THE daughter of a plumber thought to have died after being shot with a crossbow says the family feels "cheated" that he was taken from them so suddenly.

Father and grandfather Roy Hanson, 50, died on Saturday morning at a farm near St Keverne.

Police launched a murder investigation and started searching remote farm buildings in the area after the death just after 9am. A man has since been charged with his murder.

His daughter, Jasmin Hanson, known as Jaz, and son Karl, were told about his death later in the day.

Jaz said: "I just can't believe it.

"You expect your dad to grow old so you can have more happy memories of him.

"I still expect him to walk through the door. It's just surreal to have him taken from us. I feel cheated."

Jaz lives with her partner of four years, Jason Hickey, and their two children, Layla, 22 months, and Rocco, six weeks, in Ruan Minor.

"My dad was our world," she said. "He was my rock. He was very hands-on with the grandchildren; they loved him. He was a very big part of our lives. It hurts knowing he won't be there to see the children grow up.

"It's all a bit much to take in. Sometimes you feel empty."

Mr Hanson lived in a motorhome in Gweek with his wife, Julia, with whom he had split up earlier this month after 12 years of marriage.

He also owned a house in St Martin, where he stored equipment from his business.

Mr Hanson died on the anniversary of the death of his father, also called Roy, who passed away in 2006, aged 69.

Jaz said that Sylvia, her grandmother, aged 77, was "in pieces".

She said: "She can't believe it – she's lost her son."

Mr Hanson also leaves a brother, Paul, from Helston, and two sisters, Wendy Roke, from Yeovil, and Sarah Arthur, from Helston.

"It has devastated the family," said Jaz. "We don't know how to move forward. How do we take this in?"

Mr Hanson ran his own business, Taz Plumbing, for almost ten years.

Jaz said: "My dad worked hard to leave something for us. He would do anything for anyone – nothing was too much trouble.

"He had a heart of gold. He was the most genuine, honest person."

Jaz is due to marry her partner, Jason, in 2016.

"I always dreamed of my dad giving me away," said Jaz. "Now that won't happen."

Daniel Richard Schofield, 28, from St Keverne, appeared at Truro Magistrates' Court on Monday charged with the murder of Roy Hanson.

He was granted conditional bail on Tuesday, at Truro Crown Court, and is not allowed to enter Cornwall.

He is next due to appear in court on November 18.

SCHEDULED resurfacing of Arwenack Street in Falmouth will take place from January 12. It is likely to take two weeks.

CHRISTMAS cards raising money for good causes are available to buy from Truro's City Hall.

The cards are being sold in aid of a range of charities including the RNLI and Barnardos.

Truro's mayor Loic Rich said sending cards at Christmas was a lovely gesture but it was even better to send ones that were helping good causes.

He said: "If you're concerned about Christmas being too consumerist then at least you know that the money's going to help someone who needs it."

FITNESS enthusiasts have got dressed up to raise money for the Breast Cancer Campaign.

Carn Brea Leisure Centre's Big Pink Weekend was organised to promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month and featured activities with a distinctly pink theme.

Throughout the weekend customers made donations to participate in pink studio fitness classes and showed their support with a Bras Out For Breast Cancer dress code.

Gym and studio manager Amelia Blackford said: "As a charitable trust and social enterprise, it's great for us to be able to help other very deserving charities.

"Our staff and customers have been amazing, as always, and have helped to make this another really successful event."

Over the weekend £406.92 was raised, including £76 donated by 14-year-old Katie Broad, who made and sold loom band jewellery.

Other activities at the centre included a quiz night and cupcake sale, and Carn Brea was flooded with pink balloons over the weekend.

Hungerford Town 2 Truro City 0

Truro City's hopes of winning three Southern League premier division games in a row for the first time this season came to a frustrating end on a controversial night in West Berkshire.

In the game's turning point at Bulpit Lane, the visitors had skipper Jake Ash sent off just before half time by referee Gary Parsons for a second bookable offence.

They also had new signing Ed Palmer from Weymouth and Barry Hayles yellow carded early in the match and Hayles like Ash now faces a one match ban for accumulating five bookings.

