THE A39 in Penryn has reopened following an earlier accident between Kernick Road/Antron Hill and Hill Head roundabout.

Closures are still in place between ASDA and Hill Head roundabout.

CORNWALL'S air ambulance service received a major upgrade on Monday when it took charge of two new aircraft, equipped for the first time with a Night Vision Imaging System to extend flying hours.

The two new helicopters – replacing one, smaller aircraft – were unveiled by Victoria Milligan, whose husband Nick and eight-year-old daughter Emily died in the Padstow speedboat tragedy in May 2013.

Mrs Milligan and family raised more than £270,000 to fund the new Night Vision equipment. The new helicopters carry the epitaph: "Nicko and Emily Milligan. Flying over Cornwall. Saving lives together."

Mrs Milligan said: "It gives me great comfort to think of Nick and Emily flying around together saving lives and helping people in trouble."

Mrs Milligan said it was important for the family to support a Cornish charity. Speaking of her late husband and daughter, she said: "This place meant to much to them. We have spent many happy family holidays here. Cornwall was their favourite place in the world.

"We wanted to leave a lasting legacy for them and we are so grateful to everyone who has helped us achieve the target."

The new night vision equipment extends the helicopters' potential operating period to 12 hours per day. In previous years, there have been typically around a dozen incidents where the aircraft might have been called into service, but was unable to fly, either because of conditions or because of maintenance requirements.

Paul Martin, chief executive of Cornwall Air Ambulance, said the substantial donation meant a step change in the level of service.

"Out of such tragedy has come this wonderful gift to the air ambulance and the people of Cornwall. It will help save many lives in future," she said.

"On behalf of everyone involved in the charity, I want to thank all those who helped to raise the money, and in particular Victoria Milligan, for choosing those most Cornish of charities to help carry the memory of Nick and Emily."

The extra helicopter now means that at least one aircraft will be available to the ambulance service 365 days per year. The charity estimates the upgrades will allow Cornwall's air ambulances to fly an additional 50 missions per year.

Lady Mary Holborow, chairman of the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust, said: "I am immensely proud that we are able to provide an even better service to the people of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

"To be able to fly for longer hours, and for longer distances, with the provision of two helicopters based here in Cornwall is a great achievement for the Trust, and I would like to congratulate everyone involved."

The larger aircraft mean that parents will be able to accompany children. Each year, the helicopter service flies around 700 missions. Funded entirely by voluntary contributions, the service costs around £2.5 million a year. When it was introduced in 1987 it was the first of its kind in the UK.

The new helicopters are MD902 Explorers, chosen for their ability to carry more medical equipment, additional crew and extra fuel. The deal announced on Monday marks the start of a new operating agreement with Medical Aviation Services, which operates many other emergency aircraft with police and other ambulance services.

FIREFIGHTERS were forced to remove roof tiles to tackle a fire at a bungalow in Carnon Downs in the early hours of this morning.

A total of 30 firefighters attended the scene after several repeat calls from neighbours and found the property in flames.

The crews from Falmouth, Truro and Redruth rushed to the single storey property and used four compressed air breathing apparatus, two hose reels jets and two hydrants to extinguish the blaze.

One person was left in the care of the West Country Ambulance Service.

Cornwall's Olympic hero Sir Ben Ainslie had to be rescued on his honeymoon when a boat he was sailing on developed a fault, according to Sir Richard Branson.

The Virgin owner and multi-millionaire said that staff from his private island retreat had to go to the aid of Olympic medallist Sir Ben after the sailor had problems with his yacht.

The four-times gold medallist married TV sports presenter Georgie Thompson last month in a ceremony at Hampton Court Palace.

But as they holidayed close to Sir Richard's Necker Island, in the British Virgin Islands, their boat ran into difficulties when the furling system – which controls the sail being rolled out – broke.

Members of the island's watersports team – Marco Bava, George Lambert and Adam Chubbock -helped to cut the sail and avoid the vessel being wrecked on a reef and the Virgin tycoon has allowed them to stay on the island for a few days.

Writing about the incident in a blog, Sir Richard said of 37-year-old Sir Ben's plight: "His boat had a serious mechanical problem, in no way Ben's fault, and he put a message out asking for help. Three of our wonderful watersports team ... heard the call and raced over to their aid.

"The furling system broke on the main sail and the sail became so twisted that it couldn't go up, down, in or out.

