A Cornish actor will take his place within the long, star studded history of one of Science Fiction's greatest creations next month when he swaps the seagulls of the South-West for the Cybermen of deep space.

Originally from Polruan, Calvin Dean, has landed a starring role in the upcoming episode of 'Doctor Who' – 'Nightmare in Silver'.

In the episode, set against the backdrop of 'Hedgewick's World of Wonders', once the galaxy's greatest theme park, now a dilapidated, ramshackle remnant of its former self, Calvin, plays the character 'Ha-Ha', an integral part of a dysfunctional army platoon tasked with defending the planet.

Which could prove some task, as one of Sci-Fi's most recognisable baddies makes a welcome return. In 'Nightmare in Silver', The Cybermen are back.

Despite sporting an impressive CV, which includes appearing alongside Keira Knightly in 'The Duchess' and taking the starring role in Warner Brothers movie, 'Tormented', Calvin is delighted to now be part of such an legendary show.

"It's a great feeling," he said: "I didn't realise until I started filming how iconic it really is.

'Whovians' as the fans are known are so loyal. They know everything about the show and that takes some doing with nearly 50-years worth of episodes.
"It's also a great privilege to be involved in the 50th anniversary year."

Calvin learned he'd landed the part whilst feeding his cat at home in his North London flat.

"My phone rang at 3pm and it was my agent. The first words she said were "can you get to Cardiff by 7.30pm? You've got Doctor Who and they want you at the read-through".

"Within a few hours I was sitting in the studios with all the cast and crew."

Having worked with Matt Smith, who plays the Doctor, ten years earlier at the National Youth Theatre, Calvin says his initial nerves at that read-through were eased, but, that when shooting a scene near Cardiff with a newly designed Cybermen he couldn't quite contain his inner-child.

"All the technicalities of working on a TV set went out of the window," he added,  "and I became a little boy again. All I could think was, "Wow...it's the Cybermen!"

Although Calvin has been spending his recent time battling the forces of darkness on a distant planet with a time-traveller by his side, his parents still live in Polruan, and it's a place he continues to hold dear to his heart.

Calvin said: "I have great memories of Polruan and I don't get back as much as I would like.

"If it wasn't for being in Polruan Theatre Club as a child and teenager I probably wouldn't be doing what I do now, so I'm very grateful.

"It just goes to show that if you love something as much as I did, it doesn't matter where you live for you to pursue that interest as a career."

The former Fowey Community College pupil considers himself lucky to have had the breaks and opportunities he's enjoyed so far in his life and is currently working on taking his career to America.

His debut appearance amongst the stars in Doctor Who will be shown on BBC1 on May 11, yet, despite the continued rise of his own star, acting wasn't always the first choice for Calvin.

"I also really wanted to be a dustman," he said, "At least I have that to fall back on if the acting work dries up!"

A third Loughborough student, Craig Holland, a full back/wing, has signed for the Cornish Pirates  after last week's news that back-row forwards Joe Atkinson and Truro-born Jake Parker will be joining  the Championship club

Holland,  21, played his early rugby for Brighton and has also been a member of the Harlequins and London Irish Academies.

A club spokesman said: "News of these signings provides clear evidence of a positive and further development that exists between Loughborough Students and the Cornish Pirates, remembering that Phil Burgess, Grant Pointer and Kieran Hallett have in the past played for the university's team.

"Dave Morris, head coach at Loughborough Students, is someone who has known Cornish Pirates head coach Ian Davies for a long time. The pair were both on the RFU Level 4 coaching course together and Dave brought his team to Cornwall last August for a pre-season friendly at the Mennaye Field.

"Dave and Ian also arranged that Joe and Jake spent a week training with the Pirates with a view to the talented young players looking for a route to take them into the professional game where they could develop still further.

Morris said: "Joe is an outstanding athlete and is our top try-scorer in National 1 this season, and Jake has been one of our outstanding performers over a number of years. 

"As for Craig, he is another exciting talent who has also played for England Students. All three will thrive working with the coaches alongside so many other gifted individuals.

"For me the signings further demonstrate how our rugby programme at Loughborough gives up and coming players the right environment to further progress their rugby careers whilst studying for an excellent degree."

Davies added: "The reasoning we have a relationship with Loughborough is quite simple. If a player has studied at Loughborough University and played 1st XV rugby you know they've been well coached, well conditioned and there will be a lot of the core skill building blocks already in place. 

