Cornwall and Callington batsman Jake Libby will make his Nottinghamshire debut, less than a week after signing his first professional contract with the club, in their final LV= County Championship fixture of the season on Monday against Sussex at Trent Bridge.

The 21-year-old opening batsman has been one of the top performers through for Nottinghamshire's Academy and Second Eleven, and looks set to take his place at the top of the order alongside England international Alex Hales.

Libby told the club's website: "Opening the batting with Alex Hales is something I used to dream of.

"I'm going to go into this match relaxed, and play the way I have been with the seconds.

"I'm not an explosive opener, my game is suited to the red ball. I try and occupy the crease and bat for long periods of time."

Libby has been in form for the club's second team with 446 runs in the Second Eleven Championship alone.

But three months ago the the MCCU graduate was in a very different position.

He said: "I had been part of Cardiff's MCC programme, and when that finished in July, Chris Tolley invited me to come and be part of the Academy side for the summer, and it has all spiralled from there.

"My first game was for Notts' seconds at Edgbaston, which was an amazing experience and from then I've just wanted to prove myself.

"In July I was still playing club cricket in Cornwall (for Callington). This is a great chance to show what I'm capable of.

"It has been a crazy two months, My debut has come much earlier than I thought, but this is my chance to impress and put my name in the hat for the opening spot at the start of April net year."

A win for Notts  could see them clinch second in the Division One table.

The chief executive of Cornish charity ShelterBox, Alison Wallace, has paid tribute to aid worker David Haines who has been beheaded by Islamic State militants.

Ms Wallace extended her thoughts to Mr Haines' family and reassured aid workers that the Helston based charity would do its utmost to protect them.

ShelterBox is partners with the Agency for Technical Co-operation and Development (ACTED) the charity which Mr Haines was working for when he was seized in Syria in 2013.

The news of his death broke this morning after a video showing his beheading was confirmed as genuine by the government.

Ms Wallace said: "Like everyone across the country I awoke today to the chilling news that British aid worker David Haines appears to be the latest victim of brutality by Islamic State militants, having been kidnapped in Syria in 2013.

"My first thought was for his family and friends, who will have endured month after month of despair and hope, now so cruelly dashed. Our hearts go out to them.

"My second thought was that David Haines was an aid worker, whose only motivation was to ease the suffering of people caught up in conflict.

"It defies any rational explanation to seize, and then murder, a person who had no political or military agenda, only the humanitarian imperative to help innocent victims of war."

ShelterBox does not currently have any response team members in either Iraq or Syria.

"I want to reassure everyone that the security of our aid workers is our primary concern, and that all foreseeable dangers are considered before we deploy response teams to help families in need," Ms Wallace continued.

"Every SRT (ShelterBox Response Team member) has been rigorously trained in personal safety by security industry and military professionals. No-one who wears the ShelterBox badge is ever knowingly put in harm's way, and there is a great reliance on teamwork and communications to maximise individual safety."

She added that the charity would "redouble" its efforts to keep its employees safe if hostage takers continue to target aid workers.

Mr Haines' death follows the beheading of two US captives, and came shortly after his family appealed to his captors to make contact with them.

The aid worker went to school in Perth and had been living in Croatia with his second wife, who is Croatian, and their four-year-old daughter. His parents live in Ayr.

TRAPPED behind the wheel of a car, splintered glass and warped metal confront me, writes Caroline Chick.

Under the wheels of the Renault Scenic estate is the motorcyclist that I have just hit.

It's a horrific scene and if this had been for real the motorcyclist would have been killed and probably I would have been seriously injured.

Thankfully, on this occasion, the crash scene is part of a demonstration by Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, during an awareness day on Lemon Quay, Truro, on Wednesday.

The crew's dramatic simulation of a fatal accident is part of efforts to highlight the impact a moment's lack of awareness can have on car drivers and motorcyclists.

Inside the car, even though I am fully conscious, everything is a blur and my heart is racing as they work to cut me free.

The sound of glass breaking, the crunch, the pop of metal and windows and the reassuring voices of the firefighters echoes in my ears.

They use hydraulic tools to remove the door, the front windscreen and then the roof. The process feels like an eternity but the reality is it takes 20 minutes to free me from the carnage.

