HMS Cornwall on worldwide trip

HMS Cornwall left Devonport Naval Base this week for a seven month tour of duty. The Type 22 frigate will visit a number of countries, including the USA and the Far East.

The warship will be keeping in touch with the Cornish Times throughout its deployment as flagship for the Commander of the UK Task group.

Copies of the paper will be sent to the crew each week and we will be reporting on their progress regularly. So keep up with the Cornish Times – and HMS Cornwall.

Eden features in TV specials

The multi-million pound Eden project near St Austell is to feature in two half-hour television documentaries - the first to be screened by Carlton on May 28 from 6-6.30pm.

The documentaries will illustrate how the barren landscape of a disused claypit at Bodelva has been transformed into a major tourist attraction. They will also depict a trip to Guyana where staff liaised with rain forest inhabitants, as well as problems nearer to home, such as how to avoid the badgers at Bodelva.

GM trial site is abandoned

A farm scale trial of genetically modified forage maize planned for a site near West Portholland, has been abandoned after a local milk company threatened to stop collecting milk from the farmer.

The site was the only farm scale trial in the county, although more may still be announced. Frank Pennycook, of Friends of the Earth, said: 'We are delighted. These trials pose a threat to the livelihoods of local farmers, bee keepers and the environment.'

Review into Fire Brigade funding

An in-depth review into problems with funding which are facing Cornwall's fire brigade, has been called for by the county council's newly-formed cabinet.

Cabinet member, John Lobb, has said there has been long-term underfunding of the service, while a chief fire officer has said he feels the huge demands currently made on fire brigade staff cannot continue in their current vein.

County council personnel officers have carried out a survey into the brigade which has shown that nearly 50 per cent of its staff feel they are overworked.