A 15-YEAR-OLD Liskeard girl suffering with cancer says she was forced to move out of her family home because of a growing mould problem.

Chloe Hocking, of Park View was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma on December 3 last year, which has spread from her neck to her abdomen.

The teenager has had to move to a friend's house outside Liskeard after doctors said she is susceptible to chest infections and illnesses from the mould spores growing inside the house.

Chloe's parents, Lianne and Jeffrey Hocking, have eight other children living at the three-bedroomed property.

The house is managed by Cornwall Council, and the family said they have been in contact with the authority for six years to help them resolve the mould problem but with no positive outcome so far.

Mr Hocking said: "We are totally rundown because it's not just affecting Chloe, it's affecting our other children. It's totally disheartening and demoralising.

"I have explained the situation that my daughter had been diagnosed with cancer but the council has other priorities – they said 'join a queue'.

"My wife was in tears most evenings with depression – it feels like banging your head against a brick wall."

Cornwall Housing examined the mould at the property on Thursday.

Mrs Hocking said that each time they complain about the mould the council sends someone to test the dampness of the walls, which they say are dry.

Despite their attempts to paint over the mould it comes back again.

Mr Hocking said he believes the house has too much condensation.

Their other children, who range in age from 1 to 17, suffer from health problems because of the damp.

Mr Hocking said: "My one-year-old has had a filthy stinking cold for at least three weeks."

Sheryll Murray, MP for South East Cornwall, said she will try to help the family and their doctors have said they will write to Cornwall Council.

The house has mould in every room, which grows on children's toys and even clothes said Lianne Hocking, Chloe's mother.

"Chloe living somewhere else is killing me," she said. "It's got to the stage that we can't be bothered any more. It feels like the council doesn't care."

A spokesperson for Cornwall Council said: "Cornwall Housing has commissioned a specialist damp surveying company to carry out a survey on this property, to help determine what further action is required."

LOSTWITHIEL councillors have offered to clean the town's public toilets themselves if Cornwall Council can be persuaded to reopen them until fresh talks over ownership are completed.

Negotiations between the council and County Hall will not resume until next month.

The town council was hoping to meet officials from the local authority this Friday but has been told talks will not take place until February 5 at the earliest.

Benedicte Bay, the town's Cornwall councillor, is attempting to persuade the authorities to reopen the Church Lane facilities at least on a temporary basis until the situation is sorted out one way or another.

"Cornwall Council has told me is has no budget to keep Lostwithiel's toilets open and the Cormac-employed cleaner was made redundant at Christmas," she said.

"The council isn't in a position to reopen them immediately, but I anticipate finding a way forward at a meeting I've arranged in early February."

Cornwall Council, which owns the toilets, closed them at Christmas after no agreement was reached on the terms under which the town council could take them over.

It emerged at January's town council meeting that members resolved as long ago as August 6 to cease negotiations with County Hall about taking ownership of the toilets.

Last week, they voted to reverse that decision to start negotiating with Cornwall Council again.

Ms Bay told the town council: "The public are less than happy and it was short-sighted of the council to close them, as a lot of people use the toilets." Councillor Dave Robson told her: "If you can get them reopened, and there's a problem [with County Hall] over cleaning, this council will be happy to clean the toilets as a temporary measure."

Councillor Mervyn Jones said dealing with Cornwall Council's officers had been extremely difficult, branding them dictatorial and saying their attitude had worsened since the unitary authority was created in 2009: "The officers have been obstructive and become dictators, and I feel sorry for you, Benedicte, because I feel you have an almost impossible job."

Ms Bay said after the meeting that she fully supported Lostwithiel Town Council's stance in not taking over ownership until the conveniences had been fully renovated.

"Personally, I would support the replacement of the current public toilets with a disabled-friendly, unisex eco-toilet, which would reduce the daily running and long-term maintenance costs for the town in the future," she said. "I've asked Cornwall Council if the budget that would have been spent on renovating the existing toilets could instead be spent on a new eco-toilet for the town."

