CORNISH rock fans have pledged a staggering quarter of a million pounds to tempt one of the genre's biggest names to the westcountry.

Fans of the Foo Fighters have already pledged over £250,000 to a Crowdfunder campaign set up by the promoters of the Live at Heartlands music festival, who hope to arrange a stop on the Foo's tour of the UK next summer.

The campaign reached its £150,000 target in just four days and Angela Young from Warner Young Management is encouraging more people to pledge before the November 24 deadline so that it'll be even harder for Dave Grohl's band to resist.

She said: "We are amazed at how many pledges we have received since the campaign went live, particularly as 90% of pledges have been received from within Cornwall.

"We've been delighted and overwhelmed by the support – we knew people wanted big names to come to Cornwall but even we have been surprised by just how many people are willing to pledge to try and make this happen.

"We've been told that this is the fastest grossing crowd-funded campaign outside the US and the fastest ever gig-related campaign anywhere in the world."

The campaign's rapid growth has attracted the attention of the world's media with several international news organisations covering the story.

Warner Young Management is currently in contact with the band's team and is trying to secure a date, but is yet to receive official confirmation.

The Foo Fighters, fronted by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, will be touring the UK next summer on the back of their new album Sonic Highways, which will hit the shelves on November 10.

Pledgers are offered various incentives for supporting the cause including guaranteed tickets and t shirts, and will receive their money back if the bid to bring Foo Fighters to Cornwall is ultimately unsuccessful.

Police have named Terence "Terry" Lawson from Redruth as the motorcyclist who died in a three vehicle collision on the A39 at the weekend.

The 58 year-old was riding his red Ducati motorcycle when he collided with a blue Fiat Multipla, registered to Brixham, and a black Kawasaki ZX motorcycle, registered to Truro, around 10.45am near the Knightsbridge Garage, Allen Valley, Camelford on Sunday.

Mr Lawson, who had had lived in West Tolgus, Redruth, for 12 years and originally came from Essex, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The second motorcyclist suffered non-life threatening injuries.

The road was closed for several hours while crash scene investigations took place and reopened to traffic shortly before 8pm.

Anyone who witnessed the collision, or saw the vehicles travelling on the A39 shortly before, is asked to contact Sergeant Ken George at the Bodmin Serious Collisions Investigation Unit on 101 and quote the reference 346 of 5 October.

THE crew of a search and rescue helicopter from RNAS Culdrose are to receive an award for bravery today at a national awards ceremony by the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society.

It follows the rescue of five fishermen from a sinking French trawler off the Lizard coast last year.

The crew from 771 Squadron, are to be presented with the Edward and Maisie Lewis Award by the Society's patron Princess Ann, The Princess Royal.

The crew members are pilot Kapitänleutnant Steffen Volkwein, on exchange from the German Navy, co-pilot Lieutenant Paul Smalley, observer Lieutenant Commander Paul Robertson and aircrewman Petty Officer Mark Richardson.

On November 3 last year, 2013, the crew took part in the gallant rescue of five fishermen from sinking French trawler Panamera.

The boat began sinking in atrocious conditions, with high winds and in near complete darkness and with no visible horizon.

This was made worse by the failure of their aircraft's floodlights and a language barrier between the French fishermen and the English speaking air crew.

Despite these problems and with only a couple of minutes of time left afloat towards the end of the rescue, the crew managed to get all five fishermen safely to shore uninjured.

The charity's Skill and Gallantry Awards is taking place today Tuesday 7 October at Fishmongers' Hall in London.

Shipwrecked Mariners' Society Chief Executive, Commodore Malcolm Williams, said: "This incident epitomises the unique mixture of leadership, teamwork, skill and bravery that enables these crews to effect such amazing rescues.

"Despite technological advances, we still rely upon the bravery of rescue crews and individuals to help those in danger around our coast.

"We are proud to be able to reward the gallantry of those who risk their lives for the safety of others."

At the same awards ceremony, another member of 771 Squadron, Russell Adams was also to be presented with a commendation by the princess for his role in a separate rescue in February.

A PENRYN graduate has created a UK-first with the launch of a national magazine for popular science – and TV naturalist Steve Backshall has agreed to be a contributor.

Biosphere was launched on Saturday at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall when members of local wildlife charities and supporters of the magazine joined academics from the University of Exeter (UoE) and Falmouth University to preview the first issue.

The monthly, independent magazine, which was funded by the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, is dedicated to the natural world – from zoology to evolution and conservation to behaviour.

"I was terrified and excited all at once," said editor and creator Roz Evans, from Penryn. "But it was amazingly well received and I couldn't be happier."