"When Phil and Grant arrived with us they already understood the core values (Honesty and Hard Work) on which we try to build our squad down here at the Pirates and it will be the same case with the three new recruits." 

Redruth prop Darren Jacques praised director of rugby Adrian Edwards and his coaching team for a successful first season in charge at the club.

The Reds finished their National League Two South season in fourth place following a seven-try victory over Taunton Titans at the Recreation Ground on Saturday.

Edwards, together with his coaches, Ashley Morcom and Steve Evans, kept Redruth in the running for a top-two spot for most of the season before the small size of the squad caught up with them last month.

However, Jacques has been a proud member of a Redruth squad who beat the Cornish All Blacks at Polson Bridge in the league for the first time and remained unbeaten at the Recreation Ground until March this term.

"It is amazing really to think we have achieved all we have this season with such a small playing squad," said Jacques.

"We have had no second-team rugby and although we started off the season with 40 guys, by Christmas we were down to 20 players. You get injuries and it becomes even less, we just stuck at it.

"Steve Evans is a coach but he put his kit on and played. Last week, Ashley Morcom was sat on the bench despite his bad back. That's the way it has been. We are just lucky the season is over because next week, I would have half expected Adrian would have ended up on the field!"

A 45-40 try-fest with Taunton Titans was a fitting way for Redruth to end the season, according to Jacques. His side were forced to fight back from a losing position late in the game but the front-row forward showed that a long, hard season has done little to dull his sense of humour.

He said: "It was a lovely dry day so we thought we would go out there and try and play a bit of Barbarians rugby.

"Even though we were losing with 12 minutes to go, we always knew we would win.

"We scripted it at half-time. We said we would allow them to score some quick-fire tries in the second half to get the crowd buzzing and then we would come back and pinch it.

"It was one of those things. We have got to the tail end of the season with a really small squad so things like missed tackles and mistakes are going to happen.

"But it was nice to finish the season off with a win, we have a lot of respect for the job Adrian has done with us this season. Sometimes you are battling with small squads and everything else but we have stuck together, win or lose."

Households in some of the most at-risk flood areas of the Westcountry may have their right to insurance protected by a levy placed on the home policies of every householder in Britain.

The proposed levy is one solution put forward ahead of a June deadline for the insurance industry and government to secure a new agreement on flood insurance for high-risk homes and businesses.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) and the Government have been in talks over a new agreement which would provide a pot of money raised from insurance premiums for paying claims in the event of serious flooding.

This pot would be funded by a levy on all household policies – estimated to be about £8 per policy.

However, talks have stalled over ABI requests for a government 'overdraft' to tide the fund over in its early years, to which Whitehall has refused to agree.

Alan Goddard, managing director of Cornish Mutual, said it is important a new national arrangement is reached.

He said: "There is a live debate within the insurance industry as to whether successive governments have kept up their side of the previous bargain by investing sufficiently in the building and maintenance of flood defences and water management infrastructure.

"Either way, it is quite clear that this time round the Government is looking to the market to find a solution to providing flood insurance.

"In these circumstances the idea of creating a pot of money, similar to that used for motorists involved in accidents where the other driver is uninsured, appears to be a sensible approach providing the details can be agreed."

The South West has been hit by a number of floods in recent years, including major incidents in Lostwithiel, St Blazey and Mevagissey in 2010.

Mr Goddard added: "The pattern of flooding incidents that we are seeing has changed away from the more usual coastal and river flooding to often very localised incidents of severe flash flooding and storm damage which can be difficult to forecast.

"While many people will not welcome the prospect of a levy on their policies to help cover flood risks elsewhere, we believe there is a broader social and economic requirement for people and businesses in higher-risk areas to be able to have access to insurance.

"The nature of more recent flooding incidents means that homes which people had thought not to be at risk have been inundated – and in those circumstances householders will want to have the reassurance that they will not be refused access to flood cover in future."

Police are to be called in over "offensive and defamatory" online comments about a proposed Gypsy and traveller site.

Plans to turn part of a car park overlooking Whitsand Bay in South East Cornwall into a Gypsy site have been put on hold because of the alleged comments.

Moves by Cornwall Housing to build two permanent Gypsy and traveller pitches on Tregantle car park sparked anger among local people.

