West Briton (Truro and Mid Cornwall)

Student’s car crushed as wild weather rips through Cornwall

RESIDENTS across Cornwall received a Government-issued warning alert on their mobile phones before Storm Goretti struck the county. Last Thursday the Met Office characterised Goretti, the first named storm of 2026, as a “multi-hazard event” which was...

Council is accused of ‘scandal’ over care home fees

DISTRAUGHT families are alleging a “systemic scandal” at Cornwall Council concerning their late loved ones’ care, which has led to some Cornish residents paying more than £100,000 for treatment they believe should have been provided free by the...

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A new beginning for Cornwall’s economy

THERE is a real, palpable sense that Cornwall has arrived into the lexicon of Westminster and we have done so not as a Dickensian Oliver Twist character but as a region, area, country – choose the word as you feel – that is going to fundamentally...

Fears for wildlife as Falmouth Docks plan fast-tracked

CORNWALL Wildlife Trust and members of the local fishing industry are warning against ‘cutting corners’ after huge Falmouth Docks plans were ‘fasttracked’ by the Government. The trust has raised the alarm over the decision to ‘fast-track’ the £150...

Two police officers seriously injured in A30 collision

THREE men, including two police officers, have been seriously injured in a crash on the A30. Emergency services were called to the scene of a three-vehicle crash, which involved two cars and a police vehicle, at about 8pm on Sunday, December 7. A...

‘Joyful’ little girl died after surgery on tonsils

THE family of a five-year-old girl who died after having her tonsils removed have urged parents to “trust their instincts” and speak up if they are worried about their children undergoing surgery. Amber Milnes, from St Just in Roseland, underwent...

Bus firm to axe all services in Duchy

»Hundreds of jobs put at risk as First Bus blames falling passenger numbers and ‘ongoing financial challenges’ for decision.

Abandoned pub fire to be investigated

6A firefighter tackles the suspicious blaze at the Boslowick Inn on Prislow Lane in Falmouth

Councillor quits Tories over ‘racist’ comment

THE former chair of Cornwall Council has resigned from the Conservative party after she was condemned by two of the Duchy’s MPs over a Facebook post they deemed to be racist. Councillor Pauline Giles, who is the Cornwall councillor for St Blazey,...

Sinkhole swallows Mini Cooper outside bakery

A MOTORIST has been deprived of his car after it was swallowed by a sinkhole. Malcolm McKenzie’s Mini was parked by the back wall of Berrymans Bakery in Redruth when what’s though to be an abandoned mineshaft opened beneath it and the back end fell...

Villagers rally to buy chapel warning it could become ‘another second home’

VILLAGERS fighting to save their chapel after it was put up for sale have warned they don’t want “another second home”. The Grade II-listed Lizard Methodist Chapel in Landewednack closed in March and is now on the market for £200,000. It’s described...

Truro runner Steven sets record at Eden Project marathon

6Truro Running Club’s Steven Reynolds celebrates his third consecutive Eden marathon victory – a first in the event’s history. The day also saw Helston’s Adrian Bastian complete his 100th marathon.

Appeal launched to help secure future of village’s beating heart

>>The Miners and Mechanics Institute in St Agnes has launched a fundraising campaign so it can continue to thrive. Pictured are architect Charlie Blythe with MMI trustee Hilary Owen.

Sun to rise again over South Crofty

6The last Cornish tin mine to close will get a new lease of life 30 years after it shut down, with its Canadian owners revealing plans to reopen the mine in 2028

Comedian visits charity drama group after sell-out show

>>Comedian Harry Hill, centre, with youngsters and staff from Drama Express, a charity in Hayle which provides opportunities for young people with additional needs to participate in the performing arts.

Treliske in top tier of national league

CORNWALL’S main hospitals have been ranked among the best in the country. Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) has been placed in the top tier of acute and specialist trusts in a new national performance review from NHS England. It has been...

Royal visit marks charity’s milestone

QUEEN Camilla was greeted by flag-waving crowds as she dropped in on three charities during her latest visit to Cornwall. She started her day at the Truro headquarters of the humanitarian relief charity ShelterBox, celebrating its 25th anniversary,...

Brother murdered in ‘frenzied’ attack

AMAN subjected his brother to a “brutal and sustained” hammer attack as he lay on the floor of their mother’s kitchen, a court has heard. Daniel Lynch subjected his brother Shane to the terrible ordeal before trying to conceal the evidence of his...

Students celebrating GCSE success

THOUSANDS of students at schools across the county learned what the future holds for them when they opened their GCSE exam results. Five years’ work by students at Richard Lander School in Truro were rewarded with results that, the school says,...

Controversial pods for homeless axed

ACONTROVERSIAL plan by Cornwall Council to site ten homeless pods for vulnerable young people near Truro’s Waitrose store and Duchy of Cornwall homes has been scrapped amid political intrigue. The council’s new cabinet member for the environment and...

Farm sell-off fears

ACABINET member told a Cornwall Council meeting last week that the “number one thing” that could reduce its £1.2 billion debt would be to sell off its farms estate. Following a long debate by its sustainable growth scrutiny committee, councillors...