City bravely held out until 17 minutes from time, when the home side scored direct from a corner from substitute Alan O'Brien and Mark Draycott, with his 100th goal for the club, then made the game safe six minutes from time to maintain their unbeaten home record.

Despite the defeat, City are still sixth in the table and only out of the play-off places on goal difference.

Manager Steve Tully had made two changes from the team that beat Cambridge City 1-0 on Saturday, with Palmer coming in  for Arran Pugh and Isaac Vassell replaced Matt Wright up front with the big striker suffering from a hamstring problem.

Tully described the referee's performance as "erratic" but was full of praise for his side's performance.

See this week's West Briton for reaction and a preview of City's FA Trophy tie this Saturday at home to Egham Town who are eighth in Division One Central of the Southern League.

Truro City: Moore; Farkins, Tully (Pugh 80), Palmer; Afful (Cooke 63), Lowry, Ash (capt), White, Brett, Hayles (Green 49), Vassell. Subs not used James, Searle.

Red card: Ash (44), two yellows.

Yellow cards: Palmer, Hayles.

Crowd: 144.

Referee: Gary Parsons. 

A DOTING couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary by raising money for Cornwall Air Ambulance.

More than 100 people attended a party for David – nicknamed Joe – and Coral Johns.

The couple, who live in Harbour View, St Just in Roseland, requested that guests make a donation to the air ambulance instead of giving them a gift.

The money pledged before and on the day totalled £560, nearly three times the £200 they raised when they did a similar event for their ruby wedding anniversary.

Mr Johns, 74, who still works six days a week despite having undergone a quadruple heart bypass 15 years ago, said: "We thought the air ambulance was a good cause as it has no support from government and it saves lives."

The couple met at a bingo game in Trethury, where Mrs Johns (née Slogett), now aged 72, lived.

Mr Johns, originally from Grampound Road, said: "Within 10 months of us starting courting we were engaged and married."

They tied the knot on September 26 in the church in her village, before having one daughter, Karen, now 48.

The couple put their long and happy marriage down to good communication and working as a team.

Mr and Mrs Johns are already considering requesting donations to the Children's Hospice South West when they celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary.

Entertainer Shane Solomon, from the Cornwall Channel, sang at the party and helped the couple cut a cake before giving the stage over to Mr Johns.

He said: "I gave a speech thanking everybody who had come to the party and all those who had donated and I thanked Coral for staying with me for 50 years."

A NUMBER of phone boxes in the Camborne and Redruth area could soon be taken away unless town and parish councils step in to take over their running.

BT has announced that it will close 131 phone boxes across the country with nine of them in the Camborne and Redruth locality.

The decision comes following claims from the telecom company that they are underused.

Out of the nine phone boxes due to close in the area, three had no calls made from them in the last 12 months.

Barripper phone box had the most calls made from it, with 19 people using the facility in the same time period.

BT spokesman Jason Mann has said that there has been a huge reduction in the use of payphones in recent years.

"In some cases, not a single call has been made from the payphone in the last 12 months.

"We have been clear in all our communications that this is a consultation exercise and no payphone in this programme will be removed where the local authority raises an objection."

BT is offering parish councils and registered charities the opportunity to purchase the call boxes for £1 after the phones have been removed.

Villagers across the country have turned unused telephone kiosks into community libraries and a storage base for defibrillators amongst other things.

Camborne Town Council town clerk Amanda Mugford has confirmed that the council has purchased the phone boxes at Bolenowe and Penponds.

Town councillor Robert Webber has said that Camborne Town Council has acted to save phone boxes in areas where residents have expressed an interest in keeping them.

He said: "Where there is enough local demand the council is willing to take over the phone boxes.

"We're happy to preserve the features of these symbolic facilities and as seen across the country, there are a number of potential uses for them that we are looking into."

Concerns have also been raised that the closure of phone boxes in rural areas could potentially endanger lives.

One Cornwall MP, Sheryll Murray, believes that phone boxes could potentially prevent tragedy by allowing calls to the emergency service where mobile phone coverage is not available.

