 other business- owners came through the doors during the day at the event in the town's Guildhall and organiser Neil Whitham said planning was already under way for an even bigger event next year.

"The Business Fair is indicative of what the Chamber of Trade and Commerce is doing in starting things like this and St Ives in December, and we have to keep that momentum going.

"The room had a buzz all day long, since we opened at 10am with a speech from mayor Colin Nicholls," he said.

"It was a very enjoyable event. I've spoken to at least two-thirds of the exhibitors and they're very pleased overall."

The number of visitors was not as high as had been hoped, he said, but it was the first fair and they would look at getting the word out. "Next year we'll build on getting more visitors along, but it's been very successful," he said.

"One of the issues for next year is whether we hold it in The Guildhall again. We could have hired out more stalls if we'd had room.

"We have to bear in mind the Guildhall is central to the community and the town, and if we took it out of here it would take on a whole new meaning."

Andrew George MP attended the event at lunchtime and held an impromptu question-and-answer session for business-owners.

Mr Nicholls, himself a retailer, said: "The Business Fair is another step towards traders in St Ives recognising our strengths and recognising that in St Ives we have to do things better all the time to attract the right market.

"We have to recognise the power of things like the internet, but the real currency of business is enthusiasm. That's the fuel of our town. We have a worldwide brand in St Ives but we have to improve all the time to make the most of it."

Plans already afoot for next year's St Ives Business Fair

Camborne engineer John Woodward brings light to Phillack Church in Hayle

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A GIANT illuminated cross hanging from Camborne Parish Church was created by a former Holman's engineer in a new venture to bring cheaper light sources to the town.

John Woodward, who runs JW Engineering, built the LED prototype after seeing a similar light at Phillack Church in Hayle.

Mr Woodward was one of 500 workers to be made redundant from the mining equipment factory, Holman Brothers Ltd, in the early 1980s. The joiner and fitter then established his own workshop, at his home in Polstrong, building cast iron Cornish ranges and other iron works.

He is also custodian of a replica of Richard Trevithick's famous steam engine, the Puffing Devil.

He said: "I made a number of internal lanterns powered by LED lights for inside Camborne Parish Church, the first LED system to be fitted within the diocese."

He said the LED lights use just 10 per cent of the power of a traditional light bulb and last for around 25 years. "The LED lights are a massive improvement. The original cross, which remains on the roof of the church, used 1,600 watts compared with the new one that uses 30 watts of power and is just as bright."

Mr Woodward said the LED cross would remain on the church during Christmas and then its future would be decided by church officials. "They haven't decided whether they want to buy the cross. I am hoping that its prominent position will drum up some interest so that I can create more of LED lights," he added.

Camborne engineer John Woodward brings light to Phillack Church in Hayle


Penzance's Penlowarth building, dubbed the 'fourth ugliest in UK', is transformed

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PENZANCE'S movers and shakers turned out in force to celebrate the transformation of the "UK's fourth most ugly building".

The Penlowarth building in St Mary's Terrace, once home to the tax office and described as "a concrete monstrosity" sitting in the middle of Penzance's fine Georgian and Regency buildings, has been owned by Bill and Sue Radmore for the past 18 months.

Since then they have invested £700,000 into turning it into a place to do business renaming it PZ360.

"When we bought it, we did think for five minutes that perhaps we were better off knocking it down and then starting again," he said. "But that didn't last and I hope that having renovated all but one of the floors, we now have created a site for business right in the heart of Penzance."

Apart from all the refurbishment work and creating a smart new copper-lined reception area, the Radmores have also been busy attracting tenants to the workspace.

TorFX, the foreign exchange brokers, and the Workbox, a hub for small, independent businesses, have been joined by recruitment specialists Red Commerce and IT experts Microcomms as well as Devon & Cornwall Housing.

And while it may still not be the most attractive building in Penzance, people in the building do have the benefit of spectacular 360-degree views of Mount's Bay, Penzance and Newlyn. These views can be enjoyed by everyone by PZ360's own webcam which can be accessed on www.pz-360.com

Mr Radmore added: "We now have around 175 people working in the building and we are at about 85 per cent occupancy which isn't bad in a time of recession.