WEST Cornwall can expect to see 6,000 new homes built in the 16 years up to 2030 after Cornwall councillors agreed a final figure of 47,500 new homes overall for the county.

After a lengthy debate at County Hall in Truro on Tuesday, members of the full council voted two-to-one in favour of the 47,500 figure, after an earlier Conservative group motion for 33,000 homes was rejected.

Broken down into different areas, it means that Penzance and Newlyn will need to find space for 2,150 new homes – although 561 can be taken from this figure as they have already been built or given planning permission.

The figure is 1,000 for the west Penwith rural area, although only 389 new applications will be necessary.

In Hayle, 1,400 new homes will be built, although again, 1,067 of these are already in the pipeline. In St Ives and Carbis Bay, the figure is 1,000 with 627 accounted for and in the outlying areas of Hayle and St Ives, the figure is 350 with 111 new properties.

Much debate has centred around the total figure of new homes planned, with officers recommending a higher number over a second option of 42,250.

Edwina Hannaford, Liberal Democrat portfolio holder for environment, heritage and planning, argued the case for the higher figure.

"We need an adopted plan, we don't want to rely on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) as the primary policy for planning decisions; 47,500 will give us a fighting chance to gain control over our own planning policies," she said.

"We also need affordable housing; 27,000 houses already have planning permission and 7,000 of those have already been built, meaning the real figure is more like 27,500 houses over the next 17 years."

Steve Chamberlain, Conservative councillor and member of the planning advisory committee, tabled a motion calling for a lower target of 33,000 homes.

But, after a series of lengthy debates, councillors voted against the Tory-led motion by 78 to 28.

According to council officers, evidence has shown that local plans in other regions that did not include housing numbers based closely on national guidance were failing before or on examination.

Councillors voted in favour of 47,500 homes by 66 votes to 33, with Mrs Hannaford adding: "I believe the lower figure will only delay the process for several years and will leave Cornwall unprotected and open to harmful challenge."

The draft Local Plan will now go out to public consultation before a final version is submitted to the government's planning inspectorate for consideration.

A DANGEROUS sexual predator from Hayle who went into a woman's home, hit her with a rock and tried to rape her appeared at Truro Crown Court on Friday. Philip Lee, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said David Walker, 61, of Penberth Road, went to the woman's home on June 7, last year at about 11pm.

He knew the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and she let him in, wondering why he was there.

Mr Lee said Walker called his victim a tart, before pushing her to the floor and striking her repeatedly.

Mr Lee said: "She feared he intended to rape her and struggled to get him off, but was traumatised.

"During the struggle she realised she was bleeding from a wound to her head."

He continued threatening her and exposed himself, saying: "You belong to me, you'll do as you're told."

Neighbours called the police, who arrested Walker and found rope, cord and a locking knife in his jeans and rucksack and a rock with red stains on it in the property.

Walker told officers the rope and cord were for tying things to his bike but he could not explain why he took them into the woman's house. He denied making sexual advances towards her. The woman suffered a wound to the left side of her head, bruising and an abrasion to her elbow in the attack.

At a previous hearing Walker pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and to committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence.

Intent

The court heard Walker has 28 convictions for 42 offences. In 1980 he was jailed for five years for burglary with intent to rape after entering a 20-year-old's bedroom through a window at night, removing his clothing, climbing into bed with her, and threatening her with a knife. She screamed and he fled.

In 1999 Walker robbed and indecently assaulted a woman in Truro. And in October, 2003, he indecently assaulted a 20-year-old woman in Redruth.

Other convictions include sexual activity with a child and breaching sexual offences prevention orders.

Robin Smith, for the defence, conceded the dreadful nature of Walker's offences.

Judge Eric Salomonsen said Walker had caused psychological harm to his victim and used the rock as a weapon.

He said: "A police officer described your victim as appearing genuinely scared for her life, believing that she was going to be raped."

He said Walker had massively distorted thinking and posed a substantial risk of serious sexually motivated offending.

He jailed Walker for four years and nine months, with a four-year extension period.

The sentence means that Walker will serve at least two thirds of his sentence in custody and have his licence period extended by four years.

