A PORTHLEVEN couple have captured the personalities in an ancient Cornish fishing community with the launch of their third book of photographs and stories in aid of charity.

Professional photographer David Penprase, and his wife Jan, who have already raised more than £50,000 from the sale of two books about Porthleven, have this time turned their attention to the characters of Newlyn.

Profits from the sale of Salt Of The Earth, which is being launched tomorrow in Newlyn, will go towards the Fishermen's Mission in the village.

Mr Penprase, who is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, said: "The most impressive thing was that the fishermen are such a close bunch, almost like a band, a unit, so responsive to jokes, but also to being serious.

"It was difficult to know which emotion to portray.

"There's a very serious side to fishing, and there are serious pictures in Salt Of The Earth.

"We want people to buy it, so we want them to like the pictures and be lifted by them."

Harbour 2 Harbour, which captures the lives of more than 700 people from Porthleven, raised £26,082 for Cornwall Hospice Care in less than three months after its launch in 2012.

The collection was a sequel to Mr and Mrs Penprase's their first book, called Harbour to Harbour, which raised £30,000 for Children's Hospice South West.

Mrs Penprase said: "What's important is that no one will earn a penny from this.

"Everyone has worked for free, from Julian and Hannah to Rita Collier who wrote up the biographies and Phil Rubery who created the website.

"We even had the amazing net lofts where we shot the sessions loaned to us by Shaun and Anthony Stevenson."

More than 300 people from Newlyn posed for book during more than 160 photographic sessions, which started in June.

The book was brought together by people including Julian Waring, from the mission, who approached the Porthleven couple to carry out the project.

Mr Waring said that many of the book's subjects following in their fathers' footsteps and left school early to earn a living a fishermen.

"A lot of them left school at 14 to 16 to do a man's job for a man's wage," he said.

"What I've found is that these are incredible businessmen who never want to reach out to charity or the state, because everything they have they've won by their own hand."

The Salt Of The Earth launch party will be at the Fishermen's Mission in Newlyn tomorrow November 7 from 5pm and is open to all.

Images will also be exhibited at the mission on Saturday and Sunday, with the book on sale for £20.

CORNWALL Council Cabinet member for finance, Alex Folkes, has stepped down from his role to "deal with a personal issue".

Mr Folkes, who is also deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat group at County Hall, was confirmed to have stood down from his Cabinet position this afternoon.

In a statement Cornwall Council said: "The Leader of Cornwall Council John Pollard has confirmed that Alex Folkes has stepped down from the Cabinet to deal with a personal issue. In the interim Mr Pollard will take over responsibilities for the finance and resources portfolio."

No more details have been given for the reasons for Mr Folkes' decision.

The announcement comes just the day before the Cabinet was due to discuss its budget plans which include proposals to slash £196million from the council's budget over the next four years.

Work on the budget has been led by Mr Folkes who was due to present the report to the Cabinet tomorrow morning.

EXPERTS are hoping they can find the mass grave from a disastrous shipwreck off the Lizard 300 years ago.

Archaeologists know the rough area where more than 200 people were buried – but are now hoping to pinpoint the exact site.

In November 1721, The Royal Anne was sailing to the Caribbean carrying the new governor of Barbados.

During a storm, she ran aground on the treacherous rocks off Lizard Point.

In the chaos and confusion, 207 people were drowned and just 3 survived.

The National Trust's Rachel Holder said it was well known that the bodies were buried in an unmarked grave near Pistil, a small valley to the west of Lizard Point.

She said: "Local lore has it that the Lizard folk who went to bury the bodies could not complete this mammoth grizzly task within the day. When they returned next dawn, a pack of dogs had got their first and were tucking into a gruesome breakfast.

"Even to this day it is said that dogs cower when passing through the meadow, perhaps in shame at the actions of their ancestors.

"The story of Pistil fired the imaginations of later generations, with the likes of Daphne du Maurier taking an interest in the tale."

She said the exact location of the grave, however, was unknown.

"We have teamed up with archaeologists from Bournemouth University and the Maritime Archaeological Sea Trust to investigate further," she added.

"The team first visited in November 2012 to undertake geophysical surveys.

"The ground was first cleared so archaeologists could take the smooth and regular paces on which their equipment relies, and a grid was pegged out. They were able to use magnetic and electromagnetic techniques but due to the saturated ground, other kit which relies on detecting differences in moisture could not be used."

She said they identified three possible sites and are going back to check again.

"Again the vegetation has been cleared and this time the team have had success using earth resistivity area 3D imaging, ground-penetrating radar and electromagnetic techniques."