I would never, ever want to experience it for real – or for anyone else to do so for that matter.

In this scenario there is nothing that they can do for the motorcyclist.

Although the number of bikers killed or seriously injured has fallen since 2008, on average 30 motorcyclists a day across the UK lose their lives or are seriously hurt at junctions, according to statistics.

In 2013 331 motorcyclists died and 4,866 were seriously injured in UK road collisions.

Jason White, crew manager at Truro, said: "We train regularly, for three hours a day while on duty, and cover every scenario we could possibly attend."

He says the education of car drivers and motorcyclists is key to reducing fatal and serious collisions, especially with the autumn and winter months approaching.

He said: "Everyone who has filled out a survey (on the demonstration) has said it was extremely graphic.

"It has provoked thought for both those on two wheels and four about their speeds and safety within their vehicles.

"Pretty much everyone who filled out the survey was honest in saying that (on occasions) they have noticed each other too late and there's an awareness that people need to be checking at junctions."

A £30 MILLION hotel and spa complex proposed for the seafront is likely to "permanently disfigure" the town's waterfront, according to Falmouth Civic Society.

The group described the design for the St Michael's Spa & Wellness Resort as "oppressive" and "lacking in flair".

The plans, which include retail space, underground parking, conference rooms, restaurants, eco-lodges, apartments and hotel rooms, were submitted to Cornwall Council and unanimously supported by Falmouth Town Council's planning committee.

The main building on the site where the Falmouth Beach Hotel burned down would be in the shape of a cruise ship and called the Liner. In its submission to Cornwall Council, the civic society said the ambition for the hotel was "excellent" but its design was flawed.

"Our objection concerns design and the physical and visual impact of the Liner building," it said. "The analogy with a liner is stretched beyond its limits. The proposed design of this building is poor, and is likely to permanently disfigure the waterfront.

"Its form and massing is oppressive and design lacking in flair.

"Viewed from the road, what will be seen is a large multi-storey block with a stark flat roof lacking visual interest. Our opinion is that this building is simply not good enough, and falls far short of architecture that could be termed iconic."

The views of society's members were expressed by consultation with its executive committee, which met on August 25.

The group's chairman, Professor Mike Jenks, former head of the Oxford School of Architecture, said it fully supports the development as good for Falmouth, but added: "It is an opportunity for the very best architecture, which the current Liner building is not." The submission added: "Falmouth deserves a much better building, one which architecturally the town can be proud of, which gets attention nationally and internationally for its quality and design, which draws people in to see and experience it and the facilities of Falmouth.

"Accordingly we believe that this design should not be granted permission, and that it is reworked."

The group suggested the scheme be referred by Cornwall Council, which will decide whether to grant planning permission, for the "best advice on design" to the Cornwall Design Review Panel and the Chartered Association of Building Engineers via the South West Regional Design Review Panel.

St Michael's owner Nigel Carpenter cited the support of the "overwhelming majority of the Falmouth community" and said the comment was "disappointing but I understand they did not have sight of the revised images of the scheme.

"They expressed enthusiasm and encouragement at the first consultation and the scheme has been strengthened considerably since then, in the light of feedback, which has included the Design Review Panel. Inevitably, in any new and groundbreaking scheme, there will always be some who oppose."

Dozens of jobs in Cornwall are at risk after mobile phone retailer Phones 4u announced it is to go into administration.

The company, which has stores in Newquay, Truro, Falmouth and Penzance, made the announcement following network operator EE's decision to join Vodafone in cutting ties with the retailer.

Phones 4u said its stores will be closed today pending a decision by administrators on whether the business can be reopened for trading.

A spokesman said the decision by EE not to renew its current contract - which is due to end in September next year - came as a "complete shock" and meant it would be left without a single network partner after Vodafone said earlier this month that it would not extend its agreement.

The company, which is owned by private equity firm BC Partners, has 550 standalone stores, employing 5,596 people.

Phones 4u chief executive David Kassler said last night: "Today is a very sad day for our customers and our staff.

"If the mobile network operators decline to supply us, we do not have a business. A good company making profits of over £100 million, employing thousands of decent people has been forced into administration.