Phone boxes due to close around Camborne and Redruth include Piece (6 calls in the last 12 months), Roseworthy Hill (2), Bolenowe in Troon (0), Penhallick in Carn Brea (0), Barripper (19), Penponds (3), Scorrier (0), West Trevarth in Lanner (2) and Gwennap (6).

SUCCESS came in abundance for Cornish competitors at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham.

Mel Hennah, of Leedstown, capably rode Carolyn Steven's established working hunter, Anchorman, to an excellent clear over a deceptively tricky course.

The pair gave a great performance to get through to the evening final and were placed fifth, to add to their third placing at the Royal International Horse Show.

Showing newcomer sisters, Tasha and Alicia Brassett, from Helston, achieved their dream of competing at HOYS with the 15hh show hunter pony, The Grey Prince, who was contesting the popular Search For A Star final.

Seventeen-year-old Alicia has built up a great partnership with Prince over the last year locally, collecting many supremes and championships and she had Prince looking stunning in the ring to collect a fabulous fifth place.

Their success at HOYS has spurred the sisters to set up their own schooling and production livery as Team Halwyn.

Other notable success at HOYS were Annette Buckingham, from Helston, and Miners Town who picked up a seventh in the small hunter final, with Becky Williams of Ruan Minor, matching her with a seventh placing in the maxi cob final.

One of the youngest competitors from Cornwall, nine-year-old Victoria Dymomd, from Blisland, enjoyed a 100 per cent winning streak with her two ponies, Rowquest Copper Rivers and Amesbury Lucy Locket.

Victoria started the first day of the show with a win on the novice four-year-old Welsh Section A mare, Amesbury Lucy Locket, in the first ridden section of the mountain and moorland ponies.

Victoria's mum, Fiona, and her grandmother, Shirley Lobb, purchased Lucy as a three-year-old last autumn and broke her in over the winter, starting out initially as a lead rein.

The pair qualified on the lead rein for the Royal International Horse Show in the Pretty Polly (home-produced) section, where they were placed third. At only their second show as a first ridden, Victoria and Lucy qualified for HOYS and with only two other show in between, HOYS was only their fifth show as a first ridden.

Victoria was also making her debut in the first ridden classes at HOYS and they executed a foot perfect and true first ridden show to win the class of 23, with the highest ride mark of 47 out of a possible 50. The pair also went on to take the reserve championship.

Fiona said: "I was so proud of them in the ring at HOYS, Lucy made nothing of the electric atmosphere and went foot perfect.

"Tori was quite nervous before she went in the ring, but she rode so well and really made the most of the set show. I am really looking forward to next season with this pair."

Victoria returned for the final day of the show and her last ever ride in lead rein classes on family favourite, Rowquest Copper Rivers, or Splash as he is better known.

The pair, led by Fiona, who was leading for the last time after 10 years of lead rein classes with her two daughters, again gained the highest ride mark in the lead rein pony of show hunter type class with 49 out of 50.

Fiona added: "Splash's win was great as the whole family was there at the weekend so it was lovely to share it with everyone. He is a real character and we are all very fond of him."

The family bid a sad farewell to Splash, though he has stayed local with Victoria's cousin, Samuel Laity, gaining the ride on him.

Diary Dates

October 29: Working hunter showjumping @ Chenhale, starts 10.30am.

November 1: Halloween showjumping @ Chenhale. Starts 10.30am.

November 1: Threewaters RC dressage training with Andrew Lovell @ Chiverton RDA Centre. £35 per person based on two sharing. Contact Jane Angilley to book your place.

November 2: Unaffiliated showjumping @ Colraine. 50cms – 1.10m heights.

November 8: British and unaffiliated dressage @ Colraine.

November 9: British Showjumping & pony showjumping, including Blue Chip Animo Pony Novice Championship qualifier.

November 22 -23: Olivia Oakley Dressage clinics @ Knightswood Stud & EC. Contact Lisa on 01726 860663 to book your place.