She said once the results are analysed, they will then decide whether to get permission to mount an archaeological dig.

PLANS to place a mobile phone mast in Porthtowan to provide reception in the so-called "not spot" attracted mixed views.

Cornwall councillor for the area Joyce Duffin submitted a bid for help from a government fund for masts for areas which get no signal. She asked people in Porthtowan for their views and initially received a welcome response, but had a more mixed reaction at a drop-in session.

Mrs Duffin said: "When I was delivering a resident survey and speaking to people on the doorstep, some were asking for more information, so I felt it would be beneficial to arrange a drop-in event and invite these representatives to answer people's questions."

Professional consultancy group Harlequin sent a representative, along with a representative from Arqiva, the firm which is leading the government mobile phone mast project.

However many of those against the mast cited health concerns – although these cannot be taken into consideration for the planning application.

Others were concerned about the visual impact and had concerns about the planned site at Towan Farm.

Among those in support of the mast were "essential workers" such as those employed by emergency services who said it would help in their jobs.

Local businesses were supportive as the mast would help visitors and tourists.

But Melanie Low said: "I am very concerned about the health risks – it will emit radiation 24/7 and I am not happy about that at all.

"The site is also in an area of outstanding natural beauty and the properties which are nearby will be affected and see their values drop if this goes ahead.

"I just think it is a massive waste of money. I have also heard there are people who say they will move out of the village if it goes ahead."

Mandy Vercoe said she was concerned due to the size of the mast and the small number of people who would benefit from it.

A planning application is due to be submitted in the next few weeks and people will be able to submit comments through Cornwall Council's planning website. St Agnes Parish Council will also be consulted.

A MEMBER of the public who reported a drink-driver was threatened with violence by him, Truro magistrates heard.

Shaun Robert Smale, 30, of Murdoch Close, Redruth, pleaded guilty to drink-driving on October 13 at Camborne and said he could not remember the incident.

Gail Hawkley, for the prosecution, said a witness called the police after seeing Smale's vehicle collide with a lamp post at Barncoose Roundabout at 2.20am. Smale get out of the vehicle, smelling of drink, and threatened violence before the man wandered off.

Smale was very confused and walking unsteadily when the witness identified him to police officers. He had a seat belt injury and black eye. He failed a roadside test and later tested at 115mcg alcohol in breath, more than three times the legal limit.

Smale told the magistrates this was out of character and he could not remember how much he had to drink before driving. He had previous convictions.

He was curfewed four nights a week for 12 weeks and banned from driving for 26 months. He had to pay £105 costs and surcharge.

FOUR candidates are in the running for a vacant seat on Camborne Town Council for Roskear ward.

Labour candidate Trevor Dalley is hoping to join his wife Valerie who also serves as a town councillor in the ward.

Mr Dalley is founder and life member of Camborne's Trevithick Day celebration, for which he was the committee's organising chairman for 20 years.

Mr and Mrs Dalley ran their business Brides and Flowers in Trelowarren Street for 45 years.

Both have been involved in youth work and Mrs Dalley was a town councillor at the inception of Camborne Town Council.

Also in the running for the by-election on Thursday is Green Party candidate Fergus Wright.

Mr Wright, a part-time student of renewable energy at Penryn's university campus who now lives in Troon, said: "I moved down three years ago after living, working and studying all over the country, though I'm from Edinburgh originally.

"I campaigned throughout my teenage and adult life for equality and fairness and continue to do so with the Green Party."

Mebyon Kernow candidate Karen Sumser-Lupson is a mother of three who lives in Camborne and runs a humanitarian charity based in Penryn.

She said: "It is time that our politicians represent their communities wholeheartedly. One-size-fits-all policies from Westminster are harming our communities.

"We deserve a national assembly for Cornwall, with a fair needs-based funding settlement that can accelerate the important economic, political and social decisions that matter for Cornwall and its communities."

"It would be a great honour to serve the people of Camborne as a town councillor."

Conservative Jeff Collins, a former mayor of the town who has worked with Business Improvement District Camborne, Camborne Chamber of Commerce and the town's regeneration forum, is currently chairman of Camborne in Bloom and on the committee of Camborne Show and the Trevithick Day organising body.

Mr Collins has vowed to tackle issues such as affordable homes, local bus routes and the congestion on the roads around Camborne.

The Met Office is warning that heavy rain could bring flooding to Cornwall tomorrow.

Rain and strong winds are expected to sweep in around midnight tonight, bringing particularly heavy rain tomorrow.