Unauthorised travellers have used the site for years, and if the proposals are approved, they would be able to stay permanently. The planning application submitted to Cornwall Council would also see improvements to the car park at Tregantle.

At least 160 objectors made their views known on the council's planning website.

But last Friday the comments were removed unexpectedly.

A council spokesman said: "Cornwall Housing has asked the council to hold the application in abeyance for up to six months due to the nature of many of the responses posted online and on social media sites which they state are extremely offensive and defamatory.

"The comments deemed offensive and/or defamatory will be referred to the police for the appropriate action to be taken. In the meantime all responses have been removed from the council's website.

"The council understands that people may have concerns but has a duty to meet the needs of Gypsies and travellers as well as the settled community and this debate needs to be held in a measured way.

"In the interim the council will meet with the parish council to discuss their concerns and the proposals set out in their response to the application."

The council said there had been travellers living on the site for a number of years.

"As the council does not have alternative sites for travellers and Gypsies in this area the aim of the application is to reduce the impact of this site on the local area," a spokesman said.

Cornwall Housing is Cornwall Council's arms-length housing company.

The planning application covers a part of the Tregantle Fort car park on the B3247 in Tregantle, a few yards from the South West Coast Path and overlooking Tregantle Beach.

The work would include hardstanding, landscaping and amenity block and alterations and improvements to the public car park to form 149 formal car parking spaces.

Funding would come from the Homes and Communities Agency. The application was originally down to be heard on May 22.

It is thought there were about 160 application comments online on Thursday, but on Friday they were taken down.

An internet petition has been set up to oppose the plan, at epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/49157

Four sailors were plucked from the wreckage of their historic fishing vessel as it broke up beneath their feet.

The Courageous II was en route to Padstow in the early hours of yesterday morning, where it is a regular sight at the town's Mayday celebrations.

However, the ship got into difficulty and hit rocks in the Camel estuary as it was heading towards the safety of the harbour.

The Padstow RNLI crew were called to the scene at 5am where mechanic Mike England said the ship was rapidly breaking up. He said they performed a difficult rescue in challenging conditions.

"This was a very speedy rescue as the four men were in immediate danger with the boat literally breaking up under their feet."

Mr England said coxswain Alan Tarby had to manoeuvre the lifeboat in extremely shallow water.

The four men on board assembled on the rear deck then scrambled onto the safety of the lifeboat. "Sadly the vessel was breaking up very quickly," said Mr England.

He said that it was a regular visitor to Padstow's Obby Oss Mayday festival, adding "It's very sad to see their boat in such a terrible situation."

The vessel was travelling from its home port of Bristol and wreckage from the 70-year-old vessel has already been washed up on local beaches.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has been informed of the incident.

A Cornish brewery is winning a new audience after making its debut in one of the country's most exclusive venues.

Bodmin-based Harbour Brewing Company's light ale is now on sale in the Strangers' Bar in the Houses of Parliament, thanks to the efforts of North Cornwall MP and real ale enthusiast Dan Rogerson.

MPs are regularly given the opportunity to have beers from breweries in their constituencies put on in the Strangers' Bar – a venue open to MPs and Parliamentary officials and their guests.

Mr Rogerson, vice-chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, said it was a real pleasure to see a taste of Bodmin on sale in London.

"Harbour Brewing Co are already making a great contribution to brewing, tourism and the local economy in North Cornwall.

"As a supporter of this exciting and growing industry, I was delighted to arrange for Harbour Light Ale to be served in the House of Commons.

"Parliamentarians, staff and visitors enjoyed trying this quality Cornish ale and it's a sign that Harbour is taking its place alongside the more established breweries in our region."

The micro-brewery was launched in 2012 and operates from a farm site a couple of miles outside Bodmin.

Business partners Eddie Lofthouse and brewer Rhys Powell hatched their plan to open a new brewery having met in a pub in Padstow.

The two men said they were delighted to see their beer on sale at such a prestigious venue.

"It's an honour to be invited to have a beer in the Strangers Bar – not many breweries achieve this," said Mr Lofthouse.

"Dan cut the ribbon when we opened the brewery last year and since then we've gone from strength to strength, with beers on sale not only around Cornwall but all over the country."

Cornwall's independent nature has long been reflected in its local politics.

Groups not aligned with the major political parties have controlled the county council in the 1970s and 1980s.