"The great service we have provided should have guaranteed a strong future, but unfortunately our network partners have decided otherwise. The ultimate result will be less competition, less choice and higher prices for mobile customers in the UK."

Staff have been asked to report to work as normal this morning as they will be briefed by management.

The business was set up by entrepreneur John Caudwell in the mid-1980s. By the time he sold it for £1.5 billion in 2006 it was selling 26 phones a minute and employed 10,000 people. It generated sales of more than £2.25 billion.

Phones 4u said it remained a profitable business, with turnover of over £1 billion, underlying earnings of £105 million in 2013 and significant cash in the bank.

It said: "The unexpected decisions by both Vodafone and EE have come as a complete shock to the business. The company is in a healthy state and both EE and Vodafone had, until very recently, consistently indicated that they saw Phones 4u as a long-term strategic partner."

The end of Vodafone's relationship with Phones 4u in February will see it enhance its distribution partnership with Dixons Carphone – the business recently created from the merger of Carphone Warehouse with the owner of PC World and Currys.

The Vodafone tie-up with Phones 4u represented some £212 million of sales and about £18.5 million of earnings in the year to July 31.

Stefano Quadrio Curzio, a representative of BC Partners, said: "Our overriding concern is for all the dedicated, hard-working employees of Phones 4u at a time of uncertainty for the company.

"Vodafone has acted in exactly the opposite way to what they had consistently indicated to the management of Phones 4u over more than six months. Their behaviour appears to have been designed to inflict the maximum damage to their partner of 15 years, giving Phones 4u no time to develop commercial alternatives.

"EE's decision on Friday is surprising in the context of a contract that has more than a year to run and leaves the board with no alternative but to seek the administrator's protection in the interests of all its stakeholders."

Phones 4u said all mobile contracts bought through Phones 4u will remain unaffected and the networks will continue to provide mobile services to these customers.

The process of appointing PwC as an administrator is expected to take place today.

Cornwall Council risks losing millions of pounds of potential revenue due to a loophole which allows second home owners to dodge paying council tax and business rates.

It has emerged that up to 1,000 holiday homes in Cornwall have been "flipped" to be classed as holiday lets – allowing owners to avoid paying both council tax and business rates, and leaving the council £1.5 million worse off.

With about 14,500 second homes in Cornwall, the potential loss could be as high as £20 million a year at a time when the councils is facing massive budget cuts.

Councillor Alex Folkes, Cornwall Council cabinet member for finance and resources, said he would look to raise the issue with ministers, adding: "Clearly if this is something that is being done to avoid paying taxes it is a concern. We will have to look into it and see what we as Cornwall Council can do to ensure people are paying the tax for which they are liable.

"If someone is claiming their property is a rental property and is exempt by the low level of income we would went to see proof they are genuinely a rental property. If 1,000 properties have done this, it is over a million pounds we are missing out on. We will look to have a conversation with ministers as soon as possible. It is tax avoidance and while it is legal, it is wrong."

Second home ownership has been a divisive issue in recent years as house prices, particularly in the most favoured coastal spots, have ballooned far beyond the reach of locals.

With many communities left as virtual ghost towns out-of-season, fears have also been raised for the future of local amenities such as shops, pubs and schools. Most second home owners pay council tax but by switching to a holiday let they can take advantage of small business rate relief, which enables them to claim up to 100 per cent off. To qualify, the properties only have to be available to let for up to 140 days a year.

Business rates expert Paul Turner-Mitchell who made a request under the Freedom of Information Act, found 2,373 properties in the UK had been flipped since 2010. He said most people would view it as a "tax avoidance scheme for the rich".

A report to Cornwall Council's homes committee, which met on Friday, warned people could use the loophole if the council looked to increase revenue from second homes.

Lib Dem councillor for St Just in Penwith, Sue James, said: "The vast majority of second homes owners are paying council tax at the moment but if we suddenly bring something in, there is a risk we could lose that."

She added: "I think a levy is a good idea in principle but we need to look at it carefully rather than go off half baked."

In his latest blog, digital editor David Thomas tackles one of the biggest issues facing parents: 

One of the world's favourite childhood traditions throws up one of the most difficult questions for parents - how much should the tooth fairy leave under the pillow for each tooth collected?