"It's probably the biggest private sector workplace in Penzance if not the whole of west Cornwall."

Mr Radmore said that renaming the building PZ360 was a conscious decision to break with the past.

Tim Dwelly, from the Workbox, said he was "absolutely delighted" to be working there.

"We were one of the first businesses to start here and I hope we have helped encourage others to come here too."

Dick Cliffe, chairman of the Penzance Chamber of Commerce, said PZ360 was a big asset for the town.

"This project and Cornwall Council's decision to revamp St Johns Hall and relocate staff from St Clare will improve the vibrancy of Penzance town centre and the local economy," he said.

Penzance's Penlowarth building, dubbed the 'fourth ugliest in UK', is transformed

Praise for St Ives Infant School from the Ofsted inspectors

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A GOOD school where teaching is "consistently good and often outstanding" – that's the judgement of Ofsted inspectors on St Ives Infant School.

The report praises the children's progress, attainment, behaviour and independent learning. "Pupils are taught to think and learn for themselves from the time they start at the school," say the inspectors.

"This whole-school focus on making pupils independent learners ensures they are able to make good progress and extend their learning."

The inspectors noted: "Children in the nursery and reception classes receive a good start to their school life in a vibrant and creative environment. Many make progress that is well above what would be expected.

"Above-average attainment by the end of Year 2 ensures they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

"The Setting Sails topic-based curriculum [developed by the school itself and rooted in the children's own interests, ideas and questions] is outstanding, providing pupils with opportunities to develop their own learning within a framework that is monitored by teachers to ensure that pupils acquire all the basic skills required to develop them as lifelong learners."

Pupils are very proud of their school, the inspectors report, and are well behaved and eager to learn.

The inspectors noted strong teamwork and high morale among staff, while teaching assistants skilfully supported pupils' learning in lessons.

The report also praised the quality of leadership of staff throughout the school and by the governors.

The inspectors identified three areas in which improvement was required: developing a more consistent approach to the teaching of phonics, challenging the older children to spell more accurately and working with parents to improve the school's attendance rate.

Head teacher Joanne Dean said: "I'm delighted the inspectors recognised and celebrated the children's achievements and could see the priority placed on independent learning and the discovery and development of individual interests and talents."

Chair of governors John McWilliams said: "The governors are delighted with the school's Ofsted report and congratulate Joanne and all her colleagues.

"I'm really pleased that Ofsted recognises the value of the school's Setting Sail curriculum and that this has been achieved in an ethos where all members of the school community, children and adults, are respected, valued, supported and encouraged to fulfil their potential."

Praise for St Ives Infant School from the Ofsted inspectors

Shoplifter Tracy Starling abuses BHS staff and four police officers at Truro

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FOUR police officers bore the brunt of a Truro woman's anger at being caught shoplifting in British Home Stores in the city.

She kicked out and swore at them after staff in the store had reported seeing her picking out goods and then leaving without paying for them.

At Truro Magistrates' Court Tracy Marie Starling, 33, of Pendeen Road, Truro, pleaded guilty to assaulting PC Stevenson and PCSO Emily Distin, resisting PC Pearce and PC Andy Filkin, using threatening behaviour and shoplifting.

Alison May, for the prosecution, said staff had recognised Starling and seen her stealing. She was with another female, and they were spoken to by a member of staff.

Starling told her companion: "Don't worry; if she touches you I'll headbutt the bi**h." She was referring to one of the assistants, who was upset by her words.

The couple were spoken to shortly after by PCSO Distin. When she approached them, Starling rushed towards her with her fist clenched and struck her in the head and chest about five times.

When other officers arrived Starling kicked out, at one stage ripping an officer's tactical vest and pulling off his radio. Leg restraints and handcuffs had to be used on her before she could be taken away.

Starling had previous convictions for resisting police and shoplifting.

