THIS year's plans for Truro Festival include taking over a multi-storey car park to create a "ravers' and skaters' urban paradise."

Organisers of the city's annual cultural event, who will also turn Lemon Quay into a 'festival village,' said this year's plans are "the most ambitious yet."

The celebrations, which coincide with the Easter holidays, will bring art, music, theatre, film, literature, dance and comedy to every corner of the city over 10 days.

This year sees the return of the women-only event, Salon Du Chocolat – an evening of storytelling celebrating the relationship between salons, chocolate and forbidden literature.

Another returning event is the free Easter Sunday party on April 5 with live music, arts activities and food and drink.

Festival-goers will be able to visit Cornwall's pop-up travelling theatre group, The Story Republic, at Royal Cornwall Museum throughout the event.

Alternative indie-folk band Stornoway will open the festival at the Hall for Cornwall on March 27.

The event is funded and delivered by Totally Truro Business Improvement District (BID) and will run from March 27 to April 5.

Alan Wallace, Truro Festival organiser, said: "The festival is inspired and created by the artistic quality of people from within and around Truro.

"The 2015 event schedule is our most ambitious yet, as we plan to turn Lemon Quay into a 'festival village' complete with yurts, acoustic stage and a green area for people to relax and soak up the atmosphere."

Charla Symons, marketing and events officer for Totally Truro, said: "Our evening performance schedule is as adventurous and varied as our visitors to this great little city.

"For the first time ever, and with support from Individual Events we will be turning the top three floors of the High Cross NCP carpark into a skaters' and ravers' urban paradise.

"Festival goers will be treated to a fully-installed skate park on the top floor with a silent disco taking place in the evening on Saturday 28 March."

At a silent disco, party-goers dance to music listened to on wireless headphones.

Events will also take place at Waterstones, Truro Library, the Plaza, Truro Arts Shop, B Juicy, Reids Café, Innertide and the City Hall.

Other schedule highlights include a Ceildhi on the Quay and a Wellbeing Day.

For more information, visit www.enjoytruro.co.uk, follow the festival on Facebook and Twitter or grab a festival guide from city centre shops, cafés and bars from the beginning of March.

Cornwall's leisure centres could end up being run by local community groups, if council plans to privatise them in 2017 go ahead as proposed.

A group of people who use the centres are meeting Cornwall Council officials on Friday (Feb 20) to discuss registering the council-owned leisure facilities as "community assets" – potentially making it more difficult for the council to sell the estate on the private market.

Amanda Pennington, Charlie Chappell and Helen Tooley are all users of the leisure centres at Bodmin and Wadebridge, particularly through their involvement with the North Cornwall Dragons Swimming Club. But their initial talks are aimed at taking control of all of the centres in Cornwall, putting them in the hands of local people. Their initiative has the support of swimming clubs across Cornwall.

"We're particularly concerned that the council's approach so far seems to be that officials are content for the properties to remain as leisure centres for only ten years after they are privatised," said Ms Pennington. "So it's not surprising that most of the expressions of interest so far have come from building firms and property developers.

"We want the council to realise that these are community assets, they belong to local people, and they should remain in community use in perpetuity."

Under the 2011 Localism Act, community assets can be nominated by town and parish councils, or by groups with a connection with the community. If the nomination is accepted, local groups have to be given time to come up with a bid – but they also have to demonstrate a viable business plan.

The council has already voted in favour of scrapping its £5million/year subsidy for leisure facilities and is looking for a private sector operator to take over the centres. But there has so far been no public discussion about whether the council will look to realise millions of pounds in capital receipts by simply selling the sites to the highest bidder.

Different leisure centres would have different values. The Bodmin centre, with an expanse of level sports pitches on the edge of town, would be particularly attractive to a property developer. Under the 2011 Act, the "right to bid" applies only when an asset's owner decides to dispose of it. There is no compulsion on the owner to sell.

"We're starting the process now because there is a mountain of financial information which we need the council to disclose," said Mr Chappell. "It's important that we know precisely which costs are which, and how much 'subsidy' is actually spent on the leisure centres and how much goes in centralised administration. The Camelford leisure centre has shown that it can be done."

The Camelford leisure centre was owned by Cornwall Council until 2012, and was threatened with closure until a local community group formed a charity to take it over.

Cornwall Council is due to set its budget at a meeting in Truro later today, with a recommendation to put up council tax by an average of £22/year.