Walker was also made subject to a sexual offences prevention order and will have to sign the sex offenders register indefinitely.

TRADESMEN in St Ives are asking Cornwall Council to introduce a permit scheme to tackle what is fast becoming a parking crisis in the historic town's narrow streets.

Plumbers, builders and locksmiths in the town say they are often unable to park vans close to where they are working and can't unload equipment before parking wardens pounce.

And cleaners and holiday let owners face similar problems on the busy changeover days of Friday and Saturday.

Three years ago a 1,000-name petition was handed to Cornwall Council asking them to help businesses that feared they could no longer work in their own town.

Since then problems have increased, with more homes built, car parks crowded and individual car parking spaces selling for as much as £65,000.

Now a new campaign has been launched to ask for help from an authority that some tradesmen feel targets vans parked on the streets in the bustling and crowded town.

A meeting at the Western Hotel brought together more than 20 small businesses from the town.

Michael Pierce, from Aid Locksmiths in St Ives, said: "We are not asking the council to turn a blind eye – we just want a scheme that will allow us to do our jobs.

"Tradesmen need to park outside premises they are working on. You get six minutes to unload and then you have to move. It's not enough for a plumber or a builder, or for me, as a mobile locksmith, whose van is his mobile workshop."

Business owners are asking for a permit system that would allow registered St Ives businesses to park "in a considerate manner" anywhere they were working.

A spokesperson for Cornwall Council said: "Yellow lines are in place for a reason ... our parking restrictions exist to make Cornwall's streets safe for all."

PROBLEMS at a sewage pumping station left people in a hamlet near Truro with flooded gardens when bad weather struck.

South West Water (SWW) admitted the pumping station was "unable to cope" and has apologised to residents of Calenick.

Rachel Damerell, who lives on Ropewalk Terrace, said: "We had repeated spillages of sewage. Largely as a result of the very heavy rain and the inability of the SWW pumping station to cope with that."

Steve Chamberlain, Cornwall Council member for the area, visited following the flooding and said: "My concern is that the drains that were installed to overcome this kind of episode seem to be clogged with resurfacing gravel as much as mud and they were not cleaned out in anticipation of this kind of weather."

A spokesman for SWW said: "Electrical problems with the pumps at Calenick sewage pumping station meant they were unable to cope with the large volumes of surface water entering the sewerage network. Waste water backed up into the sewers feeding the pumping station and flooded through manholes into nearby gardens.

"Staff operated the pumping station manually until replacement parts arrived later the same day. We have since thoroughly cleaned the area.

"We do appreciate how unpleasant sewer flooding is for affected customers."

THE MP for the Camborne, Pool and Redruth area (CPR) says he plans to taken action over a damning description in a national newspaper.

George Eustice, Conservative MP for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle, is to write to The Guardian about an article headlined "Hidden Cornwall: not beaches and ice-cream but poverty and violence", written by James Mumford, portraying an area riddled with alcohol and drug abuse and domestic violence.

He said he would also write to write to the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), an independent think-tank, to outline the positive work emerging from the constituency, as he believed some figures quoted in the article were supplied by the CSJ.

Mr Eustice said the piece only focused on negative aspects, doing little to acknowledge those "working hard to make a difference".

He said: "The article says that the area has an absence of a voluntary sector. This is shocking. There is a vibrant charity and voluntary sector all working hard. I speak with them all the time.

"I was quoted in the article for one aspect, but it did not mention all of the positives I said about the area.

"It's really squandering the hard work of the many."

Local people have also defended their towns.

Mayor of Camborne Mike Champion said: "The article is pretty damning.

"The town council, BID (Business Improvement District) Camborne, chamber of commerce and many volunteer groups are working hard to improve our town. We all do this from different angles, focussing on different issues.

"The hard work of many is helping to push Camborne into a better future for all the residents. Much of this work goes on under the radar, but steadily we are making a difference. It's up to all of us to make this difference and I ask the people to put themselves forward to help make the change."