The current Conservative-Independent coalition, which has been in charge since a £1 billion-budget unitary authority with 22,000 staff was created in 2009, has had a turbulent year.

Leader Alec Robertson was toppled by an Independent-led coup, followed by a mass walkout by the cabinet, then by the defection, resignation and sacking of a number of senior Tories.

For those looking for an alternative to the three main parties this time, there are plenty of options: 217 of the 479 candidates are Independent, Liberal, UKIP, Greens or from Cornish nationalist party Mebyon Kernow.

If UKIP does take seats from the Tories, as they fear, and there is another strong showing from the independents, Cornwall could be in for a truly non-aligned administration.

Such is the nervousness among the Liberal Democrats, who lost power four years ago, that North Cornwall MP Dan Rogerson has taken the unusual step of writing to all postal voters in his constituency warning of wasteful Tories and "Conservative-minded" Independents.

Lib Dem chief and would-be council leader Jeremy Rowe faces an Independent opponent in his St Issey and St Tudy seat, outside Wadebridge. The Conservatives have decided not to field a candidate in the ward, instead leaving former scientist Dr Emma Hambly a clear run at the Lib Dem – creating that most feared of political stand-offs for an incumbent: the two-horse race.

Dr Hambly is a conceptual artist with a PhD in marine micro-biology who opposes all new solar parks and wind farms – a stance popular at a time of huge concern in the Duchy over development of energy parks.

I took a ride into Wadebridge to check out a potentially fiery election hustings, which promised to pit the councillor who stood down after saying disabled children should be put down, Collin Brewer, and his nemesis, Sarah Maguire, who led calls for his resignation.

Over a coffee beforehand, Dr Hambly admitted she was a political novice, but said there was a need for more idealism and creativity in politics.

"I am a profound believer in the power of the individual," she adds.

"I am not and never have been a member of a political party and I don't think Cornwall Council should be a party-political issue.

"I genuinely believe in localism – if everybody stands up for what is the best for the people they are representing then that will produce the best outcomes."

The St Kew parish councillor has prepared a manifesto, covering affordable housing, employment and waste. But it is in the field of renewable energy where her desire to restrain visually overbearing developments could exploit anger over controversial local schemes, such as a solar farm near the Royal Cornwall Showground and the many current local wind turbine applications.

"Cornwall Council set a target for renewable energy by 2020 which we have already exceeded by 160%, when considering the installed and permitted schemes," she claims.

"It is time for us to stop and take stock – we have time to begin to work out a county-wide strategy of how we go about sustainably satisfying our future energy needs."

On the subject of Independents, Jeremy Rowe is sceptical about how many are truly free of influence from the large parties. He suggests the Tories' decision not to oppose him but to sign nomination papers and campaign for Dr Hambly shows that many Independents have the "machinery of the Conservative Party behind them".

"The issue with Independents always seems attractive but you never quite know what you are going to get – with the Tories and the Lib Dems you know what they stand for," he says. "At County Hall the Independents organise as a group, elect a leader and vote as a bloc."

He adds: "I think because of the changing demographic – as more people move to Cornwall from elsewhere – the Independent tradition will continue to diminish."

Mr Rowe is hopeful his party can secure the most seats, though whether they are able to govern alone, or will need the support of Independents, remains to be seen. Other likely results he envisages include a "rainbow coalition" of all the parties or the Independents trying to lead the council, with Conservative support.

On renewable energy, Mr Rowe says he agrees with much of what Dr Hambly says, though he cautions against prejudicing future planning decisions. "There is a danger that by opposing all wind turbines you won't stop any," he says, adding: "Of course we would like to win a majority and do all the things in our manifesto, but I think whatever the result there is an appetite for the different groups to work together more than they have done over the past four years."

At the hustings in Wade-bridge Town Hall, a crowd of around 100 gathers to quiz around a dozen parish and county hopefuls. Disappointingly, Collin Brewer, the councillor who quit after saying disabled children should be "put down" because they cost the authority too much money before deciding to stand again, decides not to face the public.

But a poll of some of the audience revealed strong support for the politician, who has represented the community for more than 20 years.

One man, who did not wish to be named, said Mr Brewer should not be punished for one error in more than two decades.

"The man made an obvious mistake and apologised to the television, the radio and the council – what more is he supposed to do," he adds.