"The only way to avoid going onto the reefs was for Marco to go to the top to cut the sail to pieces, whilst George and Ben were winching Marco up and down and Georgie was helping in the boat. Unsurprisingly, Ben kept an amazingly cool head whilst directing operations– he just needed more hands to sort out the mess.

"Together, the team helped to stop the boat from wrecking on the Moskito reef. With no harm done, Ben was able to see the funny side – after all, stranger things have happened at sea. We are now hosting him and Georgie on the island for a few days."

Sir Richard and the much-decorated yachtsman have had troubles at sea together when they had to abandon an attempt to set an Atlantic crossing record in 2008 when powerful winds and high waves damaged their boat.

Although born in Macclesfield, Sir Ben Ainslie learned to sail on the River Fal.

Three weather warnings are in place for Cornwall for tomorrow, with snow, ice, heavy rain and storm force winds all forecast.

The snow and ice warning comes into effect from 6pm this evening, and lasts until noon tomorrow, affecting the east of the county, from Truro onwards.

The warning states: "Showers of hail, sleet and snow on Tuesday evening and overnight are likely to leave a covering of snow of 3 - 6 cm in places, especially on ground over 100 m but also locally to lower levels too.

"Icy patches will also form on untreated surfaces. The public should be aware of the risk of tricky driving conditions."

Then, from noon onwards tomorrow, the warning switches to heavy rain, with a long period of rainfall expected avross the whole of Cornwall.

A Met Office spokesman said: "A deepening area of low pressure is expected to track across the north of the UK during Wednesday and into Thursday.

"A spell of heavy rainfall is expected across many parts of western and southern England and Wales in association with this system, lasting from Wednesday afternoon until Thursday morning, when clearer, colder weather is expected to spread southeast.

"The public should be aware of the risk of disruption to travel due to standing water and spray as well as localised flooding."

Finally, a warning has been issued for severe gale force winds, in effect from 3pm tomorrow until 3pm on Thursday.

The spokesman added: "A deepening area of low pressure is expected to track northeastwards, probably crossing the northwest of Scotland early on Thursday.

"To the south of this system, gales or severe gales are expected to develop. Gusts of 50-65 mph are likely quite widely through the warning area, whilst gusts of 75 mph are likely around southern and western coasts and over exposed hills.

"The public should be aware of the risk of localised disruption to transport and possibly power supplies."

Regular updates on conditions will appear on this website when available.  

A PERSON has come forward after a public appeal for information after a man stood on the tracks in front of an approaching train at Truro railway station.

The British Transport Police released CCTV images of a man they would like to speak to in connection with the incident shortly after 10pm on Saturday, December 20.

The train driver had to make an emergency stop.

A man in his 40s from Redruth has since come forward and attended BTP office at Truro railway station on Saturday. (January 10).

He will be interviewed in due course.

PC Bob Edwards said: "I would like to thank local media for their assistance in publicising this appeal. I would also like to thank the members of the public who came forward with information."

No arrests or charges have been made in relation to the incident. 

Cornwall Council has issued safety advice to residents ahead of the severe weather expected to strike the county over the next 48 hours.

The Met Office has issued weather warnings for strong winds and heavy rain and the possibility of wintry showers affecting parts of Cornwall between today and Thursday.

Temperatures are due to plummet this afternoon, with wintry showers, possibly mixed with thunder and lightning, likely to affect some parts of Cornwall.

There is also the chance of icy roads causing difficult driving conditions, so contractors Cormac will be carrying out salting on the road network this evening, although not every road will be treated and it is advised that drivers take care.

A period of wet and windy weather is then expected to sweep across the South West, including Cornwall, from early Wednesday afternoon until the early hours of Thursday morning.

The rain will be sufficiently heavy to cause localised flooding on some roads, with south-westerly winds expected to gust to between 55 and 65 mph in many areas and nearer 75 mph on exposed coasts and hills.

This could cause damage to trees, and potential disruption to power supplies as well as creating difficult driving conditions.

Geoff Brown, the Council's cabinet member for communities, said: "Although CORMAC staff will be salting the major roads this evening, we are advising members of the public to drive according the prevailing conditions and not to take unnecessary risks.

"We would also ask people to take care when driving during the heavy rain expected during Wednesday and Thursday, and if walking along the coast path and by cliff edges during the strong winds.

"While we recognise the fascination of watching the large waves people can put themselves in danger by standing too close to quay sides and harbours."

All the agencies are monitoring the situation closely and are on standby to act if the situation deteriorates.

