TUESDAY

ST AGNES are enjoying their best ever start to a season and made it six wins from six with a 2-1 win at Illogan, with Alec Penrose and an own goal keeping them two points clear at the top.

Their previous best start was in the 2001-02 season when they went on to win the league.

Second-placed Redruth United maintained their hot pursuit with a 2-0 home win over Goonhavern, thanks to goals from Ben Beesley and James Leeson.

Newly-promoted Helston Reserves inflicted a second defeat of the season on Ludgvan, winning 4-2 at Kellaway Parc.

Mikey Davies hit a hat-trick for Helston, with Terry Rowe also on target. Steve Burt and Mark Richards replied for the Hurlers.

Ross Wara struck the winner as fourth-placed Mullion beat Perranwell 1-0 at Clifden Parc.

Wendron were the night's big winners with a 5-1 victory at Falmouth Town, with goals from Ryan Tresidder (2), Steve Brewer, Justin Searle and Chris Madeley. Sam Reed notched Town's consolation.

Elsewhere, Penryn Athletic were 3-2 winners at home to St Day. Ross Symons, Jamie Allen and Rhys Allen were on target for Penryn, with Brendan Hitchins scoring both goals for St Day.

Porthleven recorded their first victory with a narrow 1-0 win at Newquay thanks to Stefan Meagor's goal and St Ives Town won 3-2 at Hayle, with Scott Goodall (2) and Andy Barry the Blues' marksmen.

SATURDAY

ST AGNES made it five wins from five after goals from Alec Penrose and Dan O'Toole helped them to a 2-0 win over Penryn.

Falmouth Town also continued their impressive start with a resounding 4-0 win at Hayle. Dominic Pullen scored twice, while Ben Allen and Steve Winnan completed the rout.

Steve Brewer's double inspired Wendron to a 2-1 victory over Ludgvan. Gerens James grabbed the visitors' goal.

Gavin Boon bagged a hat-trick and Brendan Hitchens scored twice as St Day put five past Newquay, while Mullion won 4-1 at home to Goonhavern.

Goals from Alan Thomas, Phil Cattran and Joe Lugg cancelled out Matt Mcllroy's effort for Goonhavern.

At the other end, Troon's miserable season got even worse as they were thumped 8-0 at home to Helston. Liam Eddy (2), Matt Fox (2), Shaun Parker, Tom Lake, Nick Slade and Mikey Davis were all on target.

St Ives were 3-1 winners at home to Porthleven. Jowan Shainberg scored for the visitors but goals from Chris Goodall, George Hatton and an own goal saw St Ives home.

Dan Bowman, Adam Calloway, Sam Emery and Kieran Hill scored for Illogan in their 4-2 win at Perranwell. Luke Brabyn and Felix Coates replied for the hosts.

WHAT is it about playing in Wales for this club? I love going there to watch rugby, the fans really enjoy the road trips and I suspect the players relish the prospect of an Anglo-Welsh struggle, yet for some reason in recent times, only Swansea have tasted defeat on their own soil.

Seriously though, as the mantra is often repeated and correctly so, this was a pre-season game which result-wise counted for absolutely nothing in the big scheme of things. Although I suspect Ian Davies and his backroom staff will be irritated by the team's disappointing second half showing two weeks in succession.

That said, credit has to be given to Aberavon who battled desperately to avoid relegation from the Welsh Premiership last season and who are still clearly grateful to the Pirates for the loan of Tom Duncan and Rheon James in that time.

The Talbot Athletic Ground, packed in tightly amidst lines of red-brick terraced houses and overlooked by an elevated section of the M4 motorway, was in perfect condition for the match, despite a cool breeze blowing in off the sea.

The officiating of the game was not up to the same standard, especially at set pieces, which the locals were happy to agree upon, although, in truth, it had no real bearing on the outcome of the game.

Pressed

Aberavon's pre-match warm-up consisted of so many players running around in their crowded half of the field that I suspected every eligible man in the town had been pressed into service to repel the team from the English league. Those numbers probably helped as they were a totally different unit once they rang the changes.