Mark Richardson, chief executive of the Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum, said: "The issues raised in the article are very real, but I [deny] that there's an absence of voluntary organisations in the Camborne corridor. There are as many as 180 charities and groups based in and around Camborne, not to mention hundreds of others whose services are available to local people."

George Le Hunte, the chairman of BID Camborne, said: "If you look at any town in the UK you will find pockets of inequality, poverty and disenfranchisement.

"Camborne is no different in that respect, but to tar the whole area with that brush is as ridiculous as it is reductive.

"I've been an active resident of Camborne for many years and I have never felt so positive about it as I do now.

"The businesses in the town are working really hard to make a difference to the economy and people's lives.

"This doesn't happen overnight, obviously."

See Mr Eustice's column on page 44.

A DEVELOPMENT firm has outlined plans to transform a rundown town centre precinct in St Austell into a national department store.

Backing the vision outlined by Together St Austell – a group of business leaders spearheading a rival scheme to the proposed £110 million retail park and Marks & Spencer store at Coyte Farm – M&M Asset Management said it hopes to bring national chains to its latest purchase, Old Vicarage Place.

"It provides an opportunity to develop large units for national retailers. These units would complement those already on offer at White River Place and help complete the regeneration of St Austell town centre," said Matt Kelly, from M&M.

"We fully endorse the proposals set out in Together St Austell and are delighted to announce that we will be joining this initiative," he added.

But the firm, backed by Apollo Global Management, said the plans are unlikely to materialise if the proposed development at Coyte Farm is given permission.

A decision on that plan, submitted by Metric Property and Mercian Developments, is due to be made by Cornwall Council's strategic planning committee tomorrow.

"Clearly, our ability to invest will be seriously curtailed if Coyte Farm goes ahead and we will be registering our objection in advance of the planning committee meeting," said Mr Kelly.

Last month, Together St Austell, formed by the chamber of commerce and St Austell Business Improvement District, revealed its vision of a multimillion-pound development scheme.

The plans include a care home, more than 480 homes, retail and food outlets, and a petrol station.

John Kneller, chairman of the group, said the backing from M&M Asset Management was a huge endorsement.

"It's great to have them on board as they have vast experience in the property investment industry and are backed by a global player," he said.

"In developing Old Vicarage Place they will provide space for a national department store that will provide the people of St Austell with more choice and convenience.

"Their support of the Together St Austell vision demonstrates it is a serious and workable plan that will reap rewards for our town long into the future."

TESCO in Wadebridge is about to start a "drive-through'' service for customers.

Shoppers will be able to pick up their groceries without leaving their cars.

Customers drive up to a signposted collection point and pull into a covered area to show staff their shopping reference details.

Staff come to the customer's car window, so there is no need to get out, and the shopping is then packed into the boot.

Customers order their shopping on the tesco.com website choosing the 'Click & Collect' option and booking a two-hour collection slot. They can then collect anytime within this two-hour window with collection slots available seven days a week.

As with home delivery orders, the service charge (from £2) is added to the shopping bill.

"We believe this will be especially popular with busy mums who have the school run and children's activities to manage," said Simon Belsham, managing director of Tesco Grocery Home Shopping.

"It offers a convenient solution to parents who want to avoid the challenge of shopping in a busy store with children in tow but can't afford the time to stay in for the shopping to arrive at their door."

Local schoolchildren will be invited to design artwork for a special jute shopping bag to help launch the new Click & Collect service.

A POPULAR village pub in North Cornwall which has been closed for 15 months amid controversial attempts to build houses on the site is to open its doors again tomorrow.

Local couple James Caslake and Nikki Unger have bought the Bullers Arms at Marhamchurch and are in the final throes of refurbishing it in time to welcome all the locals to the pulling of the first pint at noon on Sunday.

The new landlords were invited to a village coffee morning on Wednesday when they outlined their plans for the pub and received enthusiastic support from residents.

"It is the first time I have walked into a room and got a round of applause," said Mr Caslake, an associate partner with auction firm Kivells.

The first pint will be pulled by former landlord Bill Kneebone, who built up the pub's popularity in the 1970s and 1980s when it was the centre of village life and drew customers from a wide area for its food and music.