A spokesman added: "As neither the Council nor the Environment Agency has a statutory duty to provide sandbags, anyone whose property is prone to flooding should ensure they have a supply of sandbags ready to protect their home or business should they need to.

"Local communities are also encouraged to check with vulnerable neighbours in case they need help with obtaining flood protection materials. Residents are also advised to check that their drains are clear of leaves and blockages.

"Sandbags can be obtained from builders merchants, DIY and hardware stores."

Further advice on preparing for flooding is available on the Cornwall Council website at www.cornwall.gov.uk/flooding

An appeal into the refusal of a solar farm between Penryn and Helston is currently under way.

Cornwall Council refused the application by Antigua Solar Limited for land south of Butriss Farm at Edgcumbe last year.

But the company lodged an appeal, stating it did not agree with the single reason for refusal.

This was in relation to its scale and siting, next to another solar farm, which the planning committee felt would have a negative visual impact, harming the landscape.

In a document submitted for the appeal, the company said it had made changes as a result of pre-application discussions with planning officers and the scheme was recommended for approval.

He said in his report mitigation measures would deal with visual issues.

The scheme was for 7,000 panels within fields totalling 4.51 hectares.

"The appellant submits that the proposal will not result in an unacceptable impact on the landscape character or setting and the limited visual harm to neighbouring residents should not outweigh the benefits.

"There is an urgent and demonstrable national need for a substantial increase in renewable electricity generation."

And it said they had demonstrated the cumulative area of the solar farm with the visible area of the existing solar farm would not exceed that of a 'medium sized farm'.

Wendron, Stithians and Constantine Parish Councils objected, along with the Ramblers Association.

The application also received more than a dozen objections from residents, concerned about cumulative impact, visual impact, loss of agricultural land and highway safety.

Interested parties have to submit their statements by Monday and final statements must be in by February 2.

A fundraising campaign in memory of a Penryn baby who died just before Christmas has raised more than £2,185.

Paul and Melissa Mead set up a JustGiving page after their son William died two weeks after his first birthday.

They want to provide a defibrillator for the town or buy paediatric equipment for FLEET (Front Line Emergency Equipment Trust) for ambulances in the area.

Although such equipment would not have saved William, Mr and Mrs are keen to help other families.

The couple found William in his cot not breathing and despite both their attempts and that of paramedics, he could not be revived.

An inquest, for which a date has yet to be set, will reveal the details of the cause, although preliminary investigations suggest it was pleural empyema caused by a lung abscess.

Donations can be made via www.justgiving.com/Grumpus/

THE first plots on a pioneering custom build scheme on part of the Heartlands site in Pool are set to go on sale.

Self-build specialist Potton has teamed up with Cornish contractor and developer R G Kellow to provide the 54 homes at Trevenson Park South.

The scheme is headed by joint venture developer Carillion Igloo and will offer prospective custom builders the chance to have their own home designed and constructed for them by one of six home manufacturers.

Paul Newman, self-build director, for Potton said: "We are delighted to be working with R G Kellow on this ground breaking project. Their local knowledge, skilled local labour force and highly professional approach has instilled total confidence in us and we look forward to the first Potton home being commissioned at Trevenson Park South.

"Custom build is a great concept and opens the market to a further layer of people who want to build their own home but are put off by the perceived hassles involved. We are certain that this pioneering development will be a pre-cursor to many more similar sites across the country."

Customers will be able to choose from five home types, specifically designed for the Trevenson Park South development by architects

The designs have complete internal flexibility, allowing customers to create a stylish, energy efficient, home that is tailored to meet their individual needs.

Every home will be manufactured in a quality controlled factory environment and finished on site by highly skilled, local craftsmen.

Robert Kellow, managing director, R G Kellow said: "This is a hugely exciting project for us, and indeed, the industry as a whole. It is a real privilege for us to work with Potton, a leader in the self-build market, and we look forward to delivering first class results together."

The first plots will be available for sale in spring costing around £50,000 irrespective of size of home and an entry-level house costing in the region of £120,000.

Cornwall has been warned to expect some disruption from flooding over the next two days, with heavy rain expected to sweep across the county.

The Environment Agency has placed the whole of Cornwall on a yellow warning for Wednesday and Thursday - meaning residents should be 'aware of conditions and act accordingly'.

The agency has released a statement saying: "Widespread and heavy rain arriving on Wednesday evening will increase the flood risk across parts of Wales, the Midlands and the south-west of England.