So what did we learn from the Pirates, with three warm-ups still to play before the season begins in earnest?

For 40 minutes they ran hard and dangerously with Tom Hendrickson a real handful in midfield. The forwards carried well with the front row all earning stars for their mobility, while defensively they were organised, solid and tackled pretty much everything that moved.

The scrum was theirs for the taking although the referee frequently penalised the Pirates for offences which, from the sidelines at least, were not always clear but I believe they will not be totally happy with the line-out routines.

In the second half they did lost their way. Alan Paver called it perfectly. A lack of control, poor decision making and silly mistakes frustrated them for no matter how hard the younger players especially ran and tackled, there was no cutting edge and little clear direction.

Like the coaches, I see no reason to ring any alarm bells but melding the correct blend of youth and experience will certainly make for a challenging start to the league season.

ALAN STEPHEN BARON ROUFFIGNAC, 30, of Trevoarn Foundry Square, Hayle, entered a guilty plea at Truro Magistrates' Court on August 12 to failing to ensure the needs of two bearded dragons were met to the extent required by good practice, and failing to protect them from pain, suffering injury and disease by not ensuring that their environment was maintained at a suitable temperature, at Hayle, on or before March 13, and was conditionally discharged for two years.

Traffic delays on A30 at Chiverton Cross due to broken down car

A broken down car is causing queues on the A30 at Chiverton Cross.

The Vauxhall Astra broke down in the outside lane of the eastbound carriage of Cornwall's main road at 7.30am shortly before Chiverton Cross roundabout.

Members of the public pulled over to help the driver and divert traffic.

Police attended the scene and the road was cleared shortly before 8am, but drivers are still reporting slow moving traffic.

The Scottish independence referendum is helping to raise the issue of devolution for Cornwall.

That's the view of Stephen Richardson, who will contest next year's General Election in Truro and Falmouth for Mebyon Kernow, the party which wants a Cornish Assembly and promotes "a confident and outward-looking" county.

Mr Richardson says the build-up to the Scottish independence referendum on September 18 has prompted a fresh conversation about potential new powers for Cornwall in the future.

"It's certainly needed and it's certainly deserved," Mr Richardson said. "It's something we have been fighting for for 60 years and I think this vote in Scotland has brought the issue to people's attention."

If Mr Richardson wins his seat in May next year his area would include the Fal Estuary, north of Falmouth, where a recent report claims nuclear warheads could be stored if they are moved from Faslane in Scotland.

He says campaigners on both sides of the Scottish debate are "trying to make all sorts of political capital" out of the independence issue, and feels that any move to bring submarines or missiles to the South West is some way off.

"It's entirely dependent on Scotland voting yes in the first place," he said.

"Mebyon Kernow has always had a long-standing policy that we should not be having Trident anyway," Mr Richardson said. "In these times of supposed austerity I don't think we should be spending money on Trident at all. Perhaps if Scotland does go independent it would be a good chance to get rid of it.

"In Falmouth there are not many people who would welcome it, it's not a suitable site either. It just seems to make Cornwall a bit of a target."

A POEM read by eight-year-old Wilamena Dyer celebrated the official opening of a Falmouth Tall Ships Regatta 2014 today in brilliant sunshine.

Dignitaries gathered on Falmouth Docks in front of a spectacular array of tall ships decorated with flags fluttering in the breeze for the opening ceremony.

Mylor Bridge pupil Wilamena's poem Tall Ships Galore was greeted with loud applause by the crowd ahead of several speeches and the cutting of the ribbon to official launch the four-day event.

One thousand people flooded through the gates to the docks in the first half an hour to view the tall ships and meet some of the crews.

Over the next three days, visitors to Falmouth will be able to get close to and even on board the ships, enjoy stalls and street entertainment throughout the town and take part in a large number of events as part of the regatta.

