Helston & South Kerrier
Houston, we have your latest acquisition
By Peter Tremayne Cornwall’s earth satellite communications’ station at Goonhilly, on The Lizard, is to be sold to an American aerospace company for £37 million. Opened in 1962 by...
A funny old game: if you thought football in Cornwall was just a bunch of people kicking a ball, then think again
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall’s football fans have plenty of off-pitch activity to ponder as the current season draws to a close. The vacant leadership of recently-relegated Truro City has...
Local news headline special: Former RNAS Culdrose helicopter pilot arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office
By Harold Callahan Thames Valley police (isn’t that the one with Inspector Morse? – Ed) have just issued this statement: "We have today (Thursday) arrested a man in his...
Every little helps: Helston’s Tesco mistook Welsh language for Cornish
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Pushing their trolleys around the supermarket aisles, shoppers at Tesco in Helston wondered what they might find if they followed the sign for “Pysgod.” Even more...
Airstrip One: Cornwall on the front line in the latest Cold War
By Harold Callahan With no pilot, not even windows, a full-size Royal Navy combat helicopter has taken off and returned to Predannick airfield, near Mullion, on The Lizard. The...
Storm Goretti: man found dead after tree fell on caravan
By Harold Callahan A man in his 50s has been found dead inside a caravan near Helston, underneath a tree felled during Storm Goretti. Emergency services were called to...
Why it’s so easy to get planning permission in Cornwall: the exception that defies the rules
By Rashleigh MacFarlane A controversial planning application for an “affordable-led” housing scheme in the open countryside has been recommended for approval by Cornwall Council officials. The project is controversial...
The curious case of the car park privatisation which isn’t even on the agenda for next week’s Cornwall Council cabinet meeting
By Julia Penhaligon One of the more urgent “legacy” controversies facing the new Liberal Democrat-Independent administration of Cornwall Council is the privatisation of car parks - with time running...
Arsonist sets another gorse fire in west Cornwall
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Firefighters have reported to police another arson attack on 50 acres of gorse at St Keverne. The blaze was finally extinguished yesterday afternoon (Sunday.) Fire engines...
Gorse blaze was started deliberately, say firefighters
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Wildlife experts fear a fire at about 17 acres of gorse on The Lizard has signalled the start of another “arson season.” Firefighters say the blaze,...
Now listen carefully OO7, Newquay Spaceport could become a very important military base
By Peter Tremayne While the prospects of anything ever being launched into space from Newquay remain a dream to be found only in the fevered imaginations of Cornwall Council...
Coverack next in line for a community shop?
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Residents of Coverack are being urged to attend a meeting next week to consider the future of their village shop. The Coverack Village Stores closed in...
Taxpayers forking out £6,000 per week for Cornwall Council to fly drones
By Peter Tremayne Taxpayers appear to have given a drone company nearly £80,000 to fly their aircraft for three months as part of Cornwall’s so-called “space cluster.” The contract...
Another year of trail hunting? Government under pressure to deliver manifesto promise
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Twenty years after hunting with dogs was declared illegal, the traditional “hunt vs sabs” faceoff took place at a handful of sites across Cornwall on Boxing...
Police release two women as Helston “murder” inquiry continues
By Harold Callahan Two women, one in her 50s, the other in her 80s, have been released on bail pending further inquiries into what the police are calling a...
Flambards closes: Cornwall’s tourism industry now looks even more busted
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Flambards theme park is closing with immediate effect. Founded in 1976 on the outskirts of Helston as the Cornwall Aero Park, its relatively large collection of...
Baby dies from injuries sustained in Mullion school bus crash
By Harold Callahan Police have confirmed that a one-year-old child has now died following the collision between a car and a school bus at Mullion on Monday (14th October.)...
Woman dies after Mullion school bus crash
By Harold Callahan The woman who was badly injured in Monday’s school bus crash at Mullion has died. She was in her 30s and from Cornwall. A young boy,...
Helston woman killed in car crash
By Harold Callahan A woman in her 40s from Helston has been killed in a car crash on the A30 at Whiddon Down, Devon. She was a passenger in...
Police release more information about Mullion school bus crash
By Harold Callahan A woman in her 30s and a young boy remain in hospital after yesterday’s (Monday’s) serious collision involving a car and a school bus at Mullion....
Two people badly injured in Mullion school bus crash
By Harold Callahan Four pupils have been hurt when their school bus was in collision with a car on the Lizard this morning (Monday.) The accident happened on Meaver...