"The rain will move eastwards overnight into Thursday, bringing and increased flood risk in parts of south-east England on Thursday too.

"Some of the larger rivers are expected to remain high through Thursday and Friday.

"Impacts may include flooding of individual properties, land and roads with some localised disruption to travel."

Now in its sixth year, Kernow In The City returns to the Rich Mix Arts Centre, Shoreditch, in 2015 for a night of Cornish music, culture and language to celebrate St Piran's Day.

This year's theme is Songs and Singing. The Cornish have a proud tradition of expressing our loves, beliefs, hopes and fears through music. Songs chart the history of Cornwall's Methodist past, the hardships of life as a tin miner, the peril of those at sea, or the lament of the Cousin Jack, longing for family and familiarity while working a long way from home.

Headliners The Oggymen are a 12-piece group of shanty singers from Falmouth, a group of friends who delight in singing traditional Cornish songs in three-part harmony so that the songs of their community are never forgotten.

Singer-songwriter Louis Eliot is the former frontman of Rialto who scored three top 40 singles in the Britpop era. He now has an acclaimed solo career with his most recent album, Kittow's Moor, attracting 4-star reviews from some of the most-respected music magazines.

From Port Isaac, The Grenaways describe their sound as "in the folk music genre, but none are true folkies". Instead, they've created a unique mix of influences in the folk style, with definite nautical undertones..

The event will host the London launch of the Shout Kernow book which celebrates the tradition of harmony singing in Cornish pubs. The book's author, Hilary Coleman, and the Red River Singers will also perform a set of lively, uplifting songs at the event.

Kernow In The City now hosts a regular monthly event called Wrecker's Wednesday and will be presenting its popular Kernow Kwys (Cornwall Quiz) to test the audience's knowledge of the Duchy.

The bilingual (Cornish and English) comperes for the evening are comedy duo The Cornish Oafs, who use the Cornish language in their act in order to give their comedy a unique edge and to educate audiences about this ancient language.

Proper Cornish pasties from www.thecornwallproject.co.uk and ales from Skinner's will be on sale at the event to make sure that everyone gets a flavour of Kernow at its best.

Kernow In The City takes place on Friday, March 6, doors at 7.30pm. Tickets £10 in advance / £12 on the door.

http://www.richmix.org.uk/whats-on/event/kernow-in-the-city/

Box office: 020 7613 7498

www.facebook.com/kernowinthecity

twitter:@kernowinthecity

THE HIGHWAYS Agency is warning road users to be vigilant and to drive with extra care tonight due to the changing weather conditions forecast for this week.

Traffic is currently slowing down on the A30 at Bolventor on Bodmin Moor, as large snowflakes fall on the road.

Blizzard-like conditions have also been reported on the A388 between Bude and Holsworthy, where traffic is down to 10mph. 

A hail shower is also making conditions slippery on the A390 at St Austell, as well as on the A30 at Carland Cross, near Truro.

Road users driving high-sided vehicles, riding motorcycles or towing caravans are being urged to check traffic and weather conditions before setting out on journeys and to heed any advice such as speed restrictions once they are on the strategic road network.

Live traffic information updates are available on the Highways Agency website at www.highways.gov.uk/traffic and the latest weather forecasts can be found at www.metoffice.gov.uk.

A RARE seal pup has died after being washed ashore on to a Cornish beach in rough seas.

The small grey seal, estimated to have been between 10 and 12 weeks old, was found by a walker at 9am on Portreath beach.

Despite the best efforts of a team from the Cornwall Seal Sanctuary in Gweek and a British Diver Marine Life Rescue group, the little pup died on the way to the vets.

A spokesman from the seal sanctuary said: "He was very poorly and underweight. I can only speculate as to the cause of his death, but he may have had an infection or was suffering from exhaustion – he did not appear to have any external injuries."

Grey seals are one of the rarest species of seal, with only around 350,000 left in the wild.

"Although well recognised in Cornwall, we are lucky to see grey seals in the wild," the spokesman added.

"This time of year is still breading season for grey seals around the Cornish coast and unfortunately not all of them make it to their first birthday."

It is hoped that a post mortem will be carried out on the seal to determine the cause of death.

A LONE angler who fell overboard off the coast of Cornwall died a result of a tragic accident, a jury decided yesterday (Tuesday)

Questions about confusion during the rescue attempt were raised at the inquest of Christopher Newton, from Ruan Minor on the Lizard peninsula.