Pride brings splash of colour to city

HUNDREDS of people brought a rainbow of colour to Cornwall’s capital when Truro celebrated its annual Pride event on Saturday. Marchers paraded through the city centre with what was described as the world’s largest Pride flag. They had gathered at...

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Body in woods identified as murder inquiry is launched

POLICE have confirmed the identity of a suspected murder victim whose body was found in woodland earlier this month. The body has been formally identified as that of 50-year-old Lee Hockey from the Truro area. His next of kin have been...

Fraudsters stole £20k from local rugby club

TWO then-married fraudsters who stole more than £20,000 from a small rugby club to spend on drugs and clear their debts have been handed suspended prison sentences. Katie Curgenven, 36, also known as Katie Stevens, took out a debit card in her name on...

Castle to Castle swim success

THIS year’s Castle to Castle swim in Falmouth proved to be the biggest yet, attracting 552 participants. The swim, between Pendennis Castle in Falmouth and St Mawes Castle on the Roseland peninsula, has so far raised more than £107,000 for the Royal...

Fisherman’s Friends to stage three-day Stithians festival

AFTER two films, Top 10 albums, a musical, a TV documentary and a book, Fisherman’s Friends are now launching their own festival in Cornwall. Alongside the band, performers will include Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, Kate Rusby,...

Call for inquiry into tree removal mystery

FALMOUTH Town Council has weighed in on a growing controversy concerning the fate of three trees in a conservation area. The healthy lime trees were saved twice this year and once last year following peaceful protests by a campaign group called Stop...

Double Royal visit charms the crowds at Cornwall show

The Duke of Cornwall and the Duchess of Edinburgh made a rare official outing together at the Royal Cornwall Show last week. William and Sophie were a big hit as crowds followed them during their tour of the showground on Friday. The pair sampled a...

Ancient Beating of the Bounds tradition returns to Helston after row U-turn.

A THREATENED 450-year-old tradition has been maintained after a health and safety row prompted an insurance U-turn. Months of controversy had surrounded the future of Helston’s Beating of the Bounds ceremony, in which participants have always had...

Ancient habitat is covered in algae from sewage pollution

CORNWALL’S irreplaceable marine habitats are at risk of disappearing for ever because they are being smothered by algae caused by sewage pollution, experts have warned. Marine scientists and conservationists said they had been shocked to discover...

Convicted rapist’s prison officer affair

AFEMALE prison officer who became the lover of a dangerous rapist and child sex offender from Cornwall has avoided jail. Cherri-Ann Austin-Saddington became besotted with paedophile Bradley Trengrove after he was moved to HMP The Verne on Portland,...

All the fun on Flora Day

ONE of Cornwall’s oldest and best-loved traditions has returned to the streets of Helston. The annual Flora Day celebrations mark the passing of winter and the arrival of spring and took place on Thursday, May 8. It is one of the oldest British...

ALL CHANGE

IT’S a new dawn for Cornwall Council and one the unitary authority has never previously experienced. At the polls last week the ruling Conservative administration was decimated, losing 32 seats, while Nigel Farage’s claim back in February, when he...

Air ambulance charity is to open a new city shop

THE Cornwall Air Ambulance charity will be making a return to Truro with the opening of a new shop in the city centre. The unit will be opening in early summer – the exact date is yet to be confirmed – in the River Street premises previously occupied...

P-P-PERFECT PARTY FOR WORLD’S OLDEST PENGUIN, 37

6The world’s oldest known Humboldt penguin has celebrated her 37th birthday – with a cake made of fish and ice. Spneb has lived at Paradise Park zoo, in Hayle since 1988.

Drugs trio ‘terrorised’ unsuspecting family

ATRIO who left a family so terrified they had to move house have been jailed. Adam Thouless, 33, Ben James, 30, and Joshua Lindell, 35, are thought to have been pursuing a drug debt when they turned up at a property in Redruth one night in February...

Wibble-wobble adventures with Percy Pengelly

AFTER completely selling out in 2023, Percy Pengelly is returning to Cornwall with more memorable big-top high jinks. Adapted from a book by Cadgwith author Jenny Steele Scolding, theatre company Cousin Jack’s production of Percy Pengelly and the...

Verve star set to headline concert at country house

FORMER frontman of The Verve Richard Ashcroft will be one of the headliners when the Live at Scorrier House indie rock festival returns after a one-year hiatus. Now a three-day event, it will open on Friday, August 22, with a rock-versus-indie silent...

National Trust in talks to run Heartlands site

THE National Trust, along with two charity partners, is in talks with Cornwall Council about providing a “sustainable future” for the Heartlands mining attraction. Some 40 employees were given just one month’s notice to find new jobs when the heritage...

Campaigners fight to Stop the Chop for lime trees

THERE was a brief standoff this week after Devon and Cornwall Police intervened and ordered Cornwall Council to stop its bid to chop down three large, healthy trees on a Falmouth street. Up to 50 protesters, who have been fighting the council...