Decision imminent on future of Poldhu public toilets
By Rashleigh MacFarlane There are signs that action might finally be taken over the Poldhu beach public toilets, largely neglected since 2018 and described on Tripadvisor as “shocking.” Cornwall...
Cornwall’s “National Drone Hub” leads the way
By Peter Tremayne Large drones developed in Cornwall could be used to help extinguish wildfires, according to researchers. The 31-feet wingspan robot-controlled aircraft, which are due to be tested...
Motorcyclist dies in collision with tractor
By Harold Callahan A motorcyclist in his 70s has been killed in a road traffic accident on the A394 at Germoe, near Helston. He was in collision with a...
Cury primary school set to reopen for children with special needs
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Cornwall is set to get its first specialist primary school for children with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) problems. It is to be at the...
When the wind blows
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Coastal communities are waking up to a battered and soggy Cornwall after high tides and strong winds brought flooding to many areas. The sea wall at...
Vandalised speed cameras: police say suspects remain “under investigation”
By Harold Callahan Police have still not made a decision about whether to bring criminal charges against any of the three men arrested in connection with the vandalism of...
Porthleven lobster sales heads for planning showdown
By Lee Trewhela The applicant behind a plan to site a 20ft shipping container, selling seafood, on the quay at Porthleven harbour has defended the proposal after concerns were...
Small is beautiful: helping lichens, liverworts and pygmy rush thrive on the Lizard
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Natural England, the National Trust and the Cornwall Wildlife Trust have launched a new project to help conserve the rare landscape of the Lizard. The 5,700-acre...
Helston’s 8-year eyesore to become community hub
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The derelict former Budgens supermarket in Helston is to be transformed into a community “hub” at a cost of £2.6 million. The building has been closed...
Hello Cornwall, can you patch me through to Houston please? – the moment the first private-sector Moon robot called Earth
This was the moment last night when our mission operators were able to confirm that we were receiving #IntuitiveMachines' Odysseus lander! With you all the way Houston! Thanks for...
The long view: St Keverne’s former sub-postmistress finally in line for compensation over Horizon IT scandal
By Julia Penhaligon The former sub-postmistress of St Keverne Post Office, Susan Knight, met St Ives Liberal Democrat candidate Andrew George this morning (Thursday) – more than ten years...
Who chopped down Cornwall’s speed cameras? Police arrest two men
By Harold Callahan Police investigating criminal damage to speed cameras in Cornwall have made two arrests. Two men in their 30s, one from the Falmouth area and one from...
Teenagers arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in Helston released on bail
By Harold Callahan A 19-year old man and a 19-year old woman who were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in Helston on Christmas Eve have been released on...
Two arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in Helston
By Harold Callahan Two people are in police custody following a serious assault in Helston on Christmas Even. Police were notified just before 3am on Sunday 24th December to...
Boxing Day: a good day for Fantastic Mr Fox to stay at home
By Julia Penhaligon At least four fox hunts – and hunt saboteurs – will be out across Cornwall for their traditional Boxing Day confrontations. According to the Countryside Alliance,...
County Hall pushes ahead with plan to axe school transport
By Rashleigh MacFarlane About 80 children from four schools will be required to walk up to three miles on narrow country lanes if Cornwall Council approves a recommendation coming...
Small earthquake in Cornwall, no reports of any damage
By Rashleigh MacFarlane A 2.7 magnitude earthquake was recorded last night in the Helston area. Any earthquake of 2.5 or less is usually detectable only by specialist equipment. Some...
More losers than winners as government sprinkles £450,000 on only six leisure centres
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Only six of Cornwall’s leisure centres have been awarded a share of nearly £450,000 from the government’s £20.3 million Swimming Pool Support Fund. All of them...
Another planning rumpus at Porthleven harbour
By Lee Trewhela Plans by the man who owns a Cornish harbour to build a restaurant overlooking the water have been slammed by locals as a “vanity project” which...
In at the deep end: Marazion traffic warned that mineshaft is not just another pot-hole
By Lee Trewhela A mineshaft hole has appeared in a Cornish road, eight years after another hole opened up on the same road. The hole was discovered on Gwallon...
Hands up if you would like to be Labour’s Parliamentary candidate in North Cornwall or St Ives
By Julia Penhaligon The Labour Party has started the process for selecting Parliamentary candidates for the next general election in North Cornwall and St Ives constituencies. Both constituencies are...