A flyer has gone out inviting everyone in the village to the pub, and one who says she will be there is health campaigner Candy Baker, who said: "They are a lovely enthusiastic couple, and the village is 100 per cent behind them."

Villagers have been embroiled in a battle during the past year or so with Peter Rudman, who wanted to retain the bar area as a small pub but develop the rest of the site for housing. His plans were turned down by members of Cornwall Council's east area planning committee in August after which he said he would be going to appeal.

Marhamchurch Parish Council, who were against the development, said they were going to try and register the pub as a community asset which would restrict an owner's ability to develop it as anything else.

Mr Rudman has retained an area of the car park which is being leased to the new pub owners.

They have refurbished the toilets, redecorated the bar and laid new carpets.

They will then make a start on changing the 14 guest bedrooms to 8 and redecorating the function room.

Mr Caslake said his partner had previous experience in the licensed trade.

A CARPET business set up in Penzance 45 years ago is still going strong with the same owner at the helm.

Mel Davies has successfully been running Millhouse Carpets since the late 1960s, first on the prom then from premises in Victoria Place.

Around the turn of the century, Millhouse Carpets moved to its current shop in Chapel Street, which has become well known to its loyal band of customers for the haphazard nature of the carpet display – piles of samples scattered over the floor.

Now however, that has been consigned to history as the shop has been refurbished to help celebrate its anniversary.

The old samples have been cleared away, modern display stands put on the walls with samples from the Lifestyle range, one of which has been fitted on the shop floor.

Another feature of the anniversary will be a month-long sale which continues until the middle of next month – up to 15 per cent is being knocked off everything on the Lifestyle Flooring range.

And you can get an extra 5 per cent discount if you take along the Millhouse Carpets advert on page 10 when you order.

The business is a real family enterprise as Mel's sons, Stuart and Robert, not only help with the day-to-day running of the business they are also part of the fitting team.

All the fitters have at least 20 years of experience.

Rob said: "Everything we do is completely in-house, from measuring, planning, quoting, uplifting and removal of old flooring then fitting of new.

"We are also happy to take pattern books along to our customers so they can choose their new flooring in the comfort of their own homes if they so wish.

"And we don't just deal with carpets; we also sell and fit vinyl and wooden and natural flooring, as well as safety flooring, both commercial and domestic."

Mel added that he had met a fantastic variety of people over the past 44 years, some becoming good friends and most remaining loyal customers.

To this day Mel continues to enjoy his banter with customers old and new.

A SON of former Isles of Scilly Council chairman Mike Hicks has been elected to the authority following a two-way by-election fight for a St Mary's seat.

Boatman Fraser Hicks, who skippers the pleasure launch Sea King, polled 222 votes against bike hire shop owner Mark Prebble's 183.

The 30 per cent turnout in the poll was described by returning officer Richard Burraston as "lowish".

Both candidates stood as independents with Mr Prebble, a relatively new islander, abandoning the Green Party banner under which he unsuccessfully stood at the last local government election.

Mr Hicks, celebrated for his laconic wit, is a member of an old Scillonian family.

Of his success at the first time of "putting up for council" Mr Hicks contented himself with saying: "I'm obviously delighted to gain a seat. Now to see how it all works."

Mr Prebble was sanguine about his second rebuff at the hands of the electors, saying: "I'll give Fraser every support. Good luck to him."

He had yet to decide whether he would try a third time, he said: "We'll see what happens next time."

Switching

His switch from Green to independent was the result of "listening and taking heed", said Mr Prebble: "I can accept there may not be a place for party politics in Scilly".

Town Hall-bound Mr Hicks has also been chosen as Scilly's tourism superstar in a nationwide initiative by the Daily Mirror and national tourism body VisitEngland.

Mr Hicks won the nomination for the role of tourism ambassador, being picked over four other candidates by directors of the Islands Business Partnership.

The partnership's Amanda Pender said the scheme was designed to promote the work of unsung heroes who work within the tourism industry.

"Nominees must be knowledgeable and passionate about their area," she said.