NEWQUAY'S inshore lifeboats, the Atlantic 85 and D-class, were quickly on the scene to deal with the unfolding situation at Mawgan Porth.

Here, RNLI crew member Tim Stokes, who was on the Atlantic with helmsman Mike Martin, gives a vivid account of what occurred.

"We were paged at 1.20pm on Sunday for reports of five people in the water at Mawgan Porth, and both lifeboats proceeded to the scene as quickly as possible.

"Two people had been rescued by the point we arrived so we began a search for possible further missing persons. Conditions were very confused; the surf was up to 10ft at certain points in the area.

Transferred

"We transferred crew member Jennifer MacDonald from the Atlantic to the D-class and the crew beached the lifeboat to assist other emergency services in treating the casualties.

"The Atlantic remained at sea and continued to search the area. After a short while we were alerted by Rescue 193 helicopter that they had spotted somebody in the water, so we made our way straight over.

"It was quite shallow and the sea was confused which meant the lifeboat couldn't stay in the surf for long, so I jumped in and held the casualty afloat.

"I was swamped by surf trying to keep hold of the casualty as the sea was very strong.

"The helicopter lowered the winch wire and I put the strap around the casualty; then the helicopter carefully manoeuvred them ashore.

"I was then picked up by the D-class lifeboat and taken back to the beach.

"It was a challenging incident due to the conditions and all the emergency services teams worked extremely hard in difficult circumstances to try to help the casualties," said Mr Stokes.

Gareth Horner, Newquay lifeboat operations manager, said the crew members had done a remarkable job in very difficult sea conditions.

"Being involved in a situation like they faced at Mawgan Porth is extremely tiring, and three of the crew had been involved in giving CPR to a young man on Great Western beach in the early hours of the previous morning," he said.

"There was a heavy swell and strong undertows which meant they could hardly stand up in the water.

"The helmsman of the Atlantic [lifeboat] handled the boat brilliantly, and Tim did a remarkable job getting into heavy breaking surf and managing to support a man who was unconscious and place a strop around the him so he could be winched on to the beach.

"That was not at all easy to achieve," said Mr Horner.

The D-class crew that day were Christian Brown and Tim Poole.

The Padstow lifeboat was also called to Mawgan Porth to assist in the search for survivors.

AN OFF-DUTY lifeguard, who happened to be on the beach at Mawgan Porth at the time of the tragedy, revealed how he battled to help save the surfers.

Brendon Prince, from Torbay, said he had travelled to the beach to go surfing but changed his mind when he saw the conditions.

He said that it wasn't a good surf day: "It was too messy and too foamy. It wasn't worth going out for.

"At that point a lady ran over and asked if there was any chance we could lend a hand with something going on over the other side of the beach.

"I'm a beach lifeguard up in Torbay, so obviously responded fairly quickly with my friend. We saw there were two people in the water, face-down, trying to be assisted.

"There were two others we could see, trying to get in.

"I grabbed the one man in waist- or chest-deep water, and pulled him in with a friend. Others grabbed the lady behind.

"I started CPR with a man and a doctor came along to do CPR on the lady. It was obvious there were still people out there.

"The two boys came in of their own accord; they were clearly distressed by the whole situation.

"About 15 minutes after CPR, the helicopters and everything else started to come in to assist – and a great job they did to find that third person still out there in the water."

Mr Prince said he spoke to Mr Calder's wife at the scene and said he believed the family were on holiday.

He said Mr Calder had been in the water with his son when they got caught in the rip current.

Conditions off the coast were "changeable", he said: "They were over at the right-hand side where, if there's going to be a rip, it's going to be dragging out that way.

"They were probably just playing in up-to-the-waist surf – but in these conditions it can suddenly be 6ft when you thought it was 3ft."

PEOPLE have called for lifeguards to be reintroduced through the October half-term following the tragedy at Mawgan Porth.

At present, the RNLI is contracted to provide lifeguard cover until the end of September at most beaches in Cornwall, with Fistral, on the other side of Newquay, the only one covered daily in October.

The RNLI said this week it was reviewing its out-of-season cover.