Trust bids to buy Tregonning HIll
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The Cornwall Heritage Trust has bid for Tregonning Hill, a 70-acre Bronze Age site near Helston which is on the market for £150,000. The trust is...
Plans for large hotel expansion, on the cliffs, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
By Lee Trewhela One of the oldest coastal hotels in Cornwall has submitted plans to expand which will give its clifftop location a dramatic new look. Hotel Polurrian in...
All very Pythonesque: how the Ministry of the Absurd thought about hiding in Cornwall if anyone ever pressed the button
By Peter Tremayne The Royal Naval Air Station at Culdrose was once earmarked to host government survivors of a nuclear holocaust. The navy base, known as HMS Seahawk, was...
Helston market to move from Guildhall to Methodist church
By Lee Trewhela A historic community market which organisers said would be forced to close after 65 years of trading following a row with a town council has been...
End of an era? Helston’s country market just two weeks from closure
By Lee Trewhela Traders and customers have spoken of their dismay and heartache after it was announced that a 65-year-old market in Cornwall will close, blaming a town council...
Proud to be a Tory? St Ives MP on TV personality’s “naughty list”
By Julia Penhaligon Only one of Cornwall’s MPs fails to mention the Conservative Party in his Twitter profile. Derek Thomas, Conservative MP for St Ives, makes no mention of...
Cornwall Council plans to sell “outdated” care homes – promising to build new ones
By Richard Whitehouse Cornwall Council is set to sell two care homes so that new modern care homes can be built in their place. The council had taken over...
RNAS Culdrose to become base for high-speed drones
By Peter Tremayne The Royal Navy has bought seven high-speed drones to be based at Culdrose, near Helston. The 400 mph Banshee aircraft are primarily for training remote pilots...
What can you do? Why Helston’s roadworks will take longer than they should
Residents of Helston have been bemused by the sight of Cormac workers having to work around parked cars while resurfacing roads. Some motorists appear to have ignored warning signs....
Planners vote 8-2 to approve “hot rocks” power station near Wendron
By Richard Whitehouse Controversial plans to build a new geothermal power plant have been approved by eight votes to two, despite concerns that it would be “industrialising the countryside.”...
Another hot rocks controversy, as planners prepare to rule on West Cornwall power station
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Controversial plans for a geothermal “hot rocks” power station near Helston are due to come before councillors for a decision next week. An application to build...
Police arrest two following “serious incidents” in Truro and Helston
By Peter Tremayne Police have arrested two men for their alleged role in serious crimes in West Cornwall. A man from Truro, 32, was arrested on suspicion of false...
Four-way contest for Long Rock, Marazion and St Erth
By Julia Penhaligon There are four candidates for the Long Rock, Marazion and St Erth Cornwall Council by-election, with polling on 16th February. When nominations closed yesterday, there were:...
Government rejects Helston’s bid for “Levelling Up” cash
By Julia Penhaligon The government has rejected two relatively small funding bids intended to “Level Up” Helston and St Mary’s on the Isles of Scilly. The Helston bid was...
Lib Dems select John Martin for Cornwall Council by-election at Long Rock, Marazion and St Erth
By Graham Smith Liberal Democrats have selected Helston town councillor John Martin to be their candidate for the forthcoming Cornwall Council by-election at Long Rock, Marazion and St Erth....
Diver finds jewellery worth £10,000 in Helford River
By Peter Tremayne Police are seeking to reunite valuable jewellery, including rings and pendants, with its rightful owner. A member of the public found the jewellery when diving in...
Two men killed in Culdrose car crash
By Peter Tremayne Two men have been killed in a car crash on the A3083 near Culdrose, Helston. The accident happened shortly after 9pm last night (Wednesday.) Two vehicles...
Ten of Cornwall’s leisure centres at risk of shorter opening hours
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The company which manages most of Cornwall’s leisure centres has said it plans to cut their opening hours in a bid to save money. GLL, trading...
Pub-lic ownership works, say fans of The Prince of Wales
By Rashleigh MacFarlane A community on The Lizard is celebrating the “nationalisation” of its local pub. The Prince of Wales at Newtown St Martin closed in 2020, mainly as...
Major distraction to King’s Coronation avoided
Statement from the Helston Flora Day Association: It is with careful consideration with all relevant safety partners and to avoid clashing with the coronation of King Charles, we announce...
