As the Cornish Pirates look to end a run of three successive Championship defeats with the visit of Moseley to the Mennaye Field on Sunday (1.15pm), head coach Ian Davies has named two debutants in his squad for the game.

Davies promised that there would be changes after last weekend`s disappointing 37-25 loss at Leeds and he has drafted in new loan signings from Premiership side Bath, Will Tanner and Chris Cook, to freshen up his team.

Tanner will start at hooker alongside Peter Joyce and Ryan Storer with Cook on the bench along with a third Bath loanee James Tyas.

The pack remains otherwise unchanged apart from Gavin Cattle taking back the captaincy as he starts at scrum-half alongside Aaron Penberthy who has impressed since his return from injury a fortnight ago.

In the backs the Pirates possess some real pace with top try scorer Matt Evans and Ashley Smith on the wings whilst Tom Bedford comes in at inside centre in place of Junior Fatialofa to partner Tom Riley.

Kieran Hallett begins the game on the bench where Wes Davies also returns after missing the trip to Yorkshire with a back spasm.

Cornish Pirates:- Pointer, Smith, Riley, Bedford, Evans, Penberthy, Cattle (capt); Storer, Tanner, Joyce, Johnson, Lyons, Burgess, Cheesman, Marriott

Replacements – Prescott, Elloway, Barry, Tyas, Cook, Hallett, Davies

Actress Michele Dotrice will be attending the screening of a film in Wadebridge  which starred her late husband Edward Woodward.

The Congregation of Ghosts   will be shown at the Regal  Cinema on Sunday, March 24 at 8pm.  The event  has been organised by the Friends of Pencarrow, which raised money to preserve and enhance the house and grounds at Washaway.

The actress  and  her daughter Emily Woodward both plan to come down specially for the film, interrupting busy touring schedules in order to support this event.  Michele will be flying down from Newcastle and Emily arrives back the day before,  from the USA. 

The film is based on the true story of the Reverend Frederick Densham, an eccentric vicar who  quickly managed to upset his congregation, resulting  in his preaching to a church filled with cardboard cut outs and years of ostracism from the community.

 The film's  director,  Mark Collicott,  will answer questions and participate in a discussion about the film after it has ben screened.
Treasurer for the Friends of Pencarrow,  Jane Inge, who has organised the event,  said:  'We feel it will be of real interest to local audiences, and will give us a rare opportunity to see what has been described as a beautifully made and moving film'. 

Tickets can be obtained from The Regal Cinema Wadebridge, on 01208 812791

EXPERTS from BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time are recording two shows in St Keverne.More than 200 people are expected to pack out St Keverne parish hall for the double recording on April 15.

St Keverne Gardeners' Society former chairman, Roger Pearce, contacted producers of the show four years ago inviting them to visit the village during their popular trouble-shooting gardening programme.Tickets costing £2.50 are being offered to society members and other gardening fans.

"We are thrilled that they are coming. People often take unusual plants and problems for the experts to solve. It will be interesting to see what Cornwall's gardeners' will bring," added Mr Pearce.

Anyone wishing to buy a ticket can call Mr Pearce on 01326 280160 or Ann Nicholson on 01326 280414.

EXPERTS from BBC Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time are recording two shows in St Keverne.More than 200 people are expected to pack out St Keverne parish hall for the double recording on April 15.

St Keverne Gardeners' Society former chairman, Roger Pearce, contacted producers of the show inviting them to visit the village during their popular trouble-shooting gardening programme.Tickets costing £2.50 are being offered to society members and other gardening fans.

"We are thrilled that they are coming. People often take unusual plants and problems for the experts to solve. It will be interesting to see what Cornwall's gardeners' will bring," added Mr Pearce.

Anyone wishing to buy a ticket can call Mr Pearce on 01326 280160 or Ann Nicholson on 01326 280414.

A former mayor accused of saying "all Muslims are terrorists" during an equality training session has refused to apologise.

Conservative councillor Marjorie Snowden is also said to have asked "Why should we be interested in black history?" according to an official report.

Mrs Snowden, 85, was due to face a standards committee hearing into the allegations on Wednesday night but phoned an hour before to say she would not be attending.

West Dorset District councillors ordered her to apologise in writing to equality officer Sue Bickle, who lodged the complaint against her.

But a defiant Mrs Snowden, twice mayor of Sherborne, said yesterday: "I am not politically-correct and I am not apologising to anyone.

"I did not say all Muslims are terrorists – although it is a well-known saying. It is something that has been said many times.

"It's also not strictly true that I asked why should we be interested in black history.

"What I actually said is that we waste far too much money on multicultural black history – why are we wasting taxpayers' money on it?"

The controversial comments were made at what Mrs Snowden described as "a session of political correctness" in June last year.

The equalities and diversity training meeting was being run by Ms Bickle whose formal complaint was backed up by district councillor Molly Rennie.

In the report to the standards committee Ms Bickle alleged: "Councillor Snowden made remarks which were clearly hostile to the Muslim community and bordering on religious hatred, identifying all Muslims as terrorists."

She also alleged Mrs Snowden asked: "Why should we be interested in black history?"