"I am the wrong side of the river to vote for him, but Wadebridge is a very forgiving town and he has got support – just look at his track record, which has been excellent."

Another man, who also wished to remain anonymous, said he had "not seen much to impress" at the meeting.

"It is important to vote, though I have heard nothing but hot air tonight," he said.

"Collin Brewer is very experienced and well respected – he made a very serious mistake but we have all said things we would rather have not done. If I were in that ward I would vote for him."

Sarah Maguire, the woman who led the campaign for Mr Brewer to give up his seat and is now standing against him in Wadebridge East, seems not to be making anything of the row.

A mother who teaches sign language, she wants to shake up a council she sees as "male and of a certain age".

"Maybe we need to put some younger people on Cornwall Council who will still be working in 30 years' time," she suggests.

Scott Mann, the Conservative councillor for Wadebridge West, who is also set to stand as an MP in the next general election, says the "East" seat is "wide open".

"I have seen it before with two Independents on the ballot paper – sometimes the vote can fracture," he adds. "It is not just an election about politics but about personality – we will see what the people of Wadebride want to do."

Stephen Frankel, of the Wadebridge Renewable Energy Network (WREN), which partly organised the hustings, believes Thursday's vote is "extremely important".

"The scale of what the council can achieve is considerable," he says.

"There is an issue around how low-carbon technologies operate that has been rather politicised in an odd way. People can be misled to the extent that fuel bills can be affected by wind farms for political purposes and most people don't know that the impact on the bill is trivial."

David Cameron brought the Conservative council election campaign to the Westcountry yesterday – raising hopes the region's new nuclear power station will go ahead and clashing with Liberal Democrats on council tax.

Mr Cameron, who began his tour in Penzance and headed east to Somerset, angered some Lib Dems at a stop off in Redruth when he claimed a council tax freeze by the unitary Cornwall Council was "only there because of the Conservatives".

In fact the measure was proposed by the Liberal Democrats as an alternative to a 1.97% rise put forward by the Conservative leader of Cornwall Council, Jim Currie.

The Prime Minister's statement on council tax came during a visit to a leading timber frame manufacturer. Later, at a stop off at the Morrisons Distribution Centre in Bridgwater, he said Hinkley Point Nuclear Power Station, dogged by arguments over Government nuclear subsidy, was nevertheless likely to get the go-ahead.

He told 200 workers gathered for a question and answer session: "We want it to go ahead. It's going to be great for investment.

"I am confident it will happen and be the start for something very big for Somerset."

Mr Cameron also raised the hopes of farmers hit by devastating flooding last year – particular on the Somerset Levels – that farmland could become a priority for flood prevention in future.

Wells MP Tessa Munt has called for farmland to be added to the Environment Agency's list of priorities following last year's devastating floods. Mr Cameron said: "I am happy to look at how we set out the Environment Agency's priorities."

Afterwards Bridgwater MP Ian Liddell-Grainger said he will now invite Environment Secretary Owen Paterson down to talk with locals about the issues. "We need to talk about exactly what is going on," he said.

Earlier, speaking in Cornwall, Mr Cameron highlighted the role played by local leaders in supporting a freeze in council tax for a third year in a row in February. However Deputy leader of Cornwall Council's Liberal Democrat group, Alex Folkes, who proposed the zero tax, said that while it was true that without some Conservative support the proposal would not have been voted through, it remained a Liberal Democrat budget.

The Prime Minister, played down a question about the threat posed by UKIP, saying it was up to the voters who they chose. "I think the most important thing is value for money and there wouldn't be a council tax freeze in Cornwall if it wasn't for the Conservatives," he said.

"In terms of helping people who want to work hard and want to get on and do the right thing, struggling to pay bills, a council tax freeze is absolutely up there as the key issue at this election and its only there because of the Conservatives.

"There is a clear choice at this election, you can elect the Conservatives to the council, and you will get more of what we've been pushing, a council tax freeze, good value for money, keeping your bills down, helping the Cornish economy, that's what matters at this election and that's what the Conservatives stand for.

The Liberal Democrat proposal of a £526million budget for 2013-14 was passed by 52 voted to 49 in February.

The decision to go against the 1.97% rise put forward by the cabinet, led by Conservative Jim Currie, was dogged by controversy, with some Conservative members stepping down from the party claiming it would affect frontline services.