Helston Flora Dance 2023: Who will blink first?
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The organisers of Helston’s annual Flora Day dancing are to meet next week to consider an unfortunate clash of diary dates. Despite Helston residents having already...
Cornwall will have a crucial role to play in sending a rocket to the Moon next week
By Peter Tremayne NASA’s giant Artemis rocket is due to take off on Monday (29th August) – with communications links provided by the Goonhilly Earth Station, on The Lizard....
Oil spill alert on Helford estuary
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The Environment Agency has warned of a “severe oil spill” affecting National Trust land on the Helford estuary. An unknown quantity of diesel seems to have...
Royal Navy jet crash on The Lizard was caused by poor maintenance, says MOD report
By Peter Tremayne The crash of a Royal Navy Hawk jet aircraft in Cornwall last year was due to poor maintenance, causing engine failure, a Ministry of Defence investigation...
Cadgwith’s fishing community secures permanent protection of vital buildings
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The small community of Cadgwith, on The Lizard, has declared “victory” in its campaign to secure fishing buildings in the village and protecting them against redevelopment...
Computer says no: It’s all going frightfully well, as Cornwall’s bid for Levelling Up cash has still not been seen by the “zombie” government
By Graham Smith “Technical issues” have delayed Cornwall’s application for “Levelling Up” funds from the government. Cornwall Council first announced its Levelling Up Fund (LUF) bid on 5th May,...
Cornwall’s rivers shrink as dry weather set to continue
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Nearly 40 of Cornwall’s rivers are this morning (Wednesday) at officially “low” levels, with some flowing half a metre below their normal level. The lack of...
St Ives MP Derek Thomas, having declared no confidence in Boris Johnson, demands government action on Cornwall’s housing crisis as the price of future support
By Graham Smith St Ives MP Derek Thomas suddenly catapulted himself into the position of Cornwall’s most influential politician yesterday (Monday) after confirming that he has no confidence in...
St Ives MP Derek Thomas calls on Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister
By Graham Smith St Ives MP Derek Thomas has told Boris Johnson to resign. Mr Thomas has confirmed that he submitted a letter of confidence on 21st April. In...
Turn Left at Truro: Kernow Transformed heads for Gweek, hoping to breath new life into radical politics in Cornwall
By Graham Smith Cornwall’s radical political activists are looking forward to a weekend of music, comedy and debate later this year. For many on the political Left it will...
Cornish tin prospectors raise nearly £1 million, and prepare for test drilling near Helston
By Rashleigh MacFarlane For the first time in decades, tin will soon be extracted from deep underground in Cornwall. A programme of test drilling is about to get underway...
Plan to close Falmouth’s leisure centre puts pressure on Cornwall’s Conservatives
By Graham Smith The political consequences of County Hall’s recommendation to close Falmouth’s leisure centre, despite a local offer to take it over, are spreading swiftly through Cornwall. Cornwall...
Covid-19: Falmouth and Saltash back on the critical list
The shapes and sizes of purple clusters on Cornwall’s Covid map continue to shift, but the underlying trend in new cases continues to increase. The average number of daily...
Covid-19: Cornwall’s infection rate now 10% higher than England
Cornwall’s average daily new Covid number has risen again and is now 486.7 cases per 100,000 population, just over 10% higher than the national average. The equivalent number for...
Primary school “inadequate,” says Ofsted
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Landewednack primary school, on the Lizard, has been rated “inadequate” by Ofsted after inspectors found that teachers did not expect enough of pupils. Despite the caring...
Covid-19: now Padstow goes dark and joins the sick list
By Anne North Padstow has become the latest part of Cornwall to record dangerously high levels of Covid infectivity. The latest data shows Padstow has 804.1 new daily cases...
Covid-19: winter is coming
A deadly new wave of Covid infection appears poised to sweep through Cornwall at lightning speed, as another dangerous “super-cluster” appeared within 24 hours. The Poundstock and Kilkhampton area...
Covid-19: infection rate on The Lizard now worse than Holland
By Anne North Cornwall’s Covid cluster map again has a dangerously dark purple patch: The Lizard is now recording 946.7 cases per 100,000 population. This is very close to...
Thumbs-up for “affordable” housing scheme at Constantine
By Richard Whitehouse A housing development which will provide 25 affordable homes for local people in Constantine has been granted planning permission. Coastline Housing had applied to build the...
