Weather failed to dampen celebrations

STORMY weather disrupted New Year celebrations in Torpoint but failed to dampen the spirits of thousands of revellers who greeted 2001 in style.

A torchlight procession which was to have made its way through the town centre before the lighting of the town's Millennium beacon was cancelled because of the weather.

However, the lighting of the beacon in Rendel Park beside the Torpoint Ferry lanes still went ahead at 8pm, though only six people were present.

The beacon was lit by the Mayor of Torpoint, Stan Martin, as part of the national Beacon Millennium Festival. His wife Christine was also present as were town councillor Mike Pearn and his wife Val. They were accompanied by the organisers of the event, Roy Roseveare and town councillor Steve Martin, who had arranged the parade and lighting on behalf of the Torpoint Development Trust.

Roy said: "The lighting of the beacon went ahead in gale force winds and lashing rain!

"It stayed ablaze for more than four hours and was turned off after midnight. By 11 o'clock the weather was better and at midnight 2,000-3,000 people, mainly in fancy dress, were on the ferry lanes to see in the New Year."

Mr Martin praised the majority of people at the celebrations for their "impeccable behaviour" however he is concerned at the amount of broken glass that was on the ground.

"There was a lot of glass around. The problem will have to be looked into for future years. Some parents took their children away because of the danger the glass posed," said Mr Martin.

"The pubs have done their utmost to issue plastic bottles but people have purchased drink in glass bottles from elsewhere. "I would urge people to be more responsible. They should think before putting bottles down where they can get kicked."

Barn dance

GET ready to take your partner by the hand - a barn dance in aid of the Mayor of Torpoint's charity is to be held in the town on Saturday, February 3.

A live band will provide the music for the dance which will take place in the Council Hall in York Road at 7.30pm and the caller will be Gil Jefferies.

Tickets for the Mayor's Charity Barn Dance, in aid of the Friends of Derriford Kidney Unit, cost £4.50 each to include a pasty supper. They can be obtained from Mayoress Christine Martin at 47 York Road (tel. 01752 812476) or from the Torpoint Florist shop in Fore Street.

Regeneration projects

TORPOINT town councillors have heard that Caradon District Council has earmarked substantial sums of money for regeneration projects in the town in the next five years.

District councillor John Chadwick said that the projects include the proposed sports hall, new industrial units in Marine Drive and workshops at Trevol Business Park.

Funding for regeneration schemes in the town could also come from Objective 1 money won from Europe.

Millbrook meeting

A SITE meeting is to be held in Millbrook on January 15 to discuss a plan by Mr and Mrs P Keefe to retain a dwelling with revised access.

This is a revised design to a previous application and pertains to land adjacent to Higher Anderton House, Lower Anderton Road. The Caradon council meeting will be held at 9.30am.

No go-ahead for

Kingsand appeal

AN appeal against a Caradon council decision to refuse permission for a detached bungalow and garage at Kingsand has been dismissed by a government inspector.

The appeal, by Mrs P Pelley and Mr D Acton, was for land adjoining Westside Cottage, Fore Street. The inspector considered the main issue in the case the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the locality, having regard to its location in the Kingsand/Cawsand conservation area.

The inspector also noted that planning permission was granted for the erection of a dwelling on the land in l970, with a further outline planning permission in l971. But he said these permissions expired 'many years ago and well before the adoption of the current development plan.'