The festival will then culminate in a spectacular Parade of Sail on Sunday, with more than 100,000 people expected to line the shores to watch.

Opening the festival, Falmouth Tall Ships Association chairman John Hick said: "this event is like no other the town has ever seen - being even more spectacular than its 2008 predecessor. 

"Ships and the sea is such a huge and significant part of Falmouth's, and indeed Cornwall's, heritage and this year's stunning event is a real honorary celebration of our proud history."

Cornwall Council leader John Pollard said: "It is fantastic looking at these wonderful ships, the sun is shining and Falmouth is en fete. Tribute to the organisers and to Falmouth."

VisitCornwall chief executive Malcolm Bell said: "the sun is shingling, the boats are in and it's looking spectacular. The weather is a lot more favourable then the last four days."

Falmouth last hosted the Tall Ships Regatte in 2008, but this year there are twice as many ships and more people expected.

Lord St Levan, who also attended the opening ceremony, said: "it is my first Tall Ships so I was really curious to see it and it's just fabulous seeing all these masts and lots of people looking festive and seaworthy.

"It generates a certain level of excitement for people and the publicity that comes out of it reinforces the message that Cornwall is a fun places where things are happening."

Event organisers have issued a number of tips for those who will be taking in the Falmouth Tall Ships Regatta on the water.

An estimated 100,000 people are expected to descend on Falmouth between today and Sunday, with 46 ships of various sizes moored within the docks.

Captain Mark Sansom, harbour master and chief executive, Falmouth Harbour Commissioners, said: "There's a real excitement in the town as Tall Ships Regatta nears ever closer. As there are no restrictions on the number of leisure craft that can assemble on the water to see the parade of sail it is expected that many spectators will try and take the opportunity to enjoy a unique view of the parade.

"We want to help ensure that the parade of sail is a unique and memorable experience for all involved so we're reaching out to all non-competitors and offering some reminders of staying safe on the water."

Falmouth is already a hive of activity with people arriving in their droves hoping to catch a glimpse of tall ships.

Samantha Groom, event manager of the Cornwall Development Company, said:

"The Regatta will herald a landmark moment in history when Falmouth and Royal Greenwich will together host one of the biggest international sailing events held solely in English waters. The Parade of Sail, before the ships head east en-route to the finish line and further festivities in London, promises to be truly spectacular."

The tips issued to spectators on the water are listed below.

•Keep a safe distance away from other craft, particularly competitors - spectators are asked not to approach within 50m of the participating vessels

•Consider the effect of your wash on other craft - there will be a large number of vessels travelling in close proximity so make sure that your speed is appropriate and that your wash does not cause a hazard to others

•Ensure your craft is suitable and loaded sensibly - skippers are responsible for the safety of their passengers and need to ensure that there is adequate reserves of buoyancy

•Do not linger on the parade track ahead of the parade awaiting the perfect photo opportunity - remember that the competitors are under an obligation to alter course if impeded or in doubt about your intentions

•Be particularly vigilant near turning marks or vessels - remember that many of the spectator craft will be trying to change course at the same time so please ensure you leave sufficient sea room to allow for this

•Always use a kill cord and ensure that it is attached to the driver of the boat.

Hundreds of motor vehicle enthusiasts descended on Treswithian Crematorium to give a leading name on the West Cornwall classic car circuit, a special send off.

Clorinda Goss passed away on Sunday August 3 aged 54 and could regularly be seen at various classic car meets.

Clorinda and her husband Jason, who lived in Camborne, were well-known as organisers of the East Pool Mine Vintage Rally and could regularly be seen at various other meets.

Jason paid tribute to his wife of eight years who he says will be sorely missed by everyone who knew her.

"Clorinda has left a massive void in my life and will be sorely missed.

"She touched a lot of hearts and was a great mother to her children Adrian, Craig and Jess, as well as her step-daughter Liana.

"Craig's partner is due to give birth to Clorinda's first grandchild in a couple of days and only Clorinda, Craig and Craig's partner know the name of the child so she took that to her grave with her."