Barclays bank says goodbye to Helston amid continuing shift to online
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Barclays bank has today (Friday) announced that it is to close its branch in Helston. The branch will close its doors for the last time on...
Inside the room: GLL boss reveals why County Hall’s broken promises are now threatening leisure centres
By Richard Whitehouse and Julia Penhaligon The man responsible for managing Cornwall’s leisure centres has said he was “surprised” when Cornwall Council’s cabinet rejected a funding plan which would...
Inquest into 2004 sinking of French trawler off The Lizard to resume tomorrow
By Peter Tremayne A Royal Navy submarine commander is due to give evidence next week at the inquest into the deaths of five French fishermen who drowned off The...
Porthleven football club meets following withdrawal from league
By Peter Tremayne Porthleven football club is holding an extraordinary general meeting this evening (Monday) following its sudden withdrawal from the South West Peninsula League. The club’s decision to...
Cornwall Council buying holiday parks to house the homeless – an enlightened move, or back to the 70s?
By Richard Whitehouse and Anne North Cornwall Council is set to buy two holiday parks which will be used to provide temporary accommodation for people who find themselves homeless....
Covid-19: South West “R” number falls to 0.8-1.2, but Newquay remains a concern
By Anne North The official Covid “R” number for the South West has fallen to 0.8-1.2, leaving room for doubt about whether the virus is increasing or decreasing. Daily...
The smell of fresh coffee is not everyone’s cup of tea in Porthleven
By Richard Whitehouse A Cornish coffee company has rejected claims of planning breaches from people living near the firm’s new roastery. Neighbours of Origin Coffee’s new base in Tolponds,...
Gymnastics centre to be demolished and replaced with housing
By Richard Whitehouse The Mullion Gymnastics centre is to be demolished and replaced with two houses after the local school said it would be unable to take over the...
New questions over the future of village pub
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Plans for a local community to take over its village pub have been undermined by the owners’ decision to withdraw it from sale. The Prince of...
Kynance Cove “is full” says National Trust
By Rashleigh MacFarlane One of Cornwall’s best-known beauty spots was “full” by lunchtime yesterday (Monday) according to the National Trust, which owns and manages the site. Kynance Cove, on...
Covid-19: a fourth cluster in Cornwall, as new cases jump from 2.8 to 8.9 in less than a week
A fourth cluster has appeared this afternoon (Friday) on Cornwall’s Covid map - at Newquay. The rolling average number of new cases has also increased to 8.9 per 100,000 population. ...
Falling pupil numbers force Coverack primary school to consider teaching infants only
By Rashleigh MacFarlane Coverack primary school, on The Lizard, is consulting parents about teaching only infants aged 4-7 because of a steep drop in pupil numbers. The school’s most...
Hospital’s failure to spot sepsis contributed to the death of fit and healthy 20-year-old woman
By Anne North A coroner has told health authorities to investigate their mishandling of what should have been a routine operation which led to the death of a healthy...
Girl dies in West Cornwall campsite accident
By Peter Tremayne A girl has been killed in collision with a vehicle at a campsite in the Helston area. It happened around 12.50pm yesterday (Wednesday.) The air ambulance...
Flying the Flora Day flags in Helston – even though there will be no dancing in the street on Saturday
By Rashleigh MacFarlane The Helston Flora Day Association has been decorating the town with bunting – even though there will be no dancing in the streets on Saturday. The...
All in one place: the full list of the Cornwall Council candidates
By Julia Penhaligon A total of 374 candidates have entered the contest to elect a new Cornwall Council on 6th May. The tally of candidates by party, or description...
Email-gate: Cornwall’s Independent group leader urges backing for Adam Paynter, ahead of next week’s confidence vote in council leader
By Julia Penhaligon The “email-gate” scandal which has plunged Cornwall’s Liberal Democrats into crisis has taken a new twist today (Thursday) after the leader of County Hall’s Independent group...
All of Cornwall’s leisure centres will reopen on Monday 12th April
By Rashleigh MacFarlane All 12 of Cornwall Council’s leisure centres are to reopen on 12th April, despite the continuing financial difficulties of the private management company GLL. Saltash, St...
Navy jet crashes on The Lizard as crew parachute to safety
By Peter Tremayne The Ministry of Defence is investigating after a Royal Navy Hawk aircraft from 736 Naval Air Squadron, Culdrose, crashed during a training exercise near Lizard Point...