After finishing her degree in conservation biology at the Penryn campus of UoE, Ms Evans said she "found it hard to leave."

She said the support from funders on Kickstarter was "immense," adding: "We smashed our target and we were able to communicate with our backers openly and honestly – their support has been invaluable.

"The first issue delves into the most recently discovered details of how a fungi can control an ant's brain, or what we're doing to help save the world's most endangered bird – the Madagascar pochard.

"There's tales from the field, expert opinions and in depth but digestible analyses."

The editor added that writer and TV star Backshall had agreed to make a contribution at some point in the future.

The Environment Agency has issued a flood warning for Cornwall ahead of high spring tides.

The Bristol based experts have placed an orange "be prepared" warning on the county between high tide tomorrow evening and high tide on Thursday evening.

They predict that low lying areas on both the north and south coasts including Land's End, Mounts Bay, Porthleven, Fowey and Looe, will be at an increased risk of flooding.

A spokesman from the agency said: "High astronomic spring tides are combining with moderate surge from Wednesday evening until Thursday evening's high tide. This will lead to increased flood risk to low lying areas.

"We expect to issue flood Warnings for Wednesday evening, as tide levels, wind andwwaves increase. Environment Agency staff will be monitoring water levels and sea defences."

The agency will issue an updated warning tomorrow morning.

For more information or advice visit the Environment Agency website orcall Floodline on 0345 988 1188 or 0845 988 1188, select option 1 and enter Quickdial number 04122.

GOVERNMENT minister Greg Clark was in Cornwall today to sign a growth deal which will deliver £198million to be spent in Cornwall and the Isles Scilly.

Mr Clark, minister for universities, science and cities, was in Penryn to sign the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Growth Deal which secures £48.9m of Government money as well as another £150m of money from local partners and the private sector.

The cash is to be used to help create up to 4,000 new jobs, build 6,000 new homes to be built and deliver projects including upgrades to the rail sleeper service, improvements to the cycle network in Bodmin and road improvements to the A38 in south east Cornwall.

Mr Clark said: "I am delighted to sign this historic deal. As the Government's long-term economic plan starts to bear fruit, it is important that areas such as Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have the power to develop local infrastructure to take advantage of a recovering economy.

"Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are at the very edge of Britain but are by no means marginalised. Eighty-five per cent of residents and businesses can now get fibre broadband, and with new industries, a dynamic university and a fantastic natural environment, the area has all the ingredients for a flourishing economy.

"This Growth Deal will boost key industries such as the area's world-leading marine renewable energy sector, will bring real improvements to rail, cycling and road networks, and provides the tools this beautiful region needs to forge ahead."

Chris Pomfret, chairman of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "Signing our deal with the Minister is a real milestone, unlocking as it does millions of pounds of investment to grow the economy of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

"Our deal is the first tranche of investment vital to delivering our Strategic Economic Plan; a plan that could see around £1 billion of public and private sector monies invested in our economy between now and 2020."

John Pollard, Leader of Cornwall Council, said: "Signing the Growth Deal means we will be able to bring forward the delivery of a number of investments vital to Cornwall's businesses and communities.

"Cornwall Council will play its part in delivering those projects which include significant road and rail infrastructure improvements.

"As a result of the Growth Deal we will also be working with Government on a number of freedoms and flexibilities for key sectors such marine renewables. This will support these emerging sectors and act as springboard for our future devolution aspirations."

During his visit the Minister was given a tour of Falmouth University's academy for innovation and research.

He also visited design and marketing agency Eight Wire to see a growing Cornish business.

POLICE in Devon and Cornwall are failing to answer enough 999 calls within their target time.

Guidelines state 90 per cent of calls to 999 should be answered within 10 seconds.

Some 2,680 calls did not meet that target in the four months from May to August.

Police say they have seen an increase in the number of 999 calls and that call handlers are asking more questions to assess the needs of callers.

There were 14,135 999 calls in April, 15,887 in May, 16,686 in June, 18,386 in July and 17,471 in August.

91.7 per cent of 999 calls to Devon and Cornwall police were answered within 10 seconds in April, 88 per cent in May, 87.5 per cent in June, 83.7 per cent in July and 85.5 per cent in August.

Care commissioners in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have decided to put £22 million worth of children's services out to tender this month.

The commissioners, made up of NHS Kernow, Cornwall Council, NHS England and the Council of the Isles of Scilly, have started the procurement process which will conclude on or before April 1 2016.