Mr and Mrs Goss tied the knot at Gretna Green on Valentine's Day in 2007 and the classic cars and steam engines attending the funeral were always Clorinda's wish.

"I'd like to thank all of the people who helped with the cars and especially the steam drivers, it was the send-off that Clorinda always wanted.

"All of the comments I've received have been so moving and emotional and there was a great turnout for the funeral and not a dry eye in the place."

Clorinda also acted as the editor of the Kernow Old Vehicle Club, a magazine that was initially a monthly publication before eventually becoming bimonthly.

The couple were instrumental in organising the Croft Handy Vintage Rally and raising money for charities including the Cornwall Air Ambulance, who once saved the life of one of Clorinda's sons after a near fatal accident.

It is thought Clorinda died of breathing difficulties, however Mr Goss is still awaiting the results of further tests to confirm the exact cause of her death.

Mr Goss will be holding a show in memory of his late wife at the Rosudgeon carboot field on September 7.

The event will feature cars, steam engines and tractors from around the county and Mr Goss is expecting a bumper turnout.

"From all of the people I've spoken to already, it's looking like this will be a huge event.

"It'll get underway at 10am and will also feature a carboot and stalls, all raising money for the Cornwall Air Ambulance."

Anybody looking for further information about the event should call Mr Goss on 01209 719781.

Truro Golf Club is the latest venue in the city to have a piece of life-saving kit installed.

The club is the fifth place in Truro to offer public access defibrillator, after raising £500.

Lesley Booker, manager/secretary, said the money was raised through individual donations from the club's members and committee.

"We sincerely hope that we have very few opportunities to use it, but having the defibrillator here will give our members, visitors, staff and general public the confidence to know that we are now equipped to deal with, what could otherwise be potentially tragic circumstances", she said.

The final push for funds came from the club's senior section initiated by seniors captain Ken Dark.

It was topped off with a boost of £750 from the Lions Club of Truro and a donation from Q Parks.

About 2,000 people die each week after suffering a cardiac arrest and the use of CPR alone without a defibrillator leaves the victim just a 5 per cent chance of survival.

Last autumn Bernard Gallacher, the former 1995 European Ryder Cup Captain, launched an appeal to encourage every golf club in the UK to have at least one defibrillator by the end of 2014.

He suffered a cardiac arrest at a public engagement last year and the device saved his life.

Truro Lions' Club launched its own Heart Defibrillator Appeal last summer after forging a partnership with west Cornwall charity, the Ronnie Richards Memorial Charity.

Ken Hart, president, said: "Although their funds are nearly exhausted active fund raising will continue as it is the wish of the club to have many more across the city including sports clubs, schools, and the bus and train stations.

Truro Golf Club follows the Hall for Cornwall, Truro Tourist Information Centre, Royal Cornwall Museum and Truro Conservative Club.

The kit is also planned for Truro Cathedral and St Agnes Sports and Social Club.

To donate to the appeal visit www.mydonate.bt.com/charities/lionscluboftrurochar...

YOUNG sea cadets in their smart uniforms have been highly visible on the docks today as they play their part the Falmouth Tall Ships Regatta.

The Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall's Cadet, 17-year-old Charlie Frost, from Falmouth and Penryn Sea Cadets, is one of those who has been chosen to help crew a tall ship in the race to Greenwich next week.

He told the West Briton: "I have been sailing for a couple of years and I sail in Falmouth on the yachts every week.

"Three cadets have been chosen to go on the tall ship and I'm looking forward to the race. It was kept quite secret from me for a while but great to know I'm definitely on it."

The sea cadets across the UK have their own square rigger, The Royalist, which was moored at Falmouth Docks today and will also be taking part in the race.

Martin Coles, chief executive of the Marine Society & Sea Cadets, was on board The Royalist today on his first visit to Falmouth.

He said: "I think it is a great showcase for what the marine organisations that are behind the ships do and many of them are about sail training for young people and so it is a great profiling for all of the organisations."