If you gather a group of parents together (the collective noun is a 'stress' I believe), you seem to get a different answer from them all.

From a straw poll among friends of mine, the answers vary wildly - with the cheapest claiming to offer just 20p, which seems frankly Scrooge-like, especially as you cannot actually buy anything for that price any more - even penny chews seem to cost more now.

However, the other end of the scale saw one dad proudly admit to paying his little princess £5 per tooth - to which my instant reaction was to splutter "but that's £100 for a full set of milk teeth - she could buy dentures for that!".

As a relatively new dad - we are just approaching my daughter's second birthday - it is not a subject that has troubled me since I lost my last tooth aged eight or so.

Now though it has begun weighing on my mind - I don't want to be over-generous as no one likes a spoilt child, but I also don't want to be too frugal.

Naively, I'd assumed a £1 a tooth would be the going rate - but that was met with derision from some for being too little, while the friend who'd admitted to paying 20p simply blanched at the thought.

Then my wife asked whether we would pay more for a molar than one of the front teeth "as they are bigger", another conundrum I hadn't previously considered.

So, I am throwing it out to you readers to let me know what you think - either through your comments below, or through the poll on this page.

It may not be the most scientific of methods - but your answers could affect my daughter's bank balance throughout her formative years - so please think carefully! 

Spectators who enjoyed the spectacular 'parade of sail' at Falmouth's Tall Ships Festival last month can relive the event in double-quick time thnaks to a new timelapse film of the event.

The 44 tall ships were accompanied by around 1,000 local craft for the magnificent spectacle, as the ships saled out of Falmouth Harbour, across the bay and to the mouth of the Helford River.

This video, captured by The Nature Photography Co., has condensed the three-hour long parade into just over one minute, and shows the perfect weather on the day.

The festival has been hailed as a massive success, with more than 230,000 visitors heading to the town for the event, generating in excess of £15 million for the local economy.

A MAN who was driving after drinking alcohol and taking drugs died when his car crashed after the rear suspension failed, an inquest heard.

Daniel Laszczak, 28, from Perranporth, died in the accident which happened on April 7 on the A3075 between Newquay and Goonhavern.

The inquest heard that a post mortem found that Mr Laszczak had alcohol in his blood stream which put him over the drink drive limit and also had cocaine and prescription drugs in his system at the time of the accident.

He died as a result of severe internal injuries caused in the collision.

In a statement a friend of Mr Laszczak said that they had gone to the pub together on the evening he died and drunk several pints.

He said: "If he had had too much to drink he wouldn't have driven he would have stayed at mine."

The inquest heard that Mr Laszczak's Volkswagen Golf had left the road and crashed into a "substantial" wooden fence and also a garage building. There were no witnesses to the accident and no other vehicles were involved.

Police vehicle inspector Mark Richards told the inquest that on his initial inspection he spotted instantly a problem with the rear offside wheel.

He said it was at an angle with the top of the wheel twisted outwards. On inspection he found it had been caused by damage to the suspension system caused by severe corrosion. He said that marks on the wheel arch showed that the problem might have only occurred recently.

In his opinion the damage was dangerous and prior to the collision the suspension had failed. He said this may have been the cause and a contributor to the collision.

The inquest heard from accident investigators who said that Mr Laszczak's vehicle had been navigating a left-hand bend when the suspension failed.

This caused the car to swerve to the right, crossing onto the opposite side of the road, going onto the kerb and colliding with the fence and garage.

Police said that the car could have been travelling at up to 80 miles an hour at the time of it going out of control.

The inquest heard that due to the level of alcohol and drugs in his system Mr Laszczak would probably have been unable to deal with the failure of the suspension.

Deputy coroner for Cornwall Andrew Cox said that the presence of alcohol and drugs in Mr Laszczak's body had been a factor in his death.

But he said that the failure of his car's suspension was a significant factor.

He recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Claims that a Great White Shark has been spotted swimming off the Cornish coastline have been slammed as 'scare stories' by experts.

Several national newspapers have run with the story after a video (below) was posted online claiming to show the deadly predator swimming a few miles off the shoreline.

However, the Shark Trust, the UK charity for shark conservation, dismissed the claims.