Contracts for 23 services including school nursing, speech and language therapy, health visiting, family nurse partnership and child and adolescent specialist mental health services will be available to private companies and NHS linked charities.

NHS Kernow has said the decision came after months of consultation with patients and their families in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and will be the best measure for children and young people.

Sue Smith, programme director for delivery at NHS Kernow, said: "This decision will ensure we have a robust service in place for 1 April, 2016, that allows children, young people and their families to access services that improve children and young people's health and wellbeing.

"It is our vision to improve people's experience of care and support and reduce the cost of care. This procurement will ensure we achieve this."

The decision to tender has angered Rik Evans, the former vice-chairman of the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust board, who quit his post earlier this year over the outsourcing of 600 hospital jobs.

He said: "The best organisations to provide these services are the three NHS organisations.

"Will the commissioners never learn by their previous mistakes?"

Poole Town 3 Truro City 0

City suffered a chastening night in Dorset at the Southern League premier division leader who, with the minimum of fuss,  made it eight wins out of eight at their Tatnam home as they went six points clear at the top.

The White Tigers were effectively down and out  as they went  3-0 behind in the opening 15 minutes and their misery was compounded when they had top scorer Craig Duff sent off just on half time for alleged off the ball incident.

He is now set to serve a three match ban, though City manager Steve Tully said they were hoping to use video evidence to try and overturn the red card.

Defender Arran Pugh also picked up his fifth booking of the season and will receive a one match ban.

City gave a start to striker Matt Wright after he re-signed from Bideford at the weekend, with Barry Hayles dropping to the bench, while Mike Searle returned in goal in place of Kyle Moore, with Issac Vassell coming in for Cody Cooke.

But the visitors, has so often has been the case the season, got off to a slow start and Luke Burbidge put Poole ahead after ten minutes and added a second three minutes later.

When Steve Devlin made it 3-0 with just 15 minutes on the clock with a superb long distance shot which sailed over Searle and into the net, City looked in for a thrashing.

But to their credit they dug in until half time though Duff's red card effectively ended any thoughts of a remarkable comeback.

However, in the second half City were much improved and had chances to get on the scoresheet, with Wright and substitutes Cooke and Les Afful all having opportunities.

But there was no more scoring and City, who have dropped two places to seventh in the table, will be looking to get back to winning ways against Cirencester Town, who were beaten 3-0 at home by Weymouth tonight, at Treyew Road on Saturday.

For Steve Tully's reaction to the night's events see this week's West Briton.

POOLE TOWN: Hutchings; Tallack, Martin, Walker, Whisken 9capt), Pettefer, Burbidge, Devlin (Lowes 77), Brooks, Preston (Roberts 77), Jermyn (Lindsay 75). Subs (not used): Manley, Munday.

Yellow Card; Burbidge.

TRURO CITY: Searle; White, Farkins, Pugh, Long (Lowry 52); Ash (Afful 65), Green, Brett; Vassell (Cooke 52), Wright, Duff. Subs (Not used): Hayles, Moore.

Yellow cards: Pugh, White.

Red card: Duff.

Golas: Burbidge (10) 1-0, Burbidge (13) 2-0, Devlin (15) 3-0.

Referee: William Bull (Southampton).

Crowd: 327

A TRURO 'mumpreneur' is in the running for a national award after developing a tool which helps parents find places to buy products and services for children.

Charlotte Pickering, a barrister and mum of two, runs the KiddyUP app, which helps parents locate and share places to feed and change their little ones, as well as places to play and buy baby kit.

Having received coaching from business support company Oxford Innovation, she has now been nominated for The Mumpreneur Awards.

The awards scheme, which recognises parents who run their own enterprises, is run in association with Amazon and is in its sixth year.

Mrs Pickering is in with a chance of winning The Inspirational Business Award at the finals on November 8 in Warwickshire.

Her business was launched earlier this year while Mrs Pickering was on maternity leave.

The app received £150,000 in investment shortly after launch.

Today, KiddyUP has more than 50,000 child-friendly locations and thousands of users in more than 15 countries.

The product has been featured in business magazine Forbes and in Prima Magazine.

Mrs Pickering was highly commended in the Rising Star category at the Women in Business Awards 2014 last month.

A DRIVER in a cross-continental charity rally will also be delivering a special consignment to an orphanage in Romania – 100 pairs of pants.

The boxer shorts are on their way to youngsters thanks to Truro and Boscawen Rotary Club, which has teamed up with the White Cross Mission to help orphans in the Eastern European country.

The mission has been working with the orphanage for 24 years and while many of the children who were living there have since been found new homes, there are almost 50 who remain.