The Royalist holds a crew of 24 cadets and nine adults and has taken 30,000 sail trainees on board over the past 43 years. She is due to be decommissioned at the end of this year.

John Cossey, 82, from Falmouth, was among those who had crewed the ship, in 1987, and was back on board for the first time today.

He said: "I was involved as a watch keeper for a week. Since then my wife and I have sailed a yacht around the world. But I had a great week.

"We had one exciting episode when we had a full tanker coming at us on the starboard side. We had to go about very smartly, which isn't easy to do in a square rigger."

Gordon Everard, vice chair of Falmouth and Penryn Sea Cadets, was talking to visitors about the sea cadets and giving tours of the ship today.

He said: "The response from the cadets today has been absolutely fantastic. They have been on their own ship and been on the other ships and it is a great experience for them."

A new report has revealed that a number of sexual offences and assaults on vulnerable adults have not been reported as crimes by Devon and Cornwall Police.

The Crime Data Integrity report outlines 54 reports which were recorded on the force non-crime system and out of the 12 that should have been recorded as crimes; Devon and Cornwall Police had recorded just two correctly.

The report comes from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) who is "inspecting policing in the public interest".

The document states that the records relating to sexual offences and assaults on vulnerable adults was a "significant cause for concern", Devon and Cornwall Police has reacted with intent by announcing that they will address these issues.

Deputy chief constable for Devon and Cornwall Bill Skelly, said: "As an organisation we need to fully digest the HMIC's report and review all of their recommendations.

"Having said that, it is clear that while there are some areas we must address and we are doing so, the report also highlights areas of good performance."

The next batch of HMIC force-specific reports is expected in the autumn and will be followed by a final national inspection report that will break down its contents and issue force recommendations.

For many an eating ice cream is part and parcel of a trip to the beach, but now boffins have selected an exact temperature that drives beachgoers to the nearest ice cream van.

Figures show that ice cream sales increase up to ten times those of winter levels as soon as temperatures rise to 18C.

As hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers lick an ice cream across Westcountry beaches, Unilever revealed how it has recorded a direct correlation between the precise temperature and the number of ice creams sold.

The manufacturer, which owns a host of ice cream brands including Wall's, Magnum, Solero, Twister and Viennetta, noticed the precise temperature the weather had to reach before sun-worshippers rushed out for a cold treat.

The company's vice president of brand building for UK and Ireland, Jon Goldstone, said: "Ice cream is the most seasonal food for summer, and when the sun comes out it's not surprising that we see a direct correlation between the temperature and the number of ice creams eaten.

"And we know that 18 degrees is the magic number. When the thermometer hits 18, this is when we start to see a spike in consumer demand.

"After prolonged periods of 18+ temperatures, we usually see a 10-fold increase in sales in the out of home market."

The UK's largest ice cream factory, in Gloucestershire, had increased shifts on the majority of its production lines, making 3,243 tonnes of ice cream every week at the rate of 0.45 tonnes per minute.

One of the brands made there, Magnum, is currently made at the rate of 1,125 per minute.

For years Britons lagged behind their European counterparts in ice cream consumption, Unilever said, but sales are up 1.5% since June last year.

However, frozen yoghurt is rapidly outpacing ice cream in terms of growth, with the total UK category now worth £13.2 million, up 33.9% in the last year, latest figures show.

The figures were revealed as weather experts said the warm weather is on its way back – with forecasters predicting a scorching start to September.

The cold, wet conditions of the last few weeks are to give way to a settled spell bringing back memories of the above-average temperatures of June and July.

That was replaced by cooler weather this month – but it is all set to change again next week.

FALMOUTH was buzzing today with around 40,000 visitors for the first day of the Falmouth Tall Ships Regatta 2014.

Organisers counted more than 17,000 people through the gates onto the docks, where a total of 43 ships were moored for the festival - billed as the biggest maritime spectator event in the UK this year.

