Dobwalls steaming

into record books

DOBWALLS Adventure Park is set to go steaming into the record books over the Easter weekend, when it seems likely that the millionth passenger will climb aboard the seven and quarter gauge steam locomotive, the General Palmer.

Before stepping aboard, this very important and lucky passenger will receive a lifeftime pass to the Park for a family of four, a bottle of champagne, and an engraved memento of the occasion, presented by the proprietor, Mr John Southern.

Built by miniature locomotive builders, David Curwen of Devizes, and delivered to Dobwalls 30 years ago, the General Palmer, at peak times, regularly clocks up 1,000 or more passengers a day along the steeply graded Rio Grande route.

Chuffed to

see a chough

A Cornish CHOUGH has been spotted at Lands End.

The bird - black with a distictive red beak - appears on the Cornish coat of arms (and on our title, at the top of this page). It was seen at the re-opening of the RSPB's Discovery Centre on the peninsula. The chough has not been bred in the county since 1947 and has been rarely seen for 30 years.

Mark Warren, RSPB information warden at Land's End, said: 'The chough is quite a rarity in Cornwall these days-the last wild chough was seen in 1994 at Duckpool, and only stayed a few days. If we are lucky, this rare and beautiful bird will stay a little longer for everyone to see.'

Charity golf at

St Mellion

THE UK'S largest charity golf championship is coming to Cornwall. For the first time in its 12 year history, the Help the Aged Unisys Golf Club Championship will host a regional final at St Mellion Golf and Country Club on September 5.

The tournament has had endorsement from Sam Torrance and Darren Clarke. A total of133 golf clubs are currently eligible to take part in the tournament.

For a registration pack, golf clubs should call the Help the Aged Golf Championship hotline on: 020 7239 1922. Closing date for registrations is May 18.

Japanese Mps

visit South West

A DELEGATION of senior Japanese MPs, which includes the former Japanese foreign minister, Taro Nakayama, has been visiting the South West.

The delegates, who will conclude their visit today, attended a dinner hosted by Plymouth city council, went on a boat trip from the Barbican via the Devonport dockyard to Saltash, and toured the Eden Project.