The increase is the maximum the council is allowed without calling a local referendum. It comes at a time when the council is making deep cuts to services, including adult social care, leisure facilities and libraries.

The draft budget proposals includes corporate savings and efficiencies of £64m, including jobs and buildings. The Council has already heavily reduced it office space over the last four years from over 180 buildings to around 80, and the plan is to reduce this again by roughly half.

About £52m is to be taken out of front line services. A further £27m will come from income and commercialisation of services.

AS FAR as easy targets go for political satire, UKIP are not so much a sitting duck as an ostrich tied to the ground three feet away from the end of the gun.

The party has shown an unerring ability to shoot itself in the foot, with members making racist statements, blaming bad weather on gay marriage, or claiming women are 'sluts' who need to clean the kitchen at alarmingly regular intervals.

However, that has not stopped their growth as a major political force in the UK, and the party could conceivably hold the balance of power at May's General Election.

Last night's docu-drama on Channel 4, '100 Days of UKIP', took that one step further, and imagined a country where they actually swept the board at the ballot box, and won a slim majority at the ballot box.

Ostensibly a story about a young Asian MP, Deepa, and her struggle to reconcile herself with the party's more extreme policies while both building her own career and hoping for genuine political change, the programme instead felt more like a 'what would have happened if Hitler had won the war' drama.

Within days of the party's victory, we saw a border force created using former servicemen carrying out indiscriminate raids to find illegal immigrants in order to remove them from the UK, while stop and search powers saw anyone from the Asian or black community facing harassment in the street on a daily basis.

The creation of an extra bank holiday for a 'Festival of Britain' smacked of Nazi propaganda - and provided a rather obvious opportunity for the inevitable race riots to break out at the drama's conclusion.

Deepa's change of heart at the end, and her backing away from the party as its actions became indefensible came across as the writer's crude attempt to show how UKIP supporters mean well, but fail to understand the true nature of the party.

In fact, the whole thing came across as someone shouting 'LOOK, THIS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU VOTE FOR THEM!", in an increasingly shrill voice, which may backfire if people see it as an attempt to damage the party ahead of the election.

Indeed, that was the main problem for me, the whole thing seemed very odd as a political drama, and could have been sponsored by the other major players in Westminster as part of a smear campaign.

Interestingly though, the only time the programme scored real hits on UKIP was when they featured real-life quotes from party members.

From Godfrey Bloom's infamous 'Bongo-bongo land' speech to a female candidate labelling a Thai constituent as a 'ting-tong', it was toe-curling stuff.

Add to that some of Nigel Farage's more extreme speeches; including one about Romanians being thieves which could have come directly from Germany in 1939, and you could see where the writer's inspiration for the whole drama had come from.

UKIP are an enigma in UK politics - inspiring devotion from their followers and revulsion from their opponents, but '100 Days of UKIP' will have done nothing to change the opinions of either.

It's Shrove Tuesday, and families across Cornwall will be enjoying tasty treats for tea tonight.

Now, just in case you're a novice to the art of making the perfect pancake (flipping is optional - and at your own risk!) - we've decided to help you out with a quick recipe.

It really couldn't be simpler - and all you need is a little imagination for the fillings, or failing that some lemon juice and sugar, and you'll have a tea to remember.

INGREDIENTS:

110g flour*

pinch of salt

2 eggs

275 ml milk

50g melted butter

METHOD:

Put all ingredients into a food blender and mix until smooth.

Lightly oil a frying pan and cook on a medium heat.

Serve immediately with your choice of savoury or sweet toppings

*Using self raising flour rather than plain makes a fluffier textured pancake. Plain flour will make thin ones, but both work equally well.

A teaching assistant has retired from a village school after more than three decades.

Norma Sanders has hung up her abacas and alphabet books after 30 years of helping reception and year one classes at Mabe Community Primary School.

Mrs Sanders, who started at the school in February 1985, said she felt it was the right time to retire.

She added: "I have had a fantastic time at the school and I have made some lovely friends and met some wonderful people.

"The best part of the job is the children. It was absolutely lovely to support the little ones with their education.

"It is a wonderful and friendly place and I have loved working there."

The 68 year old, who finished work two weeks ago, was given a surprise assembly on Thursday to mark her time at the school.

She said: "I didn't know anything about it, I thought I was going out for coffee. But when my daughter drove in to the school I thought something might be up.

"It was such a lovely day. They brought back previous members of staff who had left and did a special assembly with old pictures of me. Each of the classes made me a card and it was a really moving way to finish."

During her three decades Mrs Sanders has helped to teach several generations of families within the village including her own children Linda and Ian and her grandchildren James and Thomas.

"It was lovely being able to teach my children and grandchildren," she said.

"I don't think they minded at all, they don't become any different when you're working with a whole class.

"It is nice to see different generations of the same family. It's just nice to see how the children have grown –up and made their own lives."

Mrs Sanders plans to spend her spare time gardening and baking.

She will also visit the school once a week to sit in on a reading session.

CORNWALL Council has agreed to increase its share of council tax by 1.97% – equivalent to a rise of 72p a week for a band D property.

The council agreed to the rise which will mean that a band D property will pay council tax of £1,293.92 for the year 2015/16.

Final bills will be higher once the charges for Devon and Cornwall Police – which will raise its share by 1.99% – and parish and town councils are added.

The council was told that the average increase among town and parish councils in Cornwall was 11.49%.

Council leader John Pollard recommended the increase to councillors which comes under the Government's 2% threshold which would otherwise require a referendum.

Mr Pollard said: "Our finances are robust, our direction is clear and we have adopted a strategy and business plan that is designed to deliver our hopes and ambitions in Cornwall.

"We are managing the reduction in resources, looking to do things different and protecting services as much as possible."

Adam Paynter, Cabinet member responsible for the budget, said: "Is this a budget we are all happy with? Of course not."

He added: "This helps preserve services for the most vulnerable."

Tim Dwelly, speaking for the Labour group, said that while he supported the council tax rise he did not agree with plans to cut capital spending saying it was being cut from £260million to £67m.

Fiona Ferguson, leader of the Conservative group, said she could not support a budget which was "cutting services" including funding for libraries, youth services and leisure services.

When put to the vote 63 were in favour, 19 voted against and there were 19 abstentions.

Hospital bosses have declared their situation a "significant incident" after confirming they have had difficulties admitting and discharging patients.

The Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust said it was "extremely busy" and urged patients to consider alternative methods of healthcare before reporting to the accident and emergency department at the Treliske hospital at Truro.

In a statement just released, a spokesman said:"Royal Cornwall Hospitals are extremely busy right now with difficulties admitting and discharging patients.

"To ensure that we can continue to provide high quality and safe care, the health and social care partners in Cornwall have declared a significant incident to respond to pressure on services.

"To help doctors and nurses focus on the sickest patients please only use the emergency department in Truro if you are in urgent need of care and attention. Alternative support and services are available by calling NHS 111."

Health campaigners say the announcement is extra proof of the increasing pressure on acute services.

Graham Webster, from Health Initiative Cornwall said: "It is a worrying time. Pressure has been building over many, many years in our accident and emergency services and also in our acute and community hospitals.

"The health system here in Cornwall has been under pressure for a long time.

"There's always a concern, when this happens, that poorly patients may end up turning up at the wrong location and have to be moved subsequently to an alternative facility when they can get the right and proper care."

West Cornwall MP and member of the influential Health Select Committee, Andrew George predicted the problems were only going to get worse.

He said: "We cannot carry on like this. The further west you go the more precarious the situation. There is no other A&E service that those in the far west can go to.

"When emergency services like this are closed, blue light ambulances cannot take patients to the north, west or south, there is only a very long and potentially life threatening journey to the East if the front doors at Treliske are shut.

"Years of cutting hospital beds, the revolving door of perpetually changing executive chiefs of the Trust and the burden of the massive legacy debt caused by underfunding have left our only acute Trust in this position.

"With too few hospital beds and not enough nurses on the wards, what we see happening today will happen again and again unless someone gets a grip."

WHEN another driver pulled up and blocked his view of the beach at Porthoustock, Perranporth man Robert Pearson got out of his car and punched him to the ground.

Appearing at Truro Magistrates Court on Monday, Pearson, 50, of Droskyn Way, Perranporth, pleaded guilty to assaulting Patrick Buxton at Porthoustock, Helston, on July 5.

The court was told how Pearson had taken his wife, who was convalescing after a recent operation, to the beach.

They had been sitting in their vehicle when Mr Buxton's vehicle parked close to their car, and in such a way that it blocked her view.

Pearson shouted to Mr Buxton to move his van, before punching him once, knocking him over, and then striking him again.

The defendant told the police he did it in panic when Mr Buxton got in his personal space, and his wife was upset.

He said he suffered from bipolar disease and thought this may have contributed to his actions, for which he was truly sorry.

The court heard Mr Buxton had a cut lip and another cut behind his ear, with bruising and swelling on his face.

Mr Buxton said in a victim impact statement that he had been in pain for 48 hours after the attack and was suffering from tinnitus as a result of the blows. He also had back pain from the fall he had.

Pearson, who had police cautions for assault in 2011 and 2013, was represented by Polly Morley who said he was extremely remorseful and acknowledged that he had over-reacted to the situation.

The case was adjourned to March 16 for a probation report.

A GROUP of students are helping to shape the future of their school by helping interview prospective teachers.

A number of students at Camborne Science and International Academy (CSIA) have joined a dedicated student council where they address a range of matter including sports facilities, uniform, learning and selecting new teachers to join the academy.

Paula Tippett, international and student voice coordinator at CSIA, said: "It's so important that our students have a say in the way their lives are run. The student council are policymakers in training.

"Different sub-committees meet every day to discuss a range of school affairs from refining the school lunch menu, to becoming more environmentally friendly.

"The student council organize at least one activity every term to raise money for various charities or school causes. Through novel and innovative events, they raise between £3,000 and £5,000 every year. The most recent event being a Valentine's treasure hunt."

One of the most instrumental developments brought about by CSIA's student council was the change in the school uniform from sweatshirts to blazers and ties.

Other duties of the include being invited to interview prospective teachers, learning walks, peer mentoring, international affairs and fundraising.

"As students, it's brilliant to have an impact on our school and how things are run" said Molly Collins, year nine representative.

"What I enjoy most is seeing the results of our ideas and thinking. . .'we did that'."

Principal Ian Kenworthy said: "The Student Council is the perfect opportunity for students to get involved in how the academy operates

"It is to benefit the whole school community providing opportunities for students to communicate their feelings as well as influence decision-making."

INSTEAD of taking a relaxing holiday each year, a Helston woman roughs it in the wilds – usually in Africa – as a volunteer with conservation projects.

Her 'holidays' have seen Hermione Morrison herding elephants in Botswana, protecting endangered rhinoceros in South Africa and helping egg-laying leatherback turtles in Costa Rica.

She now has her eye on a trip to Robben Island in South Africa, to help on a conservation project with penguins.

She is urging people to exchange their traditional holiday by the pool at a hotel, for something more adventurous that could help some of the most endangered species on the planet.

"It is an adventure," she said. "Some of the conditions we live in are pretty rustic.

"I remember we were once living in an old railway carriage in the middle of nowhere. We were told to close the windows at night to stop snakes coming in.

"You can have your comforts at home and you don't need that much anyway.

"I work for a conservation group in Cornwall, called The Conservation Volunteers. They are based at Tuckingmill.

"My last trip was to the Limpopo, a region in the north of South Africa. It was a project, run by African Conservation Experience.

"The project is dedicated to protecting rhinos which are constantly under threat from poachers who erroneously believe their horns have medicinal properties.

"It is a constant battle, in a day starting at 5am, to create a presence in the vast landscape, radio tracking, monitoring, tracking in a LandRover, horseback and even on foot, in an attempt to deter poachers.

"They operate sophisticated gangs throughout southern Africa, often poisoning waterholes in private reserves if they can't gain access to the rhinos.

"I think it's a tragedy that these gentle creatures are being needlessly persecuted with only a few enthusiasts to fight for their cause.

"I've also worked with vets sometimes out there. I went to the Botswana to help round up elephants.

"They round up the animals into an enclosure, called a 'boma', and then trans-locate them to other parts of the country.

"I also volunteer with an organisation called Earthwatch. Earlier last year, we went out to Costa Rica, out on the beaches saving leatherback turtles.

"We collected the eggs as they laid them and buried them so they will hatch, and we helped them back into the sea.

"It does cost money to do these trips but then people spend a lot of money on cruises.

"I rather do this than go on to some beach holiday and sitting by the pool.

"You're hands on dealing with animals and involved in the community.

"I do it to help the wildlife. I wish a few more people would do it."

AN independent report has found a number of errors in the way Cornwall Council handled the discovery that one of its councillors had been arrested in connection with child pornography.

A review commissioned by Cornwall Council and carried out by Alison Lowton has been published this afternoon.

It looks at the way the council handled the discovery that Launceston councillor and former Cabinet member Alex Folkes was found to have been arrested in connection with possessing indecent images during a child protection check in 2010 and when concerns were raised about him in October last year.

In her conclusion Lowton states: "It is evident that the issue was badly handled in 2010 and again in 2013 and that to a great extent the council's present difficulties flow from this."

The report makes six recommendations to the council. Council leader John Pollard has welcomed the report and accepted the recommendations.

The report was commissioned after a storm erupted when it was discovered that concerns had been raised about Mr Folkes in 2009 when he underwent a CRB check after his election to the council.

It was brought to the attention of the council's monitoring officer, Richard Williams, who met with Mr Folkes and, the report states "came to the conclusion that no safeguarding concerns arose".

The report states that what happened after that was "not clear" and that recollections about what happened are "contradictory".

"It is not clear whether there was an agreement from the member concerned not to have contact with children or not to take on roles relating to children or whether the member intimated that he would not do so anyway, regardless of this disclosure," writes Lowton.

"In any event, if there was any such agreement there is no current evidence of it and the member concerned denies that any such agreement was made. No monitoring arrangements were put in place. No one else was informed (including the chief executive)."

The report also states that the check itself and any associated documents were destroyed after six months.

In October last year concerns were raised by a member of staff and a member of the public after Mr Folkes was pictured in a local paper presenting a cheque to a youth group.

The report found that this was not referred to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) within the time limits set by the council's own policy and it was only after the member of the public contacted the LADO ten days later that action was taken.

The LADO organised a professional allegation strategy meeting and since there have been five such meetings which have all agreed that Mr Folkes "posed a serious and enduring risk to children".

The report states that the disclosure in 2010 "was not dealt with in accordance with any of the council's then policies" when it should have been referred to the LADO, the council's safeguarding lead and the director of children's services.

Lowton is also critical of the fact there was no process in place in 2010 saying there were "inadequate arrangements for what should happen in the event of a positive disclosure which was compounded by the failure to make or to keep any record in relation to the actual positive disclosure".

The report also says that there was a "failure of corporate governance" with the chief executive and Mr Folkes own group leader not being told about the disclosure.

It also criticises the council for not ensuring all councillors underwent a DBS check in 2013 after being elected, despite that being the council's policy from 2005.

Lowton states there was a further failure of corporate governance in 2013 when the new council leader was not made aware of the previous disclosure and again when the incoming chief executive was also not told.

In relation to what has happened since the concerns were raised in October Lowton says that while there was an initial failure to report to the LADO the LADO process has since been appropriately followed.

She said the process was "swift and decisions were made which were reasonable in all the circumstances".

It adds: "The decision that the councillor presented a serious and enduring risk to children was unanimous from a meeting which included appropriate representation from the police."

Commenting on the letters sent to schools and organisations warning of Mr Folkes' risk Lowton says that while careful consideration was given to how they should be sent out "it might have been preferable to ensure that the letters were delivered in hard copy".

Responding to the press coverage and how the council responded Lowton suggests that the council may need to adopt a policy for how to react to allegations against councillors.

In her recommendations Lowton says the council should have a policy on DBS checks for councillors and a protocol on how to handle disclosures relating to councillors in general and on children's safeguarding concerns in particular.

She also recommends that the council's LADO policy is audited to ensure any differences in handling between members and employees is clear.

It also recommends the council to consider whether the use of email is appropriate in certain circumstances and that the council should build on training for safeguarding advocates.

Lastly it recommends that the council's political groups' role in ensuring high standards and good behaviour among councillors.

Mr Folkes reacted to the report saying it was "partial and factually inaccurate".

TWO EX-DIRECTORS of a Hayle-based currency exchange company that collapsed with debts of £19.5 million have denied fraud charges.

Peter Benstead, 72 from Sancreed and Edward James, 75, from Glastonbury in Somerset, were directors of Crown Currency Exchange when it collapsed in 2010.

They are currently on trial at Southwark Crown Court in London.

The court heard that almost 12,500 people were left out of pocket when the company collapsed.

Crown Currency Exchange offered customers the opportunity to pre-order foreign money at a set price up to a year in advance.

Benstead has denied three counts of fraudulent trading, two counts of false accounting, four counts of theft and one count of converting criminal property.

And James has denied two counts of false accounting and two counts of fraudulent trading.

Benstead's wife Susan Benstead, 69, and son Julian Benstead, 46, are also accused of fraud-related offences and have denied charges.

They are joined in the dock by son-in-law, Roderick Schmidt, 45, senior manager of Crown Currency Exchange while Julian Benstead was the manager of Mayfair and Grant.

Mayfair and Grant was in a similarly dire state, having allegedly flogged gold bars that did not exist to customers.

The Southwark Crown Court trial, which is expected to last until May, is one of the first in the country where jurors will use iPads rather than traditional paper jury bundles.

The jury are receiving expert assistance from a technician and have been allowed court time to experiment with the new technology.

The trial continues.

Hospital bosses in Cornwall are continuing to cancel operations today, partly because of so-called "bed-blocking" by patients who cannot be discharged because of inadequate care.Yesterday more than 20 operations were cancelled as the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust declared a "Black Alert," urging people to attend its Accident and Emergency department only if they had no alternative.

Meanwhile an 85-year-old Padstow man is longing to be re-united with his wife after cuts to Cornwall Council's adult social care budget resulted in her "imprisonment" in hospital.

Dickie and Mary Delf have been married for 65 years.But in December, Mary, 82, was admitted to the Royal Cornwall hospital, Truro, because of a respiratory condition.She has also had hip surgery, which now limits her mobility.

Former soldier and electricity engineer Dickie now suffers from dementia and has impaired vision, and although still active, is unable to care for his wife without further support.Both Dickie and Mary have their own "at home" care plans – Mary would normally have two carers, four times a day and Dickie would normally have one carer four times a day.

Mary has been in hospital since December because she cannot be discharged without adequate care – she is therefore a "bed-blocker" unwittingly denying another patient the chance of admission.She says she is desperate to leave hospital and return home.

Dickie's and Mary's cases are being championed by their son-in-law, Peter Wearne, of Bodmin."Mary's stay in hospital is much longer than it should have been," he said."It serves no purpose.She wants to come home and describes being in hospital as a form of imprisonment.

"But the hospital authorities cannot let her go because they know that the minute she gets home, she will be without the sort of care and support she needs.

"In the past, Cornwall Council commissioned her care package from a private sector provider.That provider is handing back the contract because the council has cut its value by about £1.25/hour.That's about £80/week for the level of care Mary had been getting.

"The Council itself then offered a care package, but only one built around the availability of the carers to attend at times which were not suitable for Mary – it would have meant she would have to spend 14 hours, continuously, in bed.Both because of her hip problems, and other medical conditions, her doctor has advised that this offer of care should be rejected on clinical grounds.It's not just lacking in dignity, it's unsafe."

The Delf's family does its best to take Dickie to hospital for visits, but he says he misses his wife terribly."It would be lovely to have her home," he said.

Cornwall Council, which has a statutory responsibility to fund adult social care, aims to save £2million/year by competitive tendering its "at home" service.But Mr Wearne says companies are now losing interest in bidding.

"The £80/week which the care company says the council is cutting is peanuts compared with the cost of keeping someone in a hospital bed," he said."It's crazy that there isn't a better way of doing this.Both Dickie and Mary have worked hard all their lives and frankly it's disgraceful that the council thinks it can get away with this."

Cornwall Council said it was aware of the case and was working with the family, and private sector care providers, to find a solution.The council said it was aware that some private providers were handing back contracts.

Air quality is Truro has declined to such an extent that Cornwall Council is considering special measures to improve it.

The initiative would require officials to monitor levels of air pollution and draw up an action plan.

Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) are already in force in Camborne, Pool, Redruth, and Tideford.

New AQMAs were declared for Gunnislake and St Austell in March 2014.Cornwall Council is now consulting with the public about declaring another AQMA in Truro.

A Trip Advisor survey has put three of Cornwall's beaches in the UK's Top Ten. Porthminster, St Ives, Perranporth and Fistral, Newquay, are all among the country's best.

Visit Cornwall, which promotes tourism to the county, said Cornwall's beaches are rated among the best in the world.

"Thanks to our unique position on the UK's south west peninsula, 80 per centof Cornwall is surrounded by the sea with the longest stretch of coastline in the UK at 476km," says the company.

"The Marine Conservation Society Good Beach Guide tested 82 beaches in Cornwall in 2014 for water quality with a 100 per cent pass rate, and 91 per cent scoring the highest marks available."

The Trip Advisor Top Ten are:

1 Woolacombe Beach, Devon

2 Weymouth Beach, Dorset

3 Rhossili Bay, Gower Peninsula, south Wales

4 St Brelade's Bay Beach, Jersey

5 Porthminster Beach, St Ives, Cornwall

6 Perranporth Beach, Cornwall,

7 Fistral Beach, Newquay, Cornwall

8 Luskentyre, Isle of Harris

9 Hengistbury Head, Bournemouth, Dorset

10 Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset

CORNWALL Business Show 2015 has named Young People Cornwall as its official charity and hopes to help provide various ways for teenagers and businesses to help one another.

The show's managing director, Andrew Weaver, said: "I feel it's very important to invest in the future of the county and particularly in people who come from what might be seen as under-privileged backgrounds.

"We aim to help them raise finances to maintain full operation, but importantly also by aiding them to build links between local businesses and these young adults.

"I'll be encouraging businesses that are exhibiting at the show and the wider business community to get involved and give something back, maybe by giving inspirational talks to groups of young people or offering work experience."

Mr Weaver hoped local businesses would take up the cause as a part of their commitment to corporate social responsibility.

He said: "As well as helping young people on an individual and inspirational level, I will be hoping to co-ordinate business contributions in three ways.

"I have launched a crowdfunding initiative and hope to help the charity raise £1,500 to do desperately needed maintenance at its Roche youth centre. If businesses don't feel giving money is right for them, I will be hoping they know how to handle a paintbrush and will feel moved to come along and help redecorate once the structural work is done.

"I also hope that some businesses might choose to sponsor one of the four youth centres – Zeb's in Truro, Youthy in Illogan and The Roche Centre, as well as The House Youth Project in St Austell."

Mr Weaver added: "It may seem to be stating the obvious, but these centres provide an essential place for youngsters to go – when sometimes they haven't got many other options. It is so important they have people and a place to turn to."

Nick Smith, chief executive of Young People Cornwall, said the charity was excited to have been chosen by the show. He said: "Young People Cornwall aims to support and inspire young people across the county with youth work that makes a difference.

"The partnership with Cornwall Business Show will help raise the profile of our work to a new audience and enable young people we work with to meet with and hear from some of the county's leading businesses and entrepreneurs.

"It is vital that young people living in Cornwall have the chance to be inspired by our business leaders, to be supported to develop their ideas and identify opportunities for future and current employment.

"I would like to thank Andrew for this opportunity and I firmly believe that the partnership will prove to be mutually beneficial."

Cornwall Business Show 2015 will take place on March 19 at the Royal Cornwall Showground.

The event's print media partner is the Western Morning News and Pirate FM is its broadcast media partner. The show is sponsored by Truro and Penwith College and Microcomms.

To find out more visit the website at www.cornwallbusinessshow.co.uk, e-mail exhibit@cornwallbusinessshow.co.uk or phone 01872 888733.

TRIBUTES have been paid to a Falmouth man in his twenties who died after a collision at Perranarworthal.

The man, who has been named locally as Matt Hodges, died at the scene of the crash on the A39 between Truro and Falmouth on Friday at 11.30am.

Emergency services were called at 11.35am after his BMW left the road and collided with a tree.

Tributes left on Facebook included this from Dean Stevens: "I look through all your photos and everyone makes me smile, you enjoyed every minute, hour and day on this earth.

"I will never understand sometimes what this world chucks at us but I am certain that all our lives were better because we met you.

"Every time I saw you and was negative about anything you shrugged it off and looked at the positive and that together with your kindness and happiness is the greatest traits anyone can ask for. Last week the world was a wonderful place, today it is missing an angel RIP.

Mat Hanzo Atkin who wrote: "Amazing to see how many people's lives you touched mate.

"Don't think anyone will ever forget that constant smile that never seemed to leave your face. RIP buddy."

Joe Angove commented: "Such very sad news. One of the most friendly and genuine individuals I have had the pleasure to meet. Thoughts are with your family, Emily, and everyone who knew you. Sleep well mate."

His sister, Charlotte Hodges, added: "Literally I am so overwhelmed by all your