Now aged in their late twenties and early thirties, they rely on the support of the charity, which supplies everyday items as well as teachers to go and provide education.

So when the mission discovered that many of the young people had been without underpants, it decided to act.

The mission's chairman, Canon Pat Robson, said: "We were contacted by the Rotary club who said it wanted to help and asked what we wanted – many of the youngsters in Romania have no boxer shorts at all so we asked them to get us some.

"And they have managed to provide us with around 100 pairs, which will be heading off to Romania on Thursday."

Max Braga, from the Rotary Club, said: "It was an unusual request but if that is what they need, then we were happy to help.

"We contacted Sainsbury's in Truro and they were happy to help – we bought some from them and they gave us a good price on them to help."

The pants will all be taken to Romania by David Piper, from Truro, who is taking part in a charity banger rally which is heading to Croatia from St Austell on Thursday.

On his way back to Cornwall he is paying a visit to Romania where he will deliver the pants as well as many other items for the mission.

Ms Robson said: "He is taking all sorts of things for us including a bag of lip salves, jumpers that have been knitted by people here in Cornwall and a wheelchair which has been donated.

"We usually stuff our suitcases with items to take when we visit, so it will mean we don't have to take quite so much when we go later in the year. Having a car which can deliver goods is very helpful and means we can provide a lot more.

"We would like to thank David, the Rotary club and everyone who has donated items which are being taken."

For more information about the mission go to www.casadelureni.com/White_Cross_Mission

TV presenter Georgie Thompson has announced her engagement via Twitter to Olympic sailing legend Sir Ben Ainslie. 

Picture says it all. So happy to be engaged to the loveliest woman in the World. Biggles is pretty excited too! pic.twitter.com/zmcP2z8hiq

— Ben Ainslie (@AinslieBen) October 7, 2014

This just in… @AinslieBen and I are getting married! Couldn't be happier. Suspect the honeymoon may involve a boat..:)

— Georgie Thompson (@OfficiallyGT) October 7, 2014

Georgie wrote: 'This just in… @AinslieBen and I are getting married! Couldn't be happier. Suspect the honeymoon may involve a boat..:)' 

The gold medal winner, who learnt to sail at Restronguet, also wrote about the happy news on his own Twitter account, posting a picture of himself, his 36-year-old TV presenter fiancee and dog Biggles. 

Ben, 37, wrote: 'Picture says it all. So happy to be engaged to the loveliest woman in the World. Biggles is pretty excited too!' The pair have known each other for the last three years as friends, but romance blossomed in April.

The relationship has sometimes been a long distance one, with Sir Ben working in San Francisco and Georgie in New York, where her TV job is based.

As both children's services and the GP out-of-hours service in Cornwall are put out to tender, we want to know if you agree with the part-privatisation of the NHS.

Contracts for 23 services including school nursing, speech and language therapy, health visiting, family nurse partnership and child and adolescent specialist mental health services will be available to private companies and NHS linked charities.

NHS Kernow has said the decision came after months of consultation with patients and their families in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and will be the best measure for children and young people.

At the same time, NHS managers are looking at alternatives for the out-of-hours GP service in Cornwall.

The search for another provider has been going on since December when NHS Kernow, the county's GP-led commissioning group, announced it had reached mutual agreement with private firm Serco to end the current contract at the end of May 2015 – 17 months early.

Although managers insist the decision to press ahead with the tendering process is in the best interest of patients, many health campaigners have hit out against the plans.

Let us know what you think by voting in our poll here, and by using the comment form below:

A pensioner was left with a suspected broken nose and cuts and bruises after being punched to the floor by a teenage skateboarder in Camborne.

The 68-year-old Redruth man was taking items to a charity shop in Trelowarren Street around noon on Monday, September 22nd when the assault took place.

A police spokesman said: "As he stepped out of the doorway he was knocked off his feet by a male skateboarder.

"When he remonstrated with the skateboarder, he was punched in the face by the offender and knocked to the floor. He was then set upon by the offender. The offender walked off towards Camborne town square after the incident.

"The victim, from Redruth, sustained cuts and bruises to his arms and face, plus a suspected broken nose."

The suspect is described as white, aged 15-17, of slim build, around 5ft 10ins to 6ft tall, and dark hair just above shoulder length. He was wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans and carrying a skateboard.

Officers are appealing for witnesses to the incident and asking anyone with information to contact them on 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111, quoting crime reference CR/108647/14.

LIFEBOAT volunteers have spoken of their disappointment after the lifeboat station in St Agnes was broken into and money from a charity collection box stolen.