A spokesman said: "We are immensely disappointed that some national papers went to print today with scare stories claiming a White Shark was spotted off the Cornish coast.

"Expert opinion secured by the Shark Trust states that following frame by frame analysis of the footage, in a professional edit suite, it is "100% not a White Shark. Note dorsal fin shape and position; shape of pectorals; some frames show animal apparently filter feeding … It's a juvenile Basking Shark."

"This identification is aligned with that of the Trust and other experts, some of whom felt it 'ludicrous' that there was any thought that it might be another species.

"Should conclusive evidence of White Sharks in British waters come to light then the Trust would be first to celebrate this."

CORNWALL'S bikers went 'full throttle' to raise thousands for a cancer charity during an annual event in memory of a Camborne man.

At least 1,500 motorcycles roared into Truro on Sunday morning to take part in the 27th Martin Jennings Memorial Motorcycle Run, breaking the attendance record by nearly 200, and raising £4,671 for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Run organiser Dave Saunby, said: "A vast array of machines from high powered super bikes, to tourers, customs, trikes, sidecar combinations, and classics, not forgetting the smaller capacity bikes, gathered at Garras Wharf, Truro, to ride in memory of Martin Jennings from Beacon Village, Camborne, who died whilst competing in the 1987 Isle of Man Manx GP.

"The fantastic weather conditions played a key role in the amount of bikes that turned out, and to see all those spectators around the county, willing us on, was very humbling, and also very inspiring."

The 130-mile route took the huge convoy as far east as Kennards House, near Launceston, before it headed west down the A30 towards Camborne, where hundreds of spectators lined the roads, bridges and laybys to cheer them on.

Councillor Saunby added: "On entering Camborne, hundreds of residents turned out to watch the colourful parade of mortorcycles, snake its way through the town, and onto Beacon, where many villagers had turned out to greet the riders, bringing the whole village to a stand still when speeches were made, and a minutes' silence observed in memory of Martin and other bikers that have been killed on the roads of Cornwall.

"The run then moved onto the finish at The Falmouth Recreation Ground, where the Mayor of Falmouth, John Body, greeted the bikers, and The Mickey Finn Rock Band provided the entertainment to round off what was a great day for all concerned."

A garage fire in Camborne has taken 35 firefighters and seven engines more than an hour to extinguish.

Crews were called to the commercial garage in Higher Condurrow at 11pm yesterday after several members of the public rang 999 to report the blaze.

Four major fire appliances, one water carrier, one command support vehicle and one operational support vehicle were mobilised from Camborne, Helston, Truro, St Just and Falmouth stations.

A spokesman from the Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said: "Crews firstly reported a building used as a commercial garage 15 x 15 metres and two cars as well alight, soon after it was established that gas cylinders were also involved."

They used breathing apparatus, a hose reel, a water hydrant and a thermal imaging camera to control the blaze which was extinguished at 12.28am this morning.

A fire investigation is being carried out in to this incident.

VOLUNTEERS at a Falmouth church have launched an appeal for almost £300,000 worth of improvements, which will include an 'iconic' spiral staircase with glass panels designed by school children.

The 350 Access Appeal was launched on Sunday for the Parish Church of King Charles The Martyr and includes plans for a lift, toilets and a spiral staircase.

Work is expected to begin next year to coincide with the 350th anniversary of the church.

The project aims to improve access for disabled and elderly people, as well as upgrade the facilities for all its users.

"The church has steep steps on the approach to both south and north entrances and many elderly people tell me that they simply cannot get into the church or struggle to do so," said Reverend Stephen Tudgey.

"The same difficulty is faced by those with physical disability.

"The project aims to provide a lift in the church tower so that the disabled, senior citizens and mums with toddlers in prams can gain easy access to the church via the footpath from New Street.

"It includes provision of a toilet facility and this will useful for the congregation and for the general public who attend concerts, service and festivals at the church.

"The scheme also aims to improve the levels on the church forecourt to prevent accidents and make access more easy.

"We are applying for grants from several grant making bodies and hope that work may commence at some point next year when enough funds have been raised."

The total bill for the work is £284,000 and will be done in three stages.

The church has applied for £111,360 to complete stage one, the spiral staircase and glass panels designed by schoolchildren.