Cornwall celebrates St Piran’s Day

Hundreds celebrated Cornwall’s patron saint on Wednesday, March 5, St Piran’s Day, with parades, music and singing. Here are some of the celebrations from Truro and Falmouth

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25 years on, ShelterBox continues to deliver hope around the world »

MORE than three million people have been supported by Cornwall-based disaster relief charity ShelterBox 25 years after it was formed to support people across the world with emergency shelter – that’s more than 300 people every day. To mark the...

Cornwall’s food and drink stars celebrate success

6The first-ever Great Cornish Food Awards brought out the very best of Cornwall for a special awards ceremony at Nancarrow Farm, near Truro. More than 60 leading names and rising stars in the food, drink, farming and fishing sectors gathered to...

Oggy, Oggy, Oggy for future of sea shanty festival

6Much-loved sea shanty group The Oggymen will be belting out their musical best when they join three other groups for the ‘Local Legends’ event to raise funds for the Falmouth International Sea Shanty Festival. The evening of song takes place at the...

‘Police must be relentless in fight against crime’

6Police and crime commissioner Alison Hernandez has vowed to crack down on the ‘wicked issue’ of shoplifting as one of her top priorities for officers across Cornwall over the next five years. She made the remarks at the same time that it was agreed...

‘Connected river city’ scheme signals greener future

6The first phase of the ambitious £23.6m Truro Town Deal project has started with work to deliver easier walking and cycling to the city from Malpas. The work will deliver improved access to footpaths and new crossing points to connect the riverside,...

Devolution threat to ‘Brand Cornwall’

IT appears a modern Trelawny’s Army is assembling as leading politicians in Cornwall stand fast against growing moves across the border to include the Duchy in a “super council”. Both Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council this month agreed to...

Green light for garden village land grab

6Cornwall’s newest community will power forward after an independent review backed compulsory purchase orders for Langarth, near Truro, to be built.

Cathedral’s lights fantastic

6Truro Cathedral will be transformed into a riot of colour from Monday when light art collective Luxmuralis brings its magic to Cornwall with a one-of-a-kind light and sound experience.

Citizen’s arrests to confront scourge of shoplifting

We are now at a stage where our streets are becoming dangerous because we are not tackling the problem at grassroots level. The shoplifting that I want to prevent isn’t because I am worried about losing a £20 teddy bear – the issue is how it affects...

‘Spellbinding’ panto will delight all audiences

DESPITE Storm Darragh’s best efforts to blow down the beanstalk at its opening night, it did not stop audiences from relishing pasty puns and celebrating the Kernow King in Hall for Cornwall’s pantomime, It is written once again by Steve Marmion and...

City’s green dream set to be rolled out

Pets caught up in cost-of-living crisis

ALMOST 200 animals were abandoned in Cornwall last year, according to new figures shared by the RSPCA, a 15% increase in the past two years. The animal charity says it believes a surge in pet ownership during the Covid-19 lockdown, followed by...

6Edward ‘Kernow King’ Rowe

has been getting ready for the role of his life as the Dame in Jack and the Beanstalk, this year’s panto at the Hall for Cornwall, with the help of fashion students from Falmouth University. They have worked on one of the flamboyant costumes he will...

Countryside fury at solar farm plan

ANGER is growing in an area where a developer is proposing to build what would be the biggest solar farm in Cornwall. Residents of the Carland Cross area say they fear that if permission is granted for the 210-acre solar park it will severely affecct...

Cornwall remembers the fallen at solemn ceremonies

6The streets of Truro fell silent during Remembrance Sunday services which saw wreaths laid at the War Memorial for those who lost their lives during conflicts. The service was mirrored with similar ceremonies across Cornwall on Sunday and Armistice...

Flambards closes

ONE of Cornwall’s most popular family attractions has closed down “with immediate effect”. Flambards Theme Park, in Helston, confirmed the permanent closure with a lengthy statement posted on its website on Monday. The sudden closure comes just...

£99.5m investment to future-proof airbase

6This is how the new air engineering training school at RNAS Culdrose could look after a major investment in the Cornish airbase was announced.

Housing on hold

MORE than 23,000 homes which have received planning permission still haven’t been built in Cornwall, a new council briefing paper has revealed. Cornwall, which is in the midst of a housing crisis, has approximately 27,000 families on the waiting list...

Bird’s eye view of new sports hub captured by drone

Historic building no one wants

ONE of Cornwall’s grandest buildings seems doomed to remain empty, unless the fifth attempt in just over a decade to sell and develop it proves successful. The imposing Old County Hall on Station Road, Truro, was the headquarters for Cornwall County...

Hero’s welcome as Steven completes wheelchair challenge

6Former city mayor Steven Webb arrives in a rain-soaked Truro on Sunday after completing his Cornwall 500 challenge in aid of the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust. Steven was met by wellwishers, including Truro town crier Lionel Knight, after an...

UNDER THREAT

THE new Women and Children’s Hospital promised for Cornwall may now never be built, Secretary of State for Health Wes Streeting has admitted. The new building, which was expected to cost £291 million, is now under threat as the new Labour government...