Many were open for visitors to step on board, have a look around, meet the crews and even climb the masts for a dazzling aerial view of the tall ships spectacle.

Falmouth Tall Ships Association chairman John Hick MBE said the first day of the four-day event had gone extremely well, and the months of planning had worked out.

"We are now here and so far the planning that we have done has worked," he said. "Although the weather was not very good yesterday, all the ships came in on time and we were able to moor them up before the gates opened.

"Everything has gone extremely well, but it is only the first. The town has been exceptionally busy."

The gates to the four-day festival opened at 12noon today and around 2,000 people flooded onto the dock within the first hour.

For three days, the public will be able to walk around them and learn about the sail training that they provide, which enables young people to experience life-changing opportunities.

Race chairman James Stevens, who is based on the Isle of Wight, said Falmouth was an ideal location for the start of the race, which will see the ships sail to Greenwich after a spectacular Parade of Sail on Sunday.

He said: "Falmouth is a natural protected deep water harbour and it's huge, but on of the great things about it is that all the ships are in quite a small area so the spectacle is much better because everything is contained in quite a small space.

"There is a real sense of excitement about it. A lot of the trainees have not sailed before but by the time they get to Greenwich they will be old hands, which is great.

"That is what it is all about. It is about challenge and adventure for young people. The port is doing it for economic reasons but we are doing it because it is an unforgettable experience for young people."

A total of 102 young people from Cornwall will be taking part in the race on Sunday to Greenwich, including the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall's cadet Charlie Frost, 17, who is with Falmouth and Penryn Sea Cadets.

He said: "I have been sailing for a couple of years and I sail in Falmouth on the yachts every week. Three cadets have been chosen to go on the tall ships and I'm looking forward to the race."

The day opened today with a poem read by eight-year-old Mylor Bridge pupil Wilamena Dyer called Tall Ships Galore, which she read to the assembled dignitaries before a series of speeches and the cutting of the ribbon.

This is the first time Falmouth has hosted the Tall Ships since 2008' and the number of ships, which have come from all over the world, has doubled.

The dock is open between 10am and 8pm for the next two days, with the Parade of Sail expected to attract 100,000 visitors to line the shore on Sunday from 11am.

A TRUE colossus of Cornish rugby has passed away at the age of 80.

Charles Robert 'Bonzo' Johns was revered by those he played with and against to the extent that, at the final whistle when he last played against Gloucestershire in 1970, the whole opposition side hoisted him on their shoulders and chaired him off the field.

Wherever he played, Bonzo loved the crowd and it loved him, as a household name throughout Cornwall through the 1950s and 1960s.

Working on Saturday mornings as a coalman, he would cycle to Redruth from Portreath, later running a milk round in the Redruth area, always with his chirpy smile and chat.

This engaging personality and huge smile endeared him to players and the public.

Prior to the county final in 1969, Cornish supporters paraded a large mascot around the pitch at Redruth to huge cheers; it was named Bonzo.

He was known for huge strength and as a renowned scrummager, powerful in the loose and driving with the ball from the front of the lineout.

Bonzo played all his career 21 years with Redruth, debuting at the age of 16, initially playing mostly in the second row.

He soon caught the eye of the county selectors, earning the first of his 88 county caps – which stood as a record for more than 20 years – against the British Police at Camborne in September 1954.

He scored the only try in the championship game against Somerset in October of the same year at Redruth, as Cornwall topped the south-west group, losing the semi-final against Middlesex at Redruth.

His performances earned the first of many England trials, although never a place in the national side.

Moving up into the front row, Bonzo would play for Cornwall in two county championship finals, against Warwickshire in 1958 and Lancashire in 1969, both ending in disappointment.

He was invited by the Barbarians to play in their prestigious Easter tour of Wales in 1962. He faced the might of the Southern Hemisphere Nations playing for Cornwall and Devon against the All Blacks, Springboks and Wallabies.