The installation of a lift and toilet for the disabled, stage two, is expected to cost £118,680.

And the final stage, which involves levelling the church courtyard entrance and installing glass-panelled doors and an interactive interpretive history display, should be £54,000.

Local artist John Dyer, who worked on a local education project for the Tall Ships event, will help local schoolchildren design the glass panels which will sit in the "iconic" spiral staircase which will extend from the ground floor of the church.

The theme for the design project will be The Creation In Cornwall.

Anyone who wishes to make a donation to the project should contact Reverend Tudgey on 01326 319141.

A DESPERATE husband is "willing to do anything" to get his wife a UK visa so he can bring her to Cornwall and start a family.

The friendship between Chin Wei Cheung,  known as Will, of Redruth, and Si Ling Michelle Yeo,  from Singapore, started nine years ago in an internet chat room, and after becoming a couple in 2007, Mr Cheung flew to meet her for the first time a year later.

The 26-year-old said: "When I was at the airport in Singapore I was very nervous, but when I saw her for the first time I was speechless. I couldn't get over how beautiful she was."

After five meetings and thousands of pounds spent on phone calls and text messages, they married at the Victoria Hotel in Newquay last June, only to then be told Si Ling's visa application was rejected.

Now the heartbroken manager of family takeaway business Hong Sing Chinese, Redruth, has started a petition on change.org to appeal the decision.

Mr Cheung said: "I am willing to do anything to get her to Cornwall. She is the love of my life and we want to settle here and have a baby."

But he does not earn the minimum of £18,600 per year required for a visa.

He said: "I work day and night and weekends and overtime. I also design websites for businesses, all to make sure I have enough money saved to bring her over and it's tough.

"It's hard to find a job which pays that much in Cornwall due to the low wages."

To make matters worse, the letter rejecting Si Ling's visa said the Home Office did not believe she was a "genuine person".

Mr Cheung refutes this and claims he provided ample proof their relationship was genuine, including more than 20 testimonies from friends.

"My wife is a genuine person she would never overstay in any country," Mr Cheung said.

"She has a degree and works in HR in Singapore and wants to work in England. There is no way she would sit around and claim benefits.

"I speak with her every day on Skype, but it isn't the same. We want to live as a married couple. "We were hoping she would be over this month in time for my sister's graduation and we wanted to spend our first Christmas together this year." and Valentine's Day."

Mr Cheung intends to reapply for a visa for Si Ling and use his online petition to lobby the Government.

He has also asked his MP, George Eustice, for help.

The Home Office failed to respond to inquiries at the time of going to press.

To sign Mr Cheung's petition visit www.change.org and type in Will (Chin Wei) Cheung.

A MAN whose heart stopped for eight minutes is urging people to help the charity that saved his life.

David Swift, from Helston, was airlifted to hospital by the Cornwall Air Ambulance after he collapsed at work.

The 62-year-old, who is a former town councillor, woke up in hospital 18 days after suffering a massive heart attack. He is now appealing for people to get involved in the charity's Fund a Flight Week this September.

Mr Swift was at work at the bacon-slicing plant Tulip Ltd, in Pool, where he inspected meat and supervised the

unloading of lorries, in April last year. He said he was fit and active and could not have imagined he was about to suffer a major heart attack.

A colleague trained in first aid was able to start CPR while an ambulance and the Cornwall Air Ambulance sped to the scene. He said: "So many things came together on that day which meant I survived: my colleague knowing CPR, the land ambulance being nearby, the expertise of the teams who treated me at (the Royal Cornwall Hospital at) Treliske and Derriford (Hospital, Plymouth), and the speed of the air ambulance. It was incredible. I was so lucky."

His wife, Sue Swift, also a former town councillor of 19 years, added: "If the air

ambulance had not been there, David would be dead.

"I have to say, the whole of critical care at Treliske were excellent. We couldn't speak too highly of the care he

received."

The couple volunteer for Cornwall Air Ambulance, and are taking part in the charity's annual fundraising Fund a Flight Week from September 22 to 28. They are raising money by selling daffodil bulbs throughout their local area.

Mr Swift added: "The first thing I wanted to do when I left hospital was help the Cornwall Air Ambulance. Without it, I wouldn't be here. It really is as simple as that.