The hearing in Truro was told that search boats were using different radio frequencies and Falmouth coastguards initially missed a vital call to say the 57-year-old had been found alive.

The coastguards defended their actions and said all protocols and procedures had been followed during the rescue in December, 2013.

It is believed Mr Newton may have spent hours in the cold water, floating in his lifejacket as night fell.

After a search, he was found by a survey ship and airlifted to hospital in Truro – but died of a heart attack caused by hypothermia.

Mr Newton's friend and fellow angler Sam James, who initially made the 999 call when Mr Newton failed to return the boat to Cadgwith Cove, said: "I was able to give a very accurate description of where he was.

"If a helicopter had been tasked, it is very likely he would have been found far sooner.

"I find it incredible that coastguards had a change of shift right in the middle of this. Different parties in the search were also using different radio frequencies."

Another angler, Steve Hoyler, listened to the rescue on VHF radio and said the skipper of the survey ship radioed the coastguards three times that they had found Mr Newton in the water and requested permission to hoist him aboard.

James Instance, who was then operations manager at Falmouth Coastguard, admitted that staff had been too busy to hear the radio messages for about two minutes.

He said there was no information at first that Mr Newton was in the water and had started a search with The Lizard RNLI lifeboat, search teams on the cliffs and local boats.

A Royal Navy helicopter from RNAS Culdrose was only called when Mr Newton was found.

Mr Martin and his wife Elizabeth Newton had moved to Cornwall five years ago after he took early retirement. He had worked as director for the environment for the state of Jersey.

He was described as a competent fisherman and safety conscious.

On December 4, 2013, Mr Newton went out alone to fish off Kennack Sands in his 13-foot open boat but failed to return at nightfall.

The inquest heard from John McCorquodale, an investigator with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch.

He said: "It is not known when and what caused the single-handed sea angler to fall overboard, but it is almost certain that he entered the water while [his boat] Amy Jane was motoring.

"Amy Jane's engine cut-out did not operate because the angler was not wearing its kill cord when he fell out of the boat.

"He did not have a VHF radio or a personal locator beacon when he entered the water. As a result, he had no means to raise the alarm."

He boat was picked up four days later, 35 miles away near Plymouth.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death caused by drowning and hypothermia.

THUNDER, lightning, rain, hail, sleet and snow battered Cornwall tonight.

This picture of lightning was taken over Perranporth as the worst of the weather hit the Duchy.

Twitter was full of reports of stormy conditions from one end of Cornwall to the other, with some reports of power issues.

@amandahemming tweeted: "Snow, sleet, rain, thunder and lightning in Portmellon."

@cornishfoodbox said: "Ohhh lots of thunder and lightning here with hail. Electricity keeps tripping."

@aKerby01 added: "Fork lightning, thunder, rain, snow, hail and wind in #StAustell."

A bolt of lightning blew a hole through a TV in Hayle last night.

A total of 12 firefighters were called to the property that had been struck and was smelling of burning.

On crews there was no fire at the premises, but did find a hole in the building.

Western Power also attended the scene to make the electrics safe and Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service were on hand to give advice to residents.

IT WAS a successful night for Nissan at the annual What Car? Awards in London as the brand scooped an overall category win along with a Best Buy Family Car accolade.

For the second year running, Nissan's pioneering Qashqai crossover won the title of Best Small SUV while the all-new Pulsar hatchback was chosen as a Best Buy Family car under £16,000 in the hugely competitive Family Car category.

Designed, engineered and built in Britain, the Qashqai continues to deliver an unrivalled package of technology, safety, practicality and efficiency

James Wright, managing director, Nissan Motor GB, said: "After winning Qashqai's category and the outright Car of the Year crown last year, we are extremely delighted with this year's category win – especially considering the strong competition in this fast-growing segment.

"Like the Qashqai, the new Pulsar majors on technical innovations, safety and practicality – boasting the largest rear legroom of any C-segment hatchback available in the UK.

"It adds yet another dimension to Nissan's diverse product line-up and ensures the brand offers a product to suit every customer's needs."

Jim Holder, editor of What Car? said: "The Qashqai was chosen on the strength of its overall offering in terms of practicality, refinement and standard equipment. As impressive at the new Citroen and Range Rover are, neither really come close to dethroning the Qashqai as our top Small SUV.

"The Pulsar, meanwhile, delivers incredible value with the entry grade Visia. It's hard to think of any other model in this price bracket that offers such a complete package."