His final appearance for Cornwall was in Clermont- Ferrand, when Cornwall drew 11-11 with a powerful French selection side, boasting many future internationals.

After his playing days, Bonzo turned to rugby administration at Redruth and for Cornwall. He was chairman of selectors when Cornwall triumphed at Twickenham in 1991 against Yorkshire – winning the county championship after 83 years.

In 2000, Bonzo was made a bard of the Cornish Gorsedh with the bardic name Gwarier du Hag Owr, which translates as 'Black and Gold Player': he was a true son of Cornwall.

He leaves wife Shirley, son Ian and grandchildren Stewart and Alastair.

Bonzo's funeral service takes place at Treswithian Downs Crematorium next Tuesday at 3pm.

THE FATHER of a man who was crushed in an accident at Falmouth Docks said it was lucky his son was wearing a safety helmet.

Mark Simmons, known as Simmo, from Penryn, suffered a broken pelvis, a broken right leg, a broken left arm and a fractured vertebra after the steel rack he was working on collapsed and fell on him while at work for A&P Falmouth last Wednesday morning.

Mark, who has a ten-month-old daughter, Emme, was flown to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, where he is recovering from his injuries.

Kenny Simmons, Mark's father and a retired dock worker himself, said: "It has been a very stressful time for us all, but we are just glad that Mark's OK.

"He drifts in and out of consciousness but the surgeons seem to be pleased with how his procedures have gone so far.

"Luckily he was wearing a safety helmet and got off with just scratches on his head."

Mark, secretary and a player at Penryn Athletic Football Club, has had three surgical procedures in Plymouth and is due for a skin graft next week.

His parents and fiancée Sarah Tresidder say they are unsure when he will be allowed back home but in the meantime they and Mark's wider family are travelling to and from the hospital to support him.

Kenny added: "We're fortunate to have a very supportive family and we've all been pulling together. We've also had lots messages from friends and people who know Mark on Facebook and from people who know him through his involvement with Penryn Athletic.

"A&P have also been very supportive, which has been important at this time.

"We'd like to thank everyone who had sent us messages and given us support; it means a lot to us and Mark."

One of Mark's co-workers was also injured in the incident and was taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.

In a statement released by A&P Falmouth last week, managing director Peter Childs said: "A&P Falmouth will be conducting a full investigation into the circumstances of the incident, and have informed all the relevant authorities." He said the thoughts of the company were with both men involved.

Messages wishing Mark a speedy recovery have been flooding in from fellow players and rival clubs to the website Cornwall Football Forum.

Fal Lad posted: "Hopefully a fast and safe recovery for Simmo, horrible to hear when an accident like that happens to a hard working guy. All the best from everyone at Mabe."

Bushy posted: "I've been Simmo's team mate for quite a few years, absolute gent.

"[He] does the kit, cleans changing rooms, marks the pitch in etc. without him the club would really struggle. Brilliant player to have in your team always 100%.

"Hope for a speedy recovery Simmo. One of the unsung hero's [sic] for sure."

THE all-clear has been given to Fal oyster farmers following contamination scares this summer.

Three harvesting and storage sites were closed last month after high levels of E coli bacteria were found, but two consecutive tests carried out in the past couple of weeks have found levels have fallen dramatically and are within safe limits, and the ban will be lifted as a result.

Fisherman Mark Caines said he and his family had feared their business would not survive, but could now "see a light at the end of the tunnel".

His father-in-law Kevin Laity said he would have to sell up after the mussel ban in Mylor Creek destroyed his summer trade, but Mr Caines said: "This means we can have a cracking oyster season.

Relieved

"It's really encouraging and we're pleased and relieved."

Gary Cooper, manager of the Cornwall Port Health Authority, said: "They were very good results and well within the required parameters."

Sites are tested eight times a year, but if contamination is found the frequency increases to once a week. Sites can only remain open if they are 90 per cent compliant.

For oysters and mussels to be harvested they need to contain fewer than 4,600 parts of E coli per 100 grams of flesh.