Her solicitor, Deborah Von Kohler, admitted her client's behaviour had been appalling and her language pretty foul.

"She has huge matters – complexities – in her life," she told the magistrates, asking for a probation report.

The magistrates adjourned the case until December 10, pending a probation report and an alcohol treatment requirement assessment.

Shoplifter Tracy Starling abuses BHS staff and four police officers at Truro

Cannabis blamed for Bodmin teenager's descent into crime

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CANNABIS use was blamed for a Bodmin teenager's descent from promising student and sportsman to would-be burglar with a need to pay off a debt for the drug.

The boy, aged 16, appeared before Bodmin Youth Court on Monday when he pleaded guilty to jointly conspiring to commit burglary with intent to steal from The Shoe Boy in Bodmin's Fore Street.

He was handed an eight-month referral order by the youth panel, who heard that at the time of the offence he had been subject to a conditional caution for offences of assaulting a police officer and possession of cannabis.

The boy, who is employed, was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £15 surcharge.

Terry Eastwood, for the prosecution, said that on the night of September 21 the boy's father noticed that the keys to his van were missing. As he searched for them, he also noticed that on the flat roof outside his son's bedroom were two holdalls containing clothing and some of his tools.

The boy later admitted to police that he had gathered the items together with the intention of breaking into the shop via a back door. He said he had a £100 cannabis debt and had planned to sell any stolen items.

Chris Mitchell, for the defence, said that the boy had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and co-operated fully with police, being completely candid with them about his plans.

Until June this year the boy had no history of any offending, he said.

"The basis of the change is due to his use of cannabis," said Mr Mitchell. "He faced a cannabis debt and came up with this madcap scheme."

Mr Mitchell pointed out that there was no certainty that the boy would have actually carried out the burglary.

The boy told the court that his life had changed "dramatically" in recent months and he felt guilty.

Cannabis blamed for Bodmin teenager's descent into crime

Bipolar Truro bomb hoaxer Nicholas Rimmer is jailed for 18 months

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THE 'joker' behind a bomb hoax that caused hours of disruption to three Truro businesses has been jailed.

Nicholas Rimmer, 55, left a note outside The Money Group's offices on Charles Street reading: "I have placed an incendiary device within the building which is due to explode at midday. Next time there will be no warning."

Concerned staff raised the alarm when they arrived at work just after 7am on March 19 and police officers spent nearly four hours searching the premises before deciding the note was a hoax.

At Truro Crown Court last Wednesday Rimmer, of Newbridge Street, Truro, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for the ruse and for intimidating a witness in a separate case.

Philip Lee, for the prosecution, said The Money Group shared its building with two other companies, and the hoax caused major disruption to many employees.

The note was forensically examined and Rimmer's fingerprints were found on it.

He was arrested and told officers he had intended the incident to be a joke, although he did later admit that he knew the police would take it seriously.

In a prepared statement he said: "I did not intend to threaten anyone.

"My actions were meant as a joke. I had no intention to cause anyone any harm."

Chris Spencer, for the defence, said Rimmer suffered from bipolar affective disorder and was suffering a manic episode at the time of the hoax, having stopped taking his medication.

Mr Spencer added that Rimmer had been sectioned – detained under the Mental Health Act – shortly afterwards.

Rimmer had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to a charge of communicating false information to The Money Group that a bomb was present in the building.

On Wednesday he also admitted one count of intimidating a witness, which related to his niece Jennifer Rimmer.

Mr Lee said that charge had arisen out of a family dispute and ended with Rimmer sending his niece abusive Facebook messages in which he said her court case against him did not stand a chance of succeeding.

Judge Christopher Harvey Clark QC said: "That bomb hoax caused very serious inconvenience.

"It meant that a number – possibly a large number – of police officers were engaged in searching a large office building.

"For you to say that it was a joke is in a sense a joke in itself, because anybody who causes a bomb hoax is causing great inconvenience to a large number of people and we all live [together] within a society."

Bipolar Truro bomb hoaxer Nicholas Rimmer is jailed for 18 months

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