Gareth Bradley, 29, a surf instructor for King Surf, based at Mawgan Porth beach, said: "It's October half-term and a lot of people come on holiday. It's usually good weather this time of year and people want to go in the sea.

"Wherever there's water there will be rips and people need to be prevented from going near them.

"Two years ago we had a similar incident where someone was dragged from the sea already dead.

"The lifeguards finish at the end of September but if they went off for a month, then came back on for this week, it would make all the difference," he said.

"If you think what they would have spent on the rescue it would have paid for lifeguards to be on this beach for the next ten months.

"It was an avoidable tragedy," he said. "Having lifeguards on the beach would have saved lives."

Greg Spray, RNLI lifeguard manager for Newquay and Padstow, said a risk assessment of beaches that were manned was carried out at the end of every season.

He said the incident at Mawgan Porth would be considered as part of the review.

"Every year we look at the risks around the coast when deciding our lifeguard and lifeboat services, as well as our education initiatives," said Mr Spray.

"We don't know exactly what happened, but it's easy to get caught out by a rip current in these conditions."

Stephen Gilbert, Lib Dem MP for St Austell and Newquay, agreed lifeguards should be on patrol there during half-term.

"The first thing to say is that this is a tragedy," he said.

"There is a debate about how long beaches like this should be covered by lifeguards.

"We know that the sea and the coast can be a dangerous and changeable place, yet the beaches are very popular.

Question

"The RNLI provides a fantastic service. The question is how long the beaches should be manned into the winter, when there is still demand for the beaches.

"Having people on the beach is only half the problem, though; the other half is helping people realise how dangerous the sea can be."

The Cornwall councillor for St Mawgan, John Fitter, said it was always a busy time of year.

"We have never had lifeguards here after the summer season and it's something that in the light of this tragedy we may wish to review," said Mr Fitter. "Everything has to be looked at."

NO ONE knows exactly how the teenage surfers got into difficulties on Sunday, but Mawgan Porth is known for its strong rip currents.

Emergency services personnel have said it was very difficult even to stand up in the water just metres from the shore.

Greg Spray, the RNLI lifeguard manager for the area, said: "We don't know exactly what happened, but it's easy to get caught out by a rip current in these conditions.

"Rip currents are fast-flowing bodies of water that can drag people away from the shoreline and out into deeper water.

"The best way to avoid a rip is to choose a lifeguarded beach, as lifeguards are trained to identify them and mark out a safe swim zone based on sea conditions.

"If you're not at a lifeguarded beach and find yourself caught in a rip current, don't try to swim against it; if you can, swim parallel to the shore until you are free from the rip, and raise your hand and shout for help."

The storms of last January are thought to have made the currents less predictable, with shifts in the seabed causing problems for swimmers and surfers who can quickly find themselves dragged out of their depth.

A rip is formed when water along the shoreline finding an exit back into the sea, normally though a channel between sandbars, creates a strong current.

It is usually as a result of large sets of waves approaching a beach and building up water which then finds its own level, causing a drag back into the sea.

The larger the surf, the more intense the rip current, and the deeper the channel, the stronger the current.

A rip current can flow at 8ft a second, faster than anyone can swim, and some beaches generate dozens of rips every day.

The main danger comes when swimmers panic and find themselves swept out to sea and become too exhausted to swim back to shore.

KEVIN Reynolds worked in the Roche branch of Prolift Access Ltd, a specialist engineering company.

Prolift director Andrew Martin said staff were "shocked and saddened" by news of his death.

"Clearly we are not in possession of all the details and facts related to this incident, nonetheless we are all still very shocked and saddened by the news we received only yesterday (Monday) morning.

"On behalf of the directors and staff here at Prolift Access, I offer our deepest condolences to all of Kevin's family and friends for their loss and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult time. Although Kevin only joined our company this year, he was a valued member of the team and will be sadly missed.

"We are in touch with Kevin's family and would hope, if appropriate and acceptable to the family, to be able to pay our respects in due course."

THREE courageous adults lost their lives trying to save four teenage surfers after they were caught in a treacherous rip current at Mawgan Porth.