The level at Mylor Creek was 160,000 per 100 and at Mylor Pool it was 1.8 million. At the third site, at Malpas in Truro, it was 16,000.

"We haven't been able to identify the cause of the [July] results and we've never seen anything like that in the past," said Mr Cooper, "but we're hopeful for the upcoming oyster season."

Falmouth Oyster Festival takes place in October, to signify the start of the dredging season, and some concern had been made that it could be affected by the ban.

However, Mike Rangecroft, one of the organisers of the festival, had previously said it was still "too early" to start panicking.

This week he said: "We always listen to the oyster fishermen who supply us to keep us up to date with things and we're delighted that it looks like it's full steam ahead for the festival."

Ruth Huxley, of Cornwall Food and Drink, said: "It's a huge relief for all involved.

"It's been a really tough time for those whose livelihoods depend on these fishermen.

"I just hope businesses and the public get behind them. They have to understand everything is safe and these tests are rigorous."

Devon and Cornwall Police have been ordered to make immediate improvements after inspectors found almost one-in-five-crimes were going unrecorded.

The force was put on notice by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) in May when an interim report showed the force should have recorded 113 offences compared to the 94 it did.

HMIC published its full report on Wednesday, including a raft of recommendations, which revealed broadly similar results.

Devon and Cornwall Police should have formally classified 117 crimes, compared to the 98 which were, according to a dip sample carried out by inspectors.

They also found fault with the force's recording of "no crimes" – where officers judged no offence has actually taken place. Out of, 104 no-crime records, 10 were found to be inaccurate, including eight cases of robbery.

In all, HMIC made eight recommendations, around training, computer systems and processes, three of which need to be carried out immediately.

Deputy Chief Constable Bill Skelly said it was "clear" there were "some areas we must address" but that the reported also highlighted "areas of good performance".

"The report identifies that Devon and Cornwall Police has robust leadership and a sound culture in the way crime is recorded in Devon and Cornwall," he said. "We do not deliberately over or under crime – which is what we fully expected HMIC to find.

"It is important to make the point that this report looked at our processes, not how we treat victims or actually investigate crime – this was about the way crime is recorded.

"It is hugely important that people in Devon and Cornwall have confidence in the way we record crime and this report acknowledges that we have ethical and victim-centred processes in place.

"Of the recommendations raised by HMIC, such as some cases not being crimed but were recorded as an incident, we have already changed some of our processes as a result of initial feedback received, and are in the process of dealing with the others.

"While this has not changed the actual investigation process and service to the victim, we recognise this is a more transparent approach and this can assist in building public confidence."

Mr Skelly said crime figures were "only one measure of performance" saying public confidence in the force and satisfaction levels among victims and witnesses were "equally relevant measures".

He added: "Modern policing is all about providing the best service possible with the resources available and learning is a critical part of progress. There will always be lessons to be learnt, that's how we improve and HMIC has a valuable role to play in that process.

"I am confident that we record crime ethically and the public should gain confidence from that and we will continue to make positive changes to our processes in areas that have been identified for improvement."

The force was among 21 inspected by following long-standing concerns nationally that offences are not being recorded consistently.

When the interim results were announced, Home Secretary Theresa May said they exposed "unacceptable failings by the police" and warned the final figures may show a spike in recorded crime.

The British Transport Police is appealing for information about the identity of a man they would like to question in connection with reports of indecent exposure on a train in Cornwall.

The incident occurred between 10.15pm and 10.30pm on Monday, July 28, where a man is said to have exposed himself on board the Penzance to Plymouth service as it travelled between Camborne and Redruth stations.

PC Wayne Frost from the British Transport Police said: "Investigations are ongoing and, at this stage, we would like to identify and speak to the man in these photographs as we believe he will have key information which can help our enquiries."

Anyone with information should call the British Transport Police on freephone 0800 40 50 40 and quote the reference GSUB/B13 of 28/08/14.

Calls can also be made anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.