But Mr Folkes said the decision would cut back on waste and save householders between £20 and £70. He said: "The Conservative leader of the council actually wanted a rise, he voted to carry on paying agency staff, and wasting money.

"We proposed the freeze and not just that, we said we should invest in roads, and infrastructure, and that's what some of the conservatives voted for. If they had voted against it, it wouldn't have gone through, but it was a Liberal Democrat budget that was voted through." Mr Cameron's visit to the Westcountry began in Penzance yesterday morning when he met the Penzance Town team, made up of local business leaders brought together by the Portas Pilot scheme.

He then moved on Frame Homes UK in Redruth, where he was joined by Conservative group leader Ms Fiona Ferguson and local MP George Eustice (Camborne and Redruth) Mr Eustice said: "Our challenge is to remind people we have frozen council tax for three years, ring-fenced and protected adult services."

Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg was also in Somerset yesterday visiting Taunton as Lib Dems fight to win back control of the county from the Tories.

Mr Clegg was at Taunton Fire Station where he was briefed about proposed Devon and Somerset Fire Authority cuts which could see one of two fire engines currently manned by full-time staff change to retained crew.

Liberal Democrats want a rethink by the Conservative-controlled Authority which approved a 1.99 per cent council tax rise. Mr Clegg accused Conservatives at Somerset County Council of:

"Spending millions of pounds on a makeover of county council offices, including £36,000 on a pond while at the same time asking the fire service here to accept a 50 per cent cut."

Unions have lamented a "sad day for the NHS" after contracts to run two parts of the health service were handed to the private sector.

In one announcement, NSL, a company behind on-street parking and enforcement across the UK, was earmarked as taking over non-urgent patient transport services in most of Devon and Cornwall from South Western Ambulance.

In a second development, private firm Peninsula Community Health – which operates cottage hospitals in Cornwall – Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Cornwall Council, confirmed a contract for back-room office functions had been signed with BT.

Stuart Roden, a regional organiser for Unison, said he was deeply disappointed by the decisions.

"In my view this is a bad day for the NHS," he said.

"The public sector is in it to provide a public service, while the private sector is in it to make money.

"It's a world of difference."

Mr Roden said staff were deeply worried about their future job security.

"They think this will have an impact on their job security."

NSL, which used to be part of the car parking giant NCP, will take over routine patient transport from the South Western Ambulance Service, part of the NHS family which will retain responsibility for 999 services.

The company will begin operations in October, except in Plymouth and South Devon, after being awarded the five-year contract.

Kernow Clinical Commission Group, the GP-led organisation which took over buying healthcare from the now defunct primary care trusts on April 1, said the decision had been made by its predecessor.

Andrew Abbott, Director of Operations at NHS Kernow, said: "The new service will ensure that patients across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have access to quality non-emergency patient transport services across a greater range of sites and times than previously provided."

Meanwhile Peninsula Community Health (PCH) and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust yesterday formally signed the contract to award a range of back-room service such as IT and document management to BT.

Kevin Baber, Chief Executive of PCH, said it was good news: "Signing the contract today marks the start of a great opportunity for us to be able to work together to deliver excellent services."

The Earl of Wessex yesterday gave the royal seal approval to a £1.2million "life-changing" project in Cornwall to provide affordable work and living space for farming families.

Unveiling an official plaque, Prince Edward praised the work of everyone behind the Ruthvoes Barn initiative, which has seen redundant buildings on a once council-owned farm near Indian Queens in mid-Cornwall completely regenerated.

The project, led by farming charity the Addington Fund, has resulted in a modern facility comprising four work-and-live affordable units, designed to provide accommodation and a work place for farmers either wishing to leave their current jobs or get started in the industry.

The scheme was funded by a £422,000 EU grant and by donations to the Addington Fund, and has already let out two of the workspaces to families, once involved in the farming or horticultural sector, one of which described the rare opportunity as "life-changing".

Ian Bell, director of the Addington Fund, showed Prince Edward around the new facility, introducing him to several of the charity's sponsors, as well as the two new tenants.

He said the project was vitally important at a crucial time for the industry.

He said: "Farming in the next three or four years is going to go through some major structural changes.

"It's becoming increasingly difficult for the small tenant farmers. What they have are huge skills, huge pride and huge ability and this scheme is an opportunity to give them a second life if you like."