The station on The Quay at St Agnes was broken into sometime between 10pm on Monday and 8am the next morning.

Police say that money was taken from a charity collection box – it is believed it could have contained around £100.

Nick Marsh, volunteer lifeboat operations manager at St Agnes RNLI, said: "It's extremely disappointing to think that somebody would want to cause damage to our lifeboat station building and attempt to steal money that has been donated by members of the public.

"The crew and local community are very upset about what's happened as it's not something we'd ever expect. Repairing the damage will obviously cost and spending money on repairs is an added financial burden to the charity when we'd rather it was spent saving lives at sea."

Police would like to speak to anyone with information about the theft or witnessed anything in the area at the time.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Truro police on 101 quoting crime reference number CR/112690/14.

A CAMPAIGN group fighting for better rights for sweat shop workers has called on organisers and Truro Cathedral to ban Benetton from a fashion show.

Labour Behind the Label fired off a letter to both the Business Improvement District (BID) team, Totally Truro, and Truro Cathedral calling on them to make a stand and "evict" controversial retail fashion store Benetton from tonight's event.

They targeted the Truro store as part of its ongoing campaign for better rights and conditions for workers following the collapse of a clothes factory in Rana Plaza, Bangladesh 18 months ago, which killed 1,000.

Anna McMullen, the group's policy co-ordinator, said Benetton is the only firm directly linked to the disaster which has not compensated families of the workers killed.

Neil Scott, Totally Truro BID manager, said it was a "complex issue" but the role of the BID team was to celebrate and help promote and celebrate Truro's range of retail outlets and businesses.

And after careful consideration Totally Truro had decided to let the local shop owner to take part.

Chris Hunter, 31, who runs the franchise, said his store carries just one style of clothing that has been made in Bangladesh.

He said the store always supported community and charity events and had been working for weeks in preparation for last night's show.

The Very Revd Roger Bush, Dean of Truro, said: "I have read what they have said, and also taken time to look at Benetton's position on this matter.

"The two have very different views on the situation and without being an expert it is very difficult, if not impossible, to reconcile them or reach any kind of informed opinion on the matter.

"It would therefore be wrong, I believe, for me to involve myself."

He went on to say: "However I am very aware of the ongoing suffering not only of those who were injured in the Rana Plaza tragedy, but also that of families left without a breadwinner.

"As a gesture of goodwill, therefore, I will arrange for a donation to be made to a fund to help ease their plight."

A trailer for the new series of Poldark has appeared on the internet video site YouTube.

The one minute 44 second long clip opens with a shot of Charlestown, before briefly introducing the cast and characters for the programme.

A number of coastal and rural scenes are shown, which will leave Cornish viewers trying to work out exactly where each was shot.

Locations used for filming the series include Church Cove at Gunwalloe.

Can you identify any of the places shown in the clip - let us know using the comment form below:

A YOUNG man from Redruth accused of raping a woman has been found not guilty by a jury.

Kyle Chilman, aged 26, went on trial at Truro Crown Court on Monday accused of forcing himself on the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, after a night out in Truro in the summer last year.

Garth Richardson, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Chilman, of Clinton Road, Redruth, who admitted that he had sex with the woman but told police it was consensual, had shared a taxi with the woman to her home in the Truro area just after 1am.

Mr Richardson said in the taxi it was apparent by what he was saying that he was expecting to have sexual intercourse.

"He said: 'Someone is going to get laid tonight', she said that he would not."

The court heard when the taxi arrived at the home; the woman paid the driver and then offered to give him money for the taxi to take him back to his home in Redruth.

"He told her not to be stupid," said Mr Richardson. "He would wait for a friend to come collect him.

"[He said] 'Just let me in, don't be so dramatic'."

Mr Richardson said that once inside the woman started to get ready for bed but when she came out of the bathroom, Chilman was sitting on her bed.

The court heard she told him he could sleep on the sofa but Chilman did not leave and they started to argue and that Chilman had sex with her against her wishes. Chilman, who denied the offence, was accused of one count of raping the girl.

He was arrested later that night and told police officers they had had an argument but that they had been kissing and cuddling and had sex which was completely consensual.

During the trial a number of his friends said they had seen Chilman with the woman at L2 nightclub in Truro earlier that evening and that they had seemed comfortable together.

One said: "They were very comfortable together, sort of dirty dancing if you will."

Another friend of Chilman's added that they had left the club to get a taxi "hand in hand".

Chilman wept in the dock as the jury delivered its not guilty verdict on the single count.