Forecasters say that with some drains blocked by fallen leaves, there is a risk of localised flooding and warn motorists to take extra care.

Some areas could expect 50mm of rain in just 24 hours.

TWO local boys are looking to give something back to their community with a new business that sells goods passed its best before dates, for knockdown prices.

Adam Rodda and Martin Ivey, both 25-years-old and from Camborne, set up the Cheap Food Store in Trelowarren Street five months ago.

Their store sells dried products that either have a short amount of time until their sell-by date or are already passed their best before date.

The pair has enjoyed a busy first few months and has already conducted comparisons showing that shoppers can potentially save considerable sums of money by shopping in their store.

Mr Rodda said: "We sell dried products such as cereals and crisps and business has been steady since we've opened.

"We are competing with Poundland and Poundstretcher but we are cheaper than them and have already done a couple of experiments where we've been and bought shopping from Tesco and compared it to our store, and on both occasions there was a saving of around £20."

Mr Rodda originally started the business with a stall in Pool Market, before Mr Ivey suggested that they could get together and look into renting a permanent premises to sell their goods.

The Cheap Food Store sells branded goods in bulk, offering deals such as two items for a £1 or four for £1.

The men have already developed a loyal customer base and advertise their stock on the businesses' Facebook page as soon as it arrives.

"People see what we have for sale on Facebook and come straight down to us. It's nice to offer cheap goods and give something back to people in the area as we all know Camborne is a deprived town.

"You'd be surprised how quick the shelves empty."

Mr Rodda and Mr Ivey are anticipating a surge in sales over Christmas and New Year, not only because money is tight over the festive period, but also because they are able to get their hands on supermarket stock with Christmas packaging that they no longer need.

SCHOOLCHILDREN have been commemorating Armistice Day by planting poppy seeds.

Year two and three pupils from Trewirgie Infants and Juniors Schools marked Remembrance Day by scattering thousands of poppy seeds in Victoria Park, Redruth, on Friday.

The 180 students were joined by veterans and the Revered Peter Fellows who spoke about the significance of remembering fallen soldiers 100 years after the outbreak of the First World War.

Each class was given a dedicated bed for their seeds which and a commemorative plaque to help them identify their poppies.

The event was put on by Redruth poppy appeal organiser and military wife, Anna Oliver, whose daughter Saffron was among the pupils scattering seeds.

Mrs Oliver said: "It was a really lovely morning. Revered Peter Fellows gave a lovely analogy about how the poppies are a living reminder of all those who have served and are still serving for our country.

"For us the British Legion has two main roles, to remember those who have died and to support servicemen and women who have survived or living through conflict, and that is what the money from each poppy goes towards including those who are suffering physical and mental effects and bereaved families.

"It is important that we don't just think of them in November when we are wearing the poppies, but all year round – and hopefully that is what will happen when the seeds scattered flower in the spring."

The pupils also sang "Wear a Poppy Today", an original song created by teacher Helen Uglow from Trewirgie School.

A 52-year-old woman and her passenger have been injured in a crash on the A30 at Chiverton Cross roundabout.

The woman and her passenger suffered minor injuries following the crash involving a HGV near Blackwater. 

The woman was driving a red Suzuki X90 when the accident happened shortly before 9.30am this morning.

The male driver of the HGV was uninjured.

Police and ambulance are currently at the scene. 

FOR one of Cornwall's best known family firms Rowe's, July 19 this year, was its "blackest day" when fire ripped through its Falmouth pasty production site.

But just 72 days later, the factory at Bickland has been officially reopened after a complete refit.

This year was supposed to be one of celebration, marking its 65th anniversary and its growth into a multi-million pound business.

But that had to go on hold when the fire took hold in the early hours - caused by an electrical fault.

Eight firefighting crews spent nine hours tackling the blaze and managed to contain the fire to a small area, but not before extensive damage to the electrical system had been done.

It effectively brought pasty production to a halt, shutting down the factory.

Through a massive team effort, the company managed to set up an emergency pasty production line in just six days at the bakery's other site nearby, where its bread and cakes are made.

The range and volumes were limited, but the signature genuine Cornish pasty was back in production.

Work also got under way on the complex task of refitting the main bakery and it now has one of Europe's most state of the art production facilities.

Chairman and owner Alan Pearce said it was an amazing achievement.

"I can truly say that 19th July 2014 was the blackest day in the history of W C Rowe.

"However, the amount of effort and understanding we received from so many people - our customers, suppliers, fellow pasty makers, our bank and of course our wonderful staff, was incredible.