"They must also have demonstrated a commitment to making every visitor's trip extra-special, going above and beyond the call of duty to make a holiday experience to remember."

Nominations have been made from across the country, with a shortlist of ten candidates to be announced at the end of January.

Mr Hicks was one of five islanders put forward after a request for nominations made by the partnership.

If successful in making the final ten, he will join the other candidates in London to produce a 30-second film that will be posted online and made available to the general public to vote on.

THE Royal Cornwall Museum has become the first venue of its type in the county to install lifesaving equipment.

It is the third place in Truro to offer the public access defibrillator equipment.

John Negus, operations manager, was delighted the museum could offer life-saving equipment within the premises.

"We are very proud to become the first museum in Cornwall and third location in Truro to hold this vital equipment," he said.

"We sincerely hope that we have very few opportunities to use it, but having the defibrillator here will give our visitors and staff the confidence to know that we are now equipped to deal with what could otherwise be potentially tragic circumstances."

The device has been funded by donations from the Truro Lions' Club, Standen Opticians and museum trustees.

The Royal Cornwall Museum follows the Hall For Cornwall and Truro Tourist Information Centre in installing the equipment.

About 2,000 people die each week after suffering a cardiac arrest and the use of CPR alone without a defibrillator leaves the victim just a 5 per cent chance of survival.

The defibrillator was presented by the Lions, with the trustees of the museum donating £300, matched by Standen Opticians, and the balance being funded by the Lions' Heart Appeal Fund following a recent concert by choir Amici Voci.

A PUBLIC-SPIRITED young man whose actions in disarming another male wielding a knife featured in a court case was himself before magistrates this week.

Dean Darbourne, 25, pleaded guilty to being in charge of a vehicle while unfit through drink when he appeared before the court in Bodmin on Monday.

Chris Nicholls, for the defence, said Darbourne had no previous convictions and had "demonstrated his commitment to society" by disarming a man holding a 7in kitchen knife outside a Lostwithiel pub in 2009.

Gail Hawksley, for the prosecution, said that in the early hours of September 8 last year Darbourne, of St Mary's Road, Bodmin, had been found by police asleep in the driver's seat of a Renault Clio parked awkwardly in St George's Road, Newquay. There was damage to the car and Darbourne, who had the keys, had been sick down his front. He was woken by the officers and a breath test showed 100 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, the limit being 35mcg.

Mr Nicholls said Darbourne and a friend had parked the car at an angle on St George's Road after having difficulty finding a parking space.

They then went on a night out in Newquay.

Later Darbourne found that he was unable to get a taxi home due to a broken cash card and decided to sleep in his car. There was no suggestion that the engine was running or warm.

Mr Nicholls said that Darbourne had experienced a traumatic couple of years and for a while, following a head injury, life had "fallen apart". It was very much to his credit that things were now back on track for him.

He also referred to a court case reported in this newspaper on February 10, 2010, in which Darbourne, then a bar worker, was described as running out of the Royal Talbot after hearing a woman screaming. Seeing a man with a large knife, he grabbed the man's hand so that he dropped the weapon. The man later pleaded guilty to possession of a blade in a public place.

The magistrates told Darbourne he would not lose his driving licence – a ban being discretionary for being in charge of a vehicle when over the alcohol limit. He was fined £500 with £100 costs and a £50 victim surcharge, and his licence was endorsed with ten penalty points.

A WOMAN died after falling off a ladder while trimming palm trees in the driveway of her home, an inquest has heard.

Indira Paget, 66, died from severe trauma to the back of the head after suffering a haemorrhage and skull fracture caused by falling onto the drive in front of her house on St Mary's Road, Bodmin on August 7.

Police and an ambulance crew were called but Mrs Paget was pronounced dead at the scene at 3.07pm. A ladder, a pair of secateurs and leaves were found by her body.

Mrs Paget, a retired nurse, was born in Trinidad and moved to Kent at the age of 18, before moving to Cornwall in 1971 where she held a job as a nursing assistant at Bodmin Hospital, formerly St Lawrences.