Ms Bickle said: "I struggled to complete the session feeling extremely bullied, victimised and vulnerable."

Jane Nicklen, head of community planning and development and Ms Bickle's line manager, claimed Mrs Snowden also made a "derogatory aside" about homosexuals.

Their allegations were examined by WDDC's investigation officer Roger Greene who presented his report to the standards committee.

He concluded: "I feel I have no option but to find that Councillor Snowden did breach the code of conduct."

In her official response to the allegations Mrs Snowden said: "I am afraid the truth does hurt on occasion. The session is a waste of council taxpayers' money.

"My comments at all times were personal from me and because I believed them to be true."

Torquay United's new signing Joss Labadie knows exactly what to expect and he is up for the job of trying to haul the Gulls out of npower League Two relegation trouble, starting against Oxford United at Plainmoor today.

The 22-year-old Notts County midfielder is expected to make his full debut against the U's after joining on loan to the end of the season.

"I've been in this position before, when I was at Cheltenham and Tranmere earlier in my career," said Labadie.

"I know what's required, and I'm looking forward to the challenge."

The South Londoner had no hesitation in answering United manager Alan Knill's call this week.

"Although I didn't know him, I've played against his teams a few times, and I've got friends in the game who have played for him," said Labadie, who started his career at West Bromwich Albion.

"They've got nothing but good to say about him

"I've made a good few appearances, but only seven starts in the league this season, and I need to be starting regularly.

"I think I'm quite combative, but I like to mix it up. I try and get on the ball, and have shots whenever possible."

While he was at West Brom, Labadie had loan spells at Shrewsbury Town, Cheltenham Town and Tranmere Rovers, before a permanent move to Birkenhead in 2010. He joined Notts County last summer.

Knill will run a final fitness check on Aaron Downes to make sure that United's Australian centre-back is ready to step back into the defence after a two-week hamstring strain injury, but he is unlikely to look for too many other changes.

United ended their seven-match losing streak with a 0-0 draw at fellow strugglers Accrington Stanley last Saturday, and Knill says: "Now we can hopefully build off that. Football can change so quickly, and to get three points at home would give our supporters something to cheer about.

"When I brought a team to Torquay in the past, it was always a tough game, and we want to make it as difficult as possible for people to come here from now on.

"You find that, once you do win, it can have a steamroller effect, and that's what we're looking for."

Knill added: "The players went boxing training on Tuesday afternoon, and we're trying to bring the squad really close together.

"It's about looking after each other, and taking that from training and on to the pitch on match-day. The fact that you lose seven games [on the trot] usually means that there's something drastically wrong. There wasn't.

"Before that, the team was doing reasonably well and, hopefully, we are getting back to being competitive again."

Of Oxford (12th), Knill said after watching the U's lose 4-0 at home to Rotherham this midweek: "Chris Wilder is a good friend of mine, and I felt for him as I was watching the game.

"Oxford were really good for 20 minutes, then conceded a goal, and another very quickly, and suddenly had a bad 25 minutes.

"Chris' team had gone from playing so well to being 4-0 down at half-time. But when you look at the team and their squad, he's got some decent players."

United midfielder Craig Easton is sidelined by a calf strain, and the squad is reduced by loans which have taken wingers Saul Halpin and Karl Baker to Bideford and central defender Kyrtis McKenzie to Taunton Town.

Wilder has been opting to start without his two top scorers, James Constable and Tom Craddock, and in the space of a problematic 90 minutes against Rotherham he tried several different formations in an effort to repair the first-half damage.

Oxford slipped nine points adrift of the play-offs zone this week, but they did beat leaders Gillingham away and Port Vale at home before the Rotherham defeat, underlining an inconsistency which has held them back all season.

Other key games today, from Torquay's point of view, include bottom club AFC Wimbledon at home to York (18th), Plymouth Argyle (23rd) away to Gillingham, Accrington Stanley away to Northampton, Barnet at home to Morecambe and Aldershot away to Bradford City.

Torquay United (from): Poke, Rice; Oastler, Saah, Downes, MacDonald, Nicholson, Labadie, Mansell, Lathrope, Jarvis, Benyon, Howe, Bodin, Leadbitter, Craig, Stevens, Cruise, Macklin, Morris, N Thompson, Yeoman.

Unavailable: Easton (calf), Halpin, Baker, McKenzie (all loaned out).

Police and a fire crew were called to Trevaunance Road, St Agnes, in the early hours of this morning after reports of a car on fire.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used two high pressure hosereels to extinguish the blaze at around 1am.

Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service said arson was suspected.

Moves are under way to clear an illegal settlement of caravans from a salt depot owned by Devon County Council.

The occupants – said to be four households from one family, one of whom is thought to be a gypsy – have already been moved on from land near the M5 after being evicted from at least one council house.

Following a complaint over the alleged use of air rifles at the site, anxious residents in Kennford, close to the A38 Devon Expressway, have called for immediate action over the land, which sits in an Area of Great Landscape Value.

Privately, some claim the county authority is "hiding behind" equalities policies over gypsies and travellers rather than clearing the four touring caravans from Red Cross Salt Depot.