Rachel Dunn, aged 42, and Kevin Reynolds, aged 44, both from St Austell, and Stuart Calder, 52, from Leeds, were brought ashore unconscious and later died despite efforts to revive them.

The four traumatised teenagers, aged between 15 and 18, managed to reach the beach and survived.

They were taken to hospital suffering from shock.

Two of the adults received CPR on the beach and were flown to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Truro where they were both pronounced dead on arrival. A third man was spotted in the water by a Royal Navy helicopter pilot and strapped to a winch in extremely difficult sea conditions by Newquay lifeboat crew member Tim Stokes.

He received CPR on the beach but died before the helicopter reached the hospital.

Rachel Dunn is understood to have worked at the Inland Revenue tax office in St Austell.

Kevin Reynolds had been in the Army and more recently worked in the Roche branch of Prolift Access Ltd, a specialist engineering company.

His son, Michael Reynolds, 17, paid tribute to him this week. He said: "He was fun loving and honest. He was always the life of the party.

"Everyone loved to be around him. We will dearly miss him. He raised my three step-sisters and they all loved him very much.

"I used to see him every weekend. He only lived down the road."

Prolift director Andrew Martin said staff were shocked and saddened by news of his death.

"Clearly we are not in possession of all the details and facts related to this incident; nonetheless we are all still very shocked and saddened by the news we received only yesterday [Monday] morning.

"On behalf of the directors and staff I offer our deepest condolences to all Kevin's family and friends for their loss and our thoughts are with them at this most difficult time. Although Kevin only joined our company this year, he was a valued member of the team and will be sadly missed.

"We are in touch with Kevin's family and would hope, if appropriate and acceptable to the family, to be able to pay our respects in due course."

Mr Calder 52, was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon who worked for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and was on holiday with his family, staying in Newquay.

A close friend of the Calder family, Eric Hanson, told reporters: "All we know is that he ran up the beach to try and save the people.

"In that, he lost his life. He is a very giving, generous person. He would have done it for anybody."

Falmouth Coastguard received a number of 999 calls from concerned members of the public after five surfers got into difficulty in the water at around 1.20pm.

Two Newquay lifeboats, another from Padstow, local coastguard volunteers and paramedics were scrambled.

Both the Cornwall and Devon air ambulance helicopters were sent to the scene, as was a search and rescue Sea King from RNAS Culdrose.

The teenagers, wrapped in blankets, were ushered into the nearby Merrymoor Inn where they were cared for by paramedics.

The emergency services were eventually stood down just after 4pm.

DETECTIVES swooped in London yesterday making a number of arrests as part of an investigation into a scam that has cost Westcountry residents £130,000.

Officers from the South West's organised crime unit, Zephyr, joined forces with the police as they arrested 10 people during a series of dawn raids on suspicion of conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering offences.

The actions, part of an ongoing investigation into a large-scale courier scam, were described by Zephyr detective chief inspector, Nigel Woods, as a demonstration that justice was being done.

"Today's arrests, following several over the past two months, should provide reassurance that we are now tracking down and arresting people involved in this despicable form of crime," he said.

"We hope they send out a strong message that we will target those involved in courier fraud, arrest them and take them before the courts."

Nine men and one woman, aged between 19 and 42 years, were arrested at various addresses in the East London area.

The joint operation was a result of months of investigations into a scam which has targeted more than 300 people in the South West and caused losses of up to £130,000.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the incidents all involved variations on a similar approach, with perpetrators posing as police officers to convince potential victims to disclose bank details or withdraw large amounts of money which they are then asked to send to London by taxi or a courier.

DCI Woods said the majority of those targeted by fraudsters had been elderly, but added that there was a possibility that more victims were yet to come forward.

"We want to hear from these people," he said.

"The more we talk about this scam and the more people who are made aware of it, the less likely that they are to become victims. We need people to spread the word.

"If you have elderly and vulnerable relatives, neighbours, colleagues and friends warn them to be vigilant and on their guard for telephone calls of this kind."

Mr Woods stressed that police and banks would never ask for banking details or PIN numbers on the phone, or send a courier to collect bank cards or money.