A pathologist considered whether Mrs Paget fell due to the symptoms of hyperglycemia caused by her type 2 diabetes but Coroner for Cornwall Dr Emma Carlyon said the condition was "well managed" and recorded a verdict of accidental death, most likely to have been caused by a fall.

Two youngsters, cousins Charley Matthews and Joseph Clarke, then 14 and 12, tried to resuscitate Mrs Paget using CPR after finding her unresponsive on the ground and the inquest heard that the pair will receive an award for their courage and maturity.

Charley was in the neighbouring front garden babysitting her two young cousins when one of them saw Mrs Paget fall. Charley then discovered her motionless on the ground and called for the aid of oldest cousin Joseph, who was inside.

Charley ran to a neighbouring house to seek help, while Joseph rang his firefighter father who was at work. After calling 999, Joseph and Charley followed the paramedic's instructions to try and save Mrs Paget's life.

While Charley held Mrs Paget's head in position in case of neck or back injuries, Joseph performed CPR.

But due to the severity of Mrs Paget's head injuries from the fall there was nothing more either could do.

Mrs Paget, known as Sue, leaves three children, Terri Paget, Mark Shaw and Julia Rowe.

A FUNDRAISING event held in memory of Bodmin baby Cody Croft has helped to raise a total of more than £2,500 for Bristol Children's Hospital and funeral costs.

Cody, who weighed little more than 1lb at birth, was one of triplets born to his mother Roxy in June and was cared for at the hospital before his death in December.

A total of £2,502.75 has been raised through online donations, collection buckets placed in shops around Bodmin and Sunday's Fun Day For Cody at Syd's Bar, with smaller donations still coming in.

The funds have covered the £1,000 cost of Cody's funeral and the remaining money will be donated to the Cots for Tots Appeal at Bristol Children's Hospital.

The appeal is the charity for the South West region's Special Care Baby Unit at the hospital, which cared for Cody, and raises funds to support the work of the unit's staff, saving the lives of the sickest, most premature babies from Bristol, Bath, the South West of England and South Wales. It also funds the entire running costs of the Cots for Tots House, which provides free accommodation for parents.

Sunday's fun day featured live music, face-painting, a bouncy castle, a nail bar, a raffle and games.

Organiser Chanie Philp said the day was a big success with a great turnout and plenty of funds raised.

"It was absolutely brilliant, we all had such a good time, the turnout was very good and at one point it was jam-packed in there," Chanie said.

"All the kids who came loved it and Roxy and Cody's dad Lee were really pleased and overwhelmed by the support.

"To raise £1,700 for Roxy and Lee prior to the fun day is amazing in itself and to raise even more at the fun day is overwhelming for everybody involved."

A NEW bus route in Truro is to be piloted with the possibility of making it a permanent service.

The service will be the first ever to call at Newham, and the test scheme will begin on January 27.

Newham Business Improvement District (BID) has joined forces with Fal River Buses to provide the link with Lemon Quay and Truro train station.

Newham BID manager Alison Elvey said: "This initial three-month pilot, financially supported by the BID, will hopefully lead to a more extensive bus schedule providing more services throughout the day.

"The BID is in the initial stages of developing a sustainable transport scheme for the area, of which a bus service is a key part."

Newham is home to more than 100 businesses which together employ about 1,000 people.

Peter Beaumont, chairman of Newham BID, said: "We've highlighted the need for public transport provision in the area, so it's good news we've been able to deliver a bus service within the first four months of being operational.

"The expansion of the pilot will be dependent on the take-up of the service, and ultimately it's intended to set up a commercially viable bus route into and out of Newham."

The bus will operate Monday to Friday, leaving Truro railway station at 7.30am and arriving at Newham at 7.45am, later collecting passengers at 5.15pm and arriving at the station at 5.30pm. Another bus will also run at lunchtimes.

RESIDENTS in Newlyn whose spectacular views have been spoilt by the siting of a pole which will carry superfast broadband cables are to fight on despite their complaints being rebuffed by BT.