"Now we want to do our bit, to make sure the air ambulance is there for other people in their moment of need.

"That's why we're getting onboard with Fund a Flight Week, and we're hoping other people from across Cornwall will do their bit."

The couple will be selling their bulbs at local venues and they will also be on sale at the air ambulance shop in Coinagehall Street, in Helston.

To get involved with Fund a Flight Week, call 01637 889926 or see www.cornwallairambulancetrust.org

A DRIVER broke his back and neck in a crash into a pedestrian crossing beacon and house which caused 70 homes to lose power.

The ferocity of the collision ripped the engine out of Paul Dale Timmins's Peugeot Partner van after his vehicle veered off Fore Street in Pool, collided with a house and the beacon, crossed a roundabout, struck a kerb, then collided with another house.

Timmins, arriving on crutches, held his head in his hands and sobbed as details were told to Truro magistrates.

The 32-year-old of Dorchester Court, North Roskear Road, Camborne, pleaded guilty to failing to provide a specimen of blood for analysis, using a vehicle without insurance and without a driving licence.

Alison May, for the CPS, said as a result of the crash at 2.30am on June 20, shorting out the beacon, about 70 houses had their electricity supply interrupted for several hours.

Timmins and his passenger, who was also seriously injured, had to be cut free from the van and taken to hospital.

Smelling of liquor, Timmins refused to give a blood sample and swore at the police officer who requested it.

Timmins had two previous convictions for drink-driving.

Lucy Bryant, for the defence, said the incident still caused Timmins a lot of distress.

He could not remember or explain what happened that night. He suffered from cerebral palsy and bipolar condition.

As reported in the West Briton at the time, Jean George, 84, was asleep when the van destroyed her front window, leaving a 6ft hole in the wall. The road was shut until about 8am.

Mrs George's son, Ian, said she was uninjured but left shaken and confused by the crash noise which was like "a large clap of thunder".

The case was adjourned until September 29, the magistrates asking for a probation report. Interim disqualification was imposed.

THE daughter of a Truro woman says her death from cancer was hastened by being forced to move house due to the so-called "bedroom tax".

Janet Mandeville, 52, died last month and her daughter Nicola Braithwaite, 28, said she believed that having to move from her two-bedroom bungalow to a smaller home contributed to her death.

Interviewed by the West Briton last year, Janet said: "What this government is doing is truly vile.

"I became so distressed trying to think of ways I could stay in my two-bed bungalow, I actually had a seizure in February and was taken to hospital for tests."

Nicola said: "Her health deteriorated after she left where she wanted to be.

"What she went through breaks my heart. They let her slip through the net.

"They didn't consider that not only did she have physical illnesses, she had mental illnesses too.

"They were heightened because of what happened. A lot of it was from that."

She said her mother had been struggling to get support and had difficulty filling out the many forms required.

"It was too much for her; she couldn't handle it," she said.

"She suffered from depression and anxiety, and that upped her anxiety levels. Then the cancer spread."

Janet was forced to move as she could not afford the £14 extra she was charged due to the "bedroom tax".

She received some discretionary support to help with the extra cost until she was able to find a smaller home, but her daughter said she was certain the stress of the move and benefit cuts contributed to her mother's illness.

"She was comfortable; she had people around her," she said. "When she moved, all the people who were around her weren't there any more. She was on her own.

"I'm very angry. If it hadn't been for moving, you never know; it could have been different. She was happy before. She didn't have much, but she was happy."

Janet died at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro on August 21 from blood clots on her lung.

A Cornwall Council spokesman said: "We and social housing providers have worked to contact and assist tenants potentially affected by the government's welfare reform, including under-occupancy penalties.

"Discretionary housing awards have also been made available to help with short-term rental costs to enable individuals to seek and secure alternative accommodation.

"Cornwall Housing agreed to a request from Ms Mandeville for a property swap in June 2013 so that she was not affected by the under- occupancy penalties. We have no record of any complaints about the property."

A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said: "We have made £345 million available to councils to support vulnerable people since reforms were introduced. As of May, Cornwall had under-spent £637,000 of discretionary housing payments."

Cornish MP's 'bedroom tax' Bill wins second reading: p15.