After more than eight months, Teignbridge district council has now lost patience with the county council.

Planners are meeting on Monday when they are expected to approve plans to serve an enforcement notice on the county council and the people living on the site.

Devon County Council said moving the family on might simply create a worse problem somewhere else.

Councillor Alan Connett, former Liberal Democrat leader of the authority, said Teignbridge had "no obligation to rehouse the family".

"It falls to the county council to do more than it has to find them somewhere to live peacefully without breaching the planning laws," he said.

The family first rolled up to the Dawlish Road depot last July just as enforcement action was due to be taken against them on Highways Agency land in Exminster.

They are believed to have been forced to leave council houses in Exminster and also Exeter.

In January, Teignbridge officials received a series of complaints that the matter had not yet been resolved.

They said the site is regularly visited by the Devon County Gypsy Liaison Officer, who hopes "a more appropriate site can be found sooner rather than later".

A spokesman for Teignbridge said: "We have to strike a balance between those people who have to have somewhere to live and those in the vicinity who have to put up with them. If we don't start action there is a danger the use becomes established."

A spokesman for Devon County Council said it would continue to help find "a long-term housing solution". "While there remains no alternative option at the moment, our view is that moving the family from this, relatively isolated location runs a risk they would simply move to another more unsuitable location where their safety, that of the settled community and the travelling public could be compromised further," he added.

The National Housing Federation (NHF), which compiled the figures, wants the Government to exempt vulnerable people from the spare room penalty to be introduced next month.

Opponents say those hit by a benefits cut of up to an average of £637 a year in some parts of Devon and Cornwall will be forced to find a new home – but finding a smaller home is impossible given the chronic shortage of properties.

Catherine Brabner, the NHF's South West manager, said: "The Government's bedroom tax is flawed and will unfairly penalise thousands of people in the South West who have lived in their homes for years, raised families and contributed to their communities.

"The 'one-size-fits-all' approach takes no account of disabled people's adapted homes, of foster parents who need rooms to take children in, or of parents sharing custody who will lose the room for their child at weekends.

"In most areas, there just aren't enough smaller affordable homes for these families to move into to avoid the tax. Many people will find themselves having to move into more expensive privately rented properties – adding to the overall housing benefit bill."

She added: "The high housing benefit bill is because there are not enough affordable homes, so the best way to cut the bill is to build more."

The Western Morning News this week reported that 30,000 people in the wider South West would be hit by the cut to benefits for under-occupancy, according to the official impact assessment.

The NHF, which represents housing associations, estimates 9,170 of those are in Devon and Cornwall, and in turn 5,777 have disabilities. Ministers are determined to bring down Britain's bloated benefits bill, but have given councils more than £150 million to help vulnerable tenants.

Labour has warned the spare-room clampdown will hit a range of social groups, from households with relatives away serving in the armed forces to separated parents who keep a room so their children can stay.

The NHF says the Government's own estimate is that 63% of those affected are disabled, and that funding to offset the impact on the vulnerable will hand them as little as £1.71 a week.

Under the Government's proposals, people in social housing will receive a cut in housing benefit where they are deemed to have spare bedrooms.

Ministers dispute the term "bedroom tax" – arguing it is not a "tax" but a partial withdrawal of a state hand-out.

A Department for Work Pensions spokesman said: "Councils have been given an extra £155 million this year so that they can help their vulnerable tenants, with £30 million specifically targeted towards supporting disabled people who have modified their homes and foster carers.

"We need to ensure a better use of social housing when over a quarter of a million tenants are living in overcrowded homes and 2 million are on housing waiting lists."

But ministers say the three-year programme is "ahead of schedule" at the end of its first year.

Government figures state there are 3,750 families to help in the two counties, and between them they cost the state £280 million a year in police, NHS and council costs, an average of almost £75,000 per family, excluding benefits.

After its first 12 months, councils have identified 1,710 families in need of support in Devon and Cornwall.

Of those, 591 are being helped through "intensive interventions" to tackle truancy, youth crime, antisocial behaviour and unemployment.

In January, local authorities reported they had turned around the lives of 20 troubled families in the two counties after just nine months of the three-year programme. All are in Plymouth – with none having been turned around yet in Cornwall, Devon or Torbay.

The programme has been given a further boost with the announcement of a new drive that will see 150 Jobcentre Plus advisers who will work with councils to help get people into jobs.

They will give practical support in skills such as CV writing and interview techniques, and will put families in contact with local employers.

Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles said: "The Troubled Families programme is on track, changing families for the better and reducing their impact on the communities around them.

"This programme is getting to grips with some of the hardest to help families in the country and in doing so will help bring down the costs they incur to the taxpayer and the damage they do to communities."

A total of 38 firefighters have been tackling a roof fire in Trevissick, Bodmin, this afternoon.

The initial call came shortly before 3pm when two appliances from Bodmin were dispatched to the scene.

On arrival it was apparent more help was needed so two more pumping appliances, two water carriers and a further two ancillary vehicles attended and extinguished the blaze. 

A fire investigation team is currently at the scene.