In November, people living in Kenstella Road were dismayed when an 11m pole suddenly appeared, impeding their views over the port and across the bay towards St Michael's Mount.

No prior warning had been given to residents. A notice had been fixed to the pole advising people that they had three months to make objections but the address given was wrong.

A letter, signed by more than a dozen householders, was sent to BT's chief executive protesting against the pole but to no avail.

Since then, Graeme Hughes, BT Openreach's high level complaints manager has written to Zed Sinicki, a spokesman for KRABT (Kenstella Road Against BT), saying the pole had been correctly installed and that there were no plans to relocate it.

But the Kenstella Road residents have not given up the fight and as well as continuing to make representations to local councillors, MP Andrew George and the programme manager of Superfast Cornwall, Mr Sinicki said that he believes BT have gone against a code of practice introduced by the Government regarding the siting of poles.

"The code says: 'The code operator should place a site notice ... in as close proximity as possible to the proposed apparatus indicating to nearby residents the intention to install a pole, and the proposed location'," Mr Sinicki said.

"This just hasn't happened. The first thing anyone knew about it was when the pole was installed with a complaints form bearing a wrong address.

"It just seems as though someone at BT has said, 'this is where we're going to put it – it's just tough if anyone disagrees'.

"The code also says that poles should be sited 'so as to minimise their impact on their setting, including the landscape and any buildings'.

"We get plenty of visitors here in the summer taking pictures of the view; this year that view will be spoilt."

Mr Sinicki says residents are considering taking civil action against BT and are appealing for an independent telecommunications engineer to come forward to offer advice on whether the pole could be sited elsewhere.

"BT say it is in the most appropriate position but I just don't believe that," he added.

He is also angry that the promise of a meeting between residents and Julian Cowans, programme manager for Superfast Cornwall, has not happened.

"There has been no offer to meet with the residents," he said.

If anyone believes they can help the residents of Kenstella Road, contact Mr Sinicki by e-mail at zed@sinicki.co.uk

THE discovery of an old copy of The Cornishman from the 1960s has resulted in a Penzance family meeting a showbiz megastar and dame of the British Empire.

Last year Martin and Emily Nixon came across a vintage copy of The Cornishman from March 15, 1962 in a second-hand shop and bought it.

The paper featured an article on the young Barry Humphries – later to find fame as housewife and superstar Dame Edna Everage – falling down a cliff at Zennor and having to be rescued by helicopter.

"I'm a big fan of Dame Edna and thought it would be a nice gesture to send him the paper as a souvenir of his lucky escape," said Martin.

"When I was in London recently I saw he was performing at The Palladium and booked tickets for a family new year treat.

"I then e-mailed his agent asking if I could send him the copy of The Cornishman and was delighted to get an e-mail from Barry personally inviting Emily and I, and our children to meet him backstage after the show.

"We spent about half an hour with him and he was absolutely thrilled with what he called a remarkable discovery and told us that the accident at Zennor was one of the most dramatic moments of his life and nearly ended it.

"We suggested he should visit Penzance again soon and he told us how much he enjoyed visiting the town and the Penwith area, but no longer goes anywhere near cliffs."

The article on the rescue details how Barry Humphries fell 150ft down the cliffs at Treveal valley after overbalancing in trying to help his then wife, Rosalind, who had slipped a few feet off the path.

His fall to the stony beach below was broken by projecting ledges of rock and he finally came to rest by a ledge just above the beach.

After the alarm was raised by his wife, police, firemen and coastguards made their way down the cliff and were able to lash the future star to a stretcher and hauled him up the cliff face from where a RNAS Culdrose helicopter airlifted him to West Cornwall Hospital.

The couple were on holiday in the area, and at the time Barry was playing the part of the undertaker Mr Sowerberry in the BBC TV serialised version of Oliver Twist.

Martin added that he found the prized copy of The Cornishman in We Have What You Need, at the bottom of Market Jew Street.

"I love old stuff and when I saw this copy of The Cornishman in the window, I had to have it.

"You so rarely see intact old copies like that," he said.

" I read the paper from cover to cover and came across this fascinating story of, at the time, a little-known actor."