Mark Franks, one of the two new tenants, spoke to the Earl of Wessex about his new cottage and his hopes for his new furniture restoration business which he is running out of adjacent workshops.

He said: "It just seemed like a great opportunity. It's life- changing and a huge opportunity to do what we are currently doing. It is just wonderful and in a lovely location. Just to have a workshop is extremely rare. The Addington Fund is there to support farmers who have fallen on hard times and the industry is struggling terribly at the moment. Getting an opportunity like this is few and far between so this is wonderful."

Dee Anne McCoull, a textile artist, also took on a tenancy, with her former horticulturalist husband Mel. She said: "It's just amazing, especially at our age to have this opportunity, it's something we wanted years ago."

The Addington Fund was founded in response to agricultural hardship following the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001, and has a similar scheme at Trevorva, near Truro.

Convictions for animal neglect and cruelty have soared in the Westcountry, according to an RSPCA report.

The charity has warned of a "major animal cruelty crisis" as the latest figures were published today.

Animal neglect and cruelty convictions were almost 25% higher across the South West in 2012 than in the previous year, the charity said.

Staff, volunteers and branches were said to be "struggling to keep up" in their fight against what they believe is a growing crisis.

The total number of cases across the region was 275 last year compared to 209 in 2011, including some 74 in Devon and 29 in Cornwall in 2012.

A Devon couple were banned for life from keeping animals after allowing their dogs to starve. The six-year-old male dog and eight-year-old female were found emaciated and covered in hundreds of fleas.

RSPCA inspector Sarah Morris described the dogs' treatment as "horrific" and the worst dog cruelty case she had seen in 12 years.

Four Springer Spaniels were found living in squalid conditions and suffering from a multitude of conditions, in Cornwall. A man and his daughter were prosecuted by Truro Magistrates for failing to provide adequate veterinary treatment for tumours, skin conditions, and dental problems.

The highest number of cases were in Somerset where the number of convictions shot up from 72 to 105 (31%), while Dorset also saw a large rise from 43 to 67 (36%).

A Somerset mother-of-three was banned from having pets for five years after leaving her puppy tethered to a door handle. Her six-month-old Staffordshire bull terrier-type dog had been left tied on a short lead for 24 hours with no food or water in reach.

RSPCA chief executive Gavin Grant called on judges to take these offences "far more seriously".

"For us, prosecution is always the last resort. However if there is evidence of a crime and serious animal abuse then we will take legal action to protect the animals and prevent further abuse. We also want to see judges taking these offences far more seriously," he said.

The RSPCA report showed the number of convictions rose by a third across England and Wales, up from 3,114 in 2011 to 4,168 last year.

The numbers of people found guilty of offences rose to 1,552 in 2012 from 1,341 a year earlier, according to the report released to mark RSPCA Week. Those convicted for their treatment of equines more than doubled from 230 to 500 in 12 months.

Another incident in the South West involved a pair of neglected monkeys who were hidden in their owner's pocket as he drove around town on a mobility scooter. Tya, a six-month-old female marmoset, and Rattler, a two-year-old male, were found running loose in their owner's living room with no access to food or water.

RSPCA inspector Rebecca Wadey said: "Tya was crouched inside a dirty tube set up beneath the curtain rail while Rattler was balanced precariously on top of it. There was so little room for both of them that at one point Rattler knocked Tya off the perch – she had quite a fall to the hard floor. It is hard to understand how anyone could think this was an acceptable way to keep an animal."

The charity revealed that a dog slashed with a knife and two tiny puppies who had been buried alive were among the "shocking catalogue of deliberate cruelty and neglect".

Staff also found more than 30 rabbits and guinea pigs living among dead animals in slurry-filled hutches and an emaciated pony pinned to the ground by his tether.

A man whose death is at the centre of a major police investigation has been formally named.

Mick Kearns died after being found unconscious and not breathing outside Sailors nightclub in Newquay at 3am on Saturday. The 49-year-old, who is from Newquay, was taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro but was declared dead on arrival.

Police initially launched a murder inquiry, but this was scaled down on Saturday and is now being dealt with by the Devon and Cornwall Police Major Crime Investigation Team under the name Operation Domain.

Four men were arrested, questioned and have been released on police bail.

Inspector Dave Meredith, from Newquay police, said: "We are not seeking anyone else in connection with the incident. I would like to reassure the public that the police are treating this death as an isolated incident."