"Everyone pulled together and, with tremendous vital support from our insurer, Travelers, our bakery was back up and running in record time and is once again producing the full range of pasties to the Rowe's championship standard."

Local MP Sarah Newton was invited to officially reopen the factory.

She said: "Few people will appreciate the stresses and strains that must have gone on behind the scenes to keep the show on the road at this family business.

"It's great news for Falmouth that Rowe's award-winning pasties are back – and bad news for my waistline."

Despite the fire, the firm has won a series of awards including the Eden Project World Pasty Championships back in March, with their two development chefs winning both the professional bakers' categories and their long standing customer, the West Cornwall Pasty Co, scooping the much coveted best commercial Cornish pasty award.

Chief executive officer Kerry Lynch said: "We are extremely excited about the future.

"These (new facilities) will help us to accelerate the dynamic changes that were already under way prior to the fire. We are now picking up where we left off but this new production site means we can move forward even faster."

War widow Christina Schmid, a prominent campaigner for the armed forces after the death of her husband Olaf in Afghanistan five years ago, has become a mother again.

Ms Schmid gave birth 11 days before what would have been the fifth anniversary of the death of her Staff Sergeant husband – known to friends as Oz.

Oz, from Truro, was a former head chorister at the city's Cathedral, and attended Penair School.

He died on his last day of duty in Afghanistan and was posthumously awarded the George Cross for making dozens of devices safe.

Now Christine has shown off her new baby Isabelle Rose, with partner Mark Clarke, to Hello! magazine as the nation remembers the war dead this week at remembrance events.

She told the magazine: "Anniversaries are tough. No matter how many you have, they are always raw and you always feel different on that day and in the days just before and afterwards.

"Then, almost straight afterwards, we have Remembrance Day and it's there again, that heaviness in your heart."

She went on: "But this year, for the first time, I've felt less overwhelmed because I've had something so wonderful to focus on. It's no longer a time of year that I'll approach with dread. There's something positive to celebrate that balances out the grief."

Weather warnings have been issued for Cornwall for the next five days, with heavy rain and strong winds forecast.

The Met Office has warned over five inches of rain could fall in some places, which could lead to flooding.

The first warning, graded with a yellow 'be aware' status, comes into affect from 5pm tonight and lasts until 9am on Wednesday.

It states: "An active frontal system associated with an Atlantic depression will push in from the west later on Monday.

"This front will become slow-moving, allowing pulses of heavy and sometimes thundery rain to spread northwards across south west England and South Wales before finally clearing northeastwards on Wednesday.

"Precise timings of these periods of heavy rain remain uncertain, and there are also likely to be some drier intervals within this warning period.

"The strong southerly winds, reaching gale force in places, will enhance rainfall over south-facing slopes and hills, where totals of more than 60mm in 36 hours are likely. 20-40 mm will fall more widely.

"The rainfall is likely to cause some minor flooding from either surface water or from rivers."

The second warning is in effect from 9pm on Thursday through to 6pm on Friday.

It says: "A developing frontal system is expected to push north, then east across many parts of the UK during Thursday and into Friday.

"Rain is expected to become persistent and heavy at times, particularly over south-facing hills.

"Many places may well see 20-30 mm during the day, with as much as 50-70 mm over higher ground.

"With this bout of heavy rain coming after what is expected to be a wet week, localised flooding is a possibility either from surface water or from some rivers."

More detail is expected to be added to the warnings throughout the week, so please keep checking back for the latest forecast. 

JUST weeks after signing the lease, Rick and Jill Stein have opened the doors to their new restaurant in Porthleven.

Friends, family and local businesses joined the Stein family to celebrate the opening at the weekend.

The celebrity chef said: "We're so pleased to be in Porthleven. it's a beautiful Cornish fishing town and we hope to become part of the community."

The restaurant open to the public on Saturday and will be open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday during the winter. It will be open seven days a week after Easter.

In the weeks since taking on the lease, existing staff from the restaurant have been sampling the new dishes on the menu, enjoying wine tasting sessions and training with Stein teams in Padstow and Falmouth.

A new general manager, Lee Williams, has been appointed and Bruce Rennie remains as head chef, with the support of executive chef Jack Stein.

He and his father have been developing a new menu with a mix of sharing dishes including; grilled scallops with hazelnut and coriander butter, sizzling prawns with garlic, chilli and olive oil and loc lac – chilli beef wrapped in iceberg lettuce.

Porthleven will also be the first restaurant to incorporate some exclusive dishes from the chef's new TV series and book, due to be released next year.