"In previous incidents the victims did the right thing when they became suspicious of callers – they hung up the phone and called the police," he said.

"They waited until they could hear a dialling tone or used a different phone to call us, ensuring that the scammers weren't still connected to the line."

More information about the scam can be found at www.met.police.uk/docs/little_book_scam.pdf.

The teenage son of Kevin Reynolds has paid tribute to his "fun-loving" dad, who died in Sunday's surf tragedy at Mawgan Porth beach.

Mr Reynolds, 44, from St Austell, died alongside his partner Rachel Dunn, 42, after the pair went into the sea to help save a group of teenagers in trouble.

A third man, 52-year-old Stuart Calder from Leeds, also died in the incident.

Last night, Michael Reynolds, 17 - whose mum is Kevin's ex-wife Karen, 52 - said: "He was fun loving and honest. He was always the life of the party.

"Everyone loved to be around him. We will dearly miss him. He raised my three step-sisters and they all loved him very much.

"This had really left my mum numb. They hadn't really spoken since the divorce but it really shocked her.

"I used to see him every weekend. He only lived down the road. I didn't know Rachel well but she really reminded me of my mum.

"My dad was in the army previously. Rachel worked in the tax office, she was a civil servant."

A friend of Kevin Reynolds, who lived in a neighbouring flat in St Austell, confirmed his "selfless" pal died wading into the sea to help the teenage boys.

They said: "Kevin and Rachel, his girlfriend, went there to surf for the day.

"They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Initially, they went in to surf but the conditions were too rough so they came back in.

"They noticed that some teenagers were getting into trouble so they rushed out to help them.

"It was Kevin, Rachel and that poor guy from Leeds. They all acted totally selflessly, rushing into danger to help other people.

"That's what he was like, totally selfless and noble. He was just trying to help. I hate to imagine what would have happened if he hadn't been there.

"Me and Kevin were good mates. He was one of the loveliest blokes you could ever meet.

"He was always laughing and joking with the neighbours. He was really popular in these flats.

"Last time I saw him was Sunday morning. I knew something was wrong when he wasn't leaving for work on Monday morning, because we usually leave at the same time."

THIEVES who broke into a Truro paintball business ruined a schoolboy's 13th birthday party.

The youngster and ten of his friends had been due to celebrate at Truro Paintball on Falmouth Road, but after a break-in at the farm in the early hours , owner Abi Withers, 34, had to tell his family she was unable to open. "Making that phone call to say that little boy couldn't come in was just heartbreaking," she said.

The burglars took equipment and confectionery worth between £1,500 and £1,800 from the centre's outbuilding, after using crowbars to force open the locks.

The stolen goods included 12 boxes of paintballs, a paintball gun, confectionery and the cash till which contained only £10 in loose change.

A Honda generator was also taken away by the intruders, whose vehicle left tyre marks across the field.

"I feel for my customers who are ultimately the ones who are directly affected and that has a knock-on effect on the business," said Miss Withers.

"That little boy was not able to celebrate his birthday on the day that he wanted.

"You think about all the invitations that have been handed out at school and the excitement prior to the day and it's so sad.

"They're able to rebook and I have left the booking open for when they want to come in, but they shouldn't have to.

"We all work so hard in this climate to provide a service, we put a lot of time and effort into keeping the business afloat, and then something as unnecessary as this happens."

Miss Withers, who has run the site for two years, said after the raid on October 15 she now wanted to warn other businesses to keep their premises secure: "I've heard that there has been an influx in break-ins in the last couple of weeks," she said.

Inspector Mark Richards, from Truro police, said that in the past three weeks there had been about ten break-ins at premises across the city.

The rise in the number of incidents followed a "particularly quiet summer" for commercial burglaries, he said.

"I can't currently draw on a pattern or that it was the same offender," Inspector Richards said.

"The paintball site is isolated, rural and large, but the ones we're talking about in the town are small office premises.

"While there has been an increase in the number of burglaries, I can't say it is down to the same individual."

Miss Withers and her staff reordered stock, repaired the locks and were open by Sunday.

One silver lining has been the support the public have shown since she shared her experience on social media.

"I've had 219 shares on Facebook so the support has been absolutely amazing which, when this type of thing happens, really restores your faith," Miss Withers added.

THE FIRE Brigades Union is urging the public to take note of fire safety tips as members prepare to strike.

Members of the union within Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service are expected to take part in the strike over proposed pension changes that will get underway at 6pm on October 31 and come to an end at 6pm on November 4.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service deputy chief fire officer, Paul Walker, has asked residents to remain vigilant during Halloween and the build-up to bonfire night.

"We are working on our contingency plans to ensure we maintain minimum levels of cover during the strike action.

"The most important thing to remember is that if you do have a fire, get out the building, stay out and call 999.

"We will continue to respond to emergency calls and will obviously prioritise those where lives are at risk.

"Public and firefighter safety remains of paramount importance and we will give the best service to the people of Cornwall within the limitations of the resources available to us."

The fire service has released a full list of both general fire safety and fireworks tips, available to view at www.cornwall.gov.uk/fire.

Mr Walker added that the strike is a national dispute between members of the Fire Brigades Union and the government over proposed pension changes and is not directed against Cornwall Council or Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service.

Cornwall Councillor and portfolio holder for homes and communities, Geoff Brown, said "I would urge people in Cornwall to be prepared and consider their own safety and that of their family and friends during this period of strike action.

"Whilst the fire service will be making arrangements to ensure people receive an emergency response, there are plenty of ways people can prevent having to call the service out in the first place."

JULIAN LLOYD WEBBER, one of the world's finest and most influential classical musicians has announced a special series of concerts for 2015, including a date at Redruth's Regal Theatre on March 14.

For the first time, Julian will take his audience on a historical and musical journey by presenting a unique insight into his extraordinary life, with music performed by himself, his wife and fellow cellist Jiaxin Lloyd Webber, together with pianist Pam Chowhan.

As a member of arguably the most influential musical dynasty of modern times, Julian will recount stories and anecdotes of touring, recording sessions, concerts and TV shows to link with a new presentation of rare video footage of him talking and performing with the likes of Nigel Kennedy, Elton John, Katherine Jenkins, Tim Rice, Yehudi Menuhin, Joaquin Rodrigo, Cleo Laine, Stephane Grappelli and many others.

The show will see works performed from Faure's Elegy, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Music of the Night, Rachmaninov's Cello Sonata through to composers William Lloyd Webber, Frank Bridge, JS Bach and Philip Glass.

For this special performance, Julian is inviting fellow cellists to bring along their own cello to perform onstage with the maestro himself. This will give an audience member a once in lifetime opportunity to have a mini-masterclass with one of the most successful British musicians of the last 50 years.

Tickets, priced £25, go on sale on Friday.

See www.julianlloydwebber.com

www.ticketmaster.co.uk, www.eventim.co.uk

Falmouth police station's enquiry office will close to the public this Friday.

The closure is the result of a review by Devon and Cornwall Police into the way it communicates with the public, but will also save money.

The nearest enquiry office will be at Lemon Street in Truro, but there will also be offices open at Camborne, Bodmin and St Austell stations from Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

They will beclosed for lunch from 1.15m until 2pm.

A spokesman for the force said: "The changes are expected to save around £760,000 per annum and the overall number of full-time equivalent public enquiry officer posts will be reduced from 61 to 34 as part of the plan."

"No police stations will close as a result of this review and they will all remain operational police bases.

"In the current financial climate the force needs to make challenging decisions around how we best use our resources to benefit our communities.

"We are required to make difficult decisions in order to maintain visibility and front line policing whenever possible.

"The force has carried out a review of how the public contact police in Devon and Cornwall and it has shown that the amount of people physically calling at a police station continues to diminish.

"In the force's busiest stations this can be as low as five to six people an hour at peak times and for quieter stations there can be no callers at all."

It currently receives around one million calls a year via 999, 101 and through the enquiry centre and website.

"This number far outweighs the amount of people actually attending a police station."