As standard, the Pulsar 1.2 DIG-T 115 Visia costs £15,995 OTR and benefits from air-conditioning, Bluetooth, electric windows and 16-inch alloys, as well as safety equipment such as six airbags, tyre pressure monitoring and electronic stability control.

Testament to the Qashqai's popularity, Nissan produced the two millionth unit at its Sunderland factory in November last year – making it the fastest car model to reach this milestone in the history of the UK car industry.

What Car?'s favourite Qashqai is the recently introduced n-tec+ model, which replaced the Acenta Premium grade.

With n-tec+, owners get an even greater level of value thanks to a multitude of safety and comfort features including Around View Monitor (AVM), Forward Emergency Brake (FEB), and additional equipment including roofrails and a Panoramic roof with prices starting at £22,250 OTR (or £21,700 OTR for n-tec).

Town and Country Nissan 01872 540585.

THREE weather warnings remain in place in Cornwall as extreme conditions tighten their grip on the region.

Last night the county was battered by strong winds, heavy rain and even lightning and the Met Office weather warnings for snow, ice and wind remain in place.

The snow and ice warning will remain valid until this afternoon, with the wind and heavy rain reaching into tomorrow.

A Met Office spokesman said: "Another Atlantic low pressure system is expected to deepen significantly as it tracks towards the UK. The strongest winds will initially be across England and Wales during the second half of Wednesday into early Thursday before moderating.

"This may also lead to large waves on some coasts of Wales and southern England. A separate area of very strong winds is likely to affect more northern areas of the UK through Thursday, particularly affecting Northern Ireland and the Central Belt of Scotland.

"As well as the very strong winds, a band of squally rain is likely to sweep eastwards across many parts through the period."

THE long-running Stadium for Cornwall saga could finally be showing signs of movement after councillors set a date for a planning meeting to decide the financing scheme.

Despite the signs of progress in the plans to build the 10,000 seat venue, concerns have been raised by residents that Truro could now be inundated with supermarkets despite insufficient demand if accompanying plans go ahead.

Developers Inox group were late runners in the race to build a store on the western outskirts of Truro last year.

Their superstore-and-housing project, at West Langarth, is billed as an enabling scheme for the Stadium for Cornwall, which already has outline planning permission.

However, two of the three rivals have appealed against the decision to push their applications past the statutory time limits and will be the subject of separate planning inquiries in the summer.

Rob Nolan, chairman of the strategic planning committee, said the popular Inox scheme will be heard by committee in March alongside an Asda scheme at Willow Green.

Two further applications for sites at Maiden Green and Hendra, which are earmarked by Morrisons, are also on the same agenda.

The Liberal Democrat admits that approval for the Inox scheme could in theory be followed by decisions by the planning inspector to rubber stamp two more competing applications.

Councillor Nolan said suitable venues and a senior planning inspector was being sought to resolve the "hugely complicated" issue at a meeting in August.

"It is chaos – it is very difficult the way it has worked out," he told the Western Morning News.

"Our retail experts have given us a bit of wriggle room and said there will be room for one more small supermarket but there is no room for another (large) one.

"We are going to hear them all in March – if we give them what they want they will drop their appeals, I guess."

The matter was set to be decided in September last year at a so-called super planning meeting for three schemes.

However, Inox then warned the authority that a planned venue and home for the Cornish Pirates rugby team would be killed off if another superstore was given planning permission before its plans are considered.

And despite a warning from the senior legal officer Liz Dunstan that deferring the decision could result in a costly legal battle with the disgruntled applicants, councillors concluded that the West Langarth plan carried enough weight that it should be a material consideration in determining the rival applications.

The committee deferred a decision until Inox's application was ready by just 11 votes to 10.

The latest proposals from Inox describe a 6,000-capacity stadium, ready as early as 2017, built in west Truro as a privately-funded £10 million project.

A second phase of the project would then add another 4,000 to the capacity to meet Premiership criteria, allowing Pirates to gain promotion if they win the Championship.

Coun Nolan, said there was concern that none of the other schemes offered enough to the community in terms of offsetting any damage to traders in the city.

He also revealed that officials remained anxious that the Inox plan may not be ready for a March 12 meeting.

Rob Slatmarsh, managing director of Inox Group, which is working with Henry Boot Developments, Truro and Penwith College and the Cornish Pirates, said the application was complete and minor details, prompted by a change in the retail requirements, were being addressed.

He added: "If our application is granted it will generate millions of pounds of benefit for the local economy via the delivery of a Stadium for Cornwall, and no other application does this."