Co-owner and interior designer, Jill Stein, has also been working with Cornish artists, Linda Matthews, Dave Pearce and Sue Read whose work now features in the restaurant. 

Police are investigating a spate of vehicle crime in Penryn.

In two nights seven cars around Alderwood Parc and Andrewartha Road were damaged.

Overnight on October 31 a VW Touran and another car had scratches to the bodywork in Polwithen Road.

The same night a vehicle was keyed in Alderwood Parc.

On November 1 a Vauxhall Astra in Station Road had damage caused to its wing mirrors and rear lights, another Vauxhall Astra and a Citroen Xsara in Andrewartha road had damage to its wing mirrors and a Vauxhall Astra had its headlight damaged.

Anyone with information should contact Famouth police on 101.

Falmouth's Joe Kennedy, who started designing furniture when he was a child, has had his work recognised nationally.

A piece of his work was named the best exhibit in the young furniture makers exhibition in London.

He said the win had come as a huge personal surprise.

"Friends and family have consistently told me they liked my work, and I have always enjoyed using my hands to make things," he said.

His passion for furniture making runs in the family.

From the age of five, he spent hours watching and helping his grandfather craft pieces by hand and by 14 he had made a large number of toys and completed his first piece of furniture.

He has just completed the MA design, maker and materials programme at Plymouth University.

He was entered for the London exhibition by one of his lecturers.

The 22-year-old said: "Besides my grandfather's furniture making, his brothers were both masons, so there is a history of traditional skills in the family and it is great to be able to continue that.

"I am a perfectionist and am always finding fault with my own work – I never see a piece as finished, and keep looking for ways to improve it.

"But I hope this might give me confidence and recognition to spur me on in my future career."

After leaving school Joe, who is a bench joiner for a Cornish firm, completed a City and Guilds, a foundation degree at Cornwall College Camborne, one of Plymouth's partner colleges and a BA (Hons) 3D design course before completing his masters.

It was at Plymouth that he really began to explore his talents and what might be possible.

He said: "In the past I have always worked with wood but at Plymouth University, I was challenged to think outside the box and look at new materials.

"It has really pushed my boundaries and while, at heart, I would always prefer to use traditional methods and tools, I am now not afraid to explore new ways of working."

Joe's prize is a trip to the Austrian factory of Blum, an international company specialising in the production of functional furniture fittings.

A petition has been set up to try to overturn Falmouth University's announcement it is to close one of its major art courses.

The contemporary craft degree will not be open to students from next year to make way for new courses, including computer gaming.

Huge costs of running the course, along with a drop in applications has been blamed for the decision.

But students and others have reacted angrily to the decision and more than 2,300 have signed an online petition.

They are calling on Dr Virginia Button, director and Professor Anne Carlisle, vice chancellor and chief executive to change their minds.

It states: "This degree, with historic roots in pottery and ceramics, is vital to the Cornish economy and creative culture.

"Let's not lose something with such personal, regional and national importance.

"The links between ceramics and crafts at Falmouth School of art and the wider economy cannot be underestimated with ex graduates flourishing both county, country and internationally.

"This is a course which applaudes creativity and talent and maintains the nation's skill bases.

"How can it be appropriate to close down one of the countries few excellent facilities?

"Again a price has been placed on a course without considering the long term future of the individuals and future generations. How disappointing!

"The Contemporary Craft Course isn't just about learning and training in a skill, it is about pushing boundaries, discovering new processes, working with inspirational peers and lecturers and most of all a chance to explore who you are as a maker.

"Sometimes the right choice is not about money."

A spokesman for Falmouth University said the move was to "maintain its position as the UK's top arts university" and extend its international reach.

"We need a course portfolio that responds to student demand trends and to the changing employment opportunities in the global creative industries," they said.

"This portfolio has to be financially sustainable and to align with the economic development priorities of Cornwall and its Local Enterprise Partnership.

"This means investing in some new areas of provision, such as digital games, computing for games and business entrepreneurship.

"But it also means looking carefully at courses that are particularly expensive to maintain, are of diminishing interest to students or could be better configured.

"The contemporary crafts course has a longstanding reputation and we are proud of the recognition many of our graduates have achieved.

"But it is also the university's most costly and space intensive subject area. We cannot maintain the course's space needs and intensely process-led curriculum without significant cross-subsidy from other subject areas – something we are not prepared to do.

"There has also been a decline in applications to crafts courses nationwide, which would make continuing investment in the subject area difficult to justify, cross-subsidy or not."

Students currently on the course will not be affected, said the spokesman.

You can sign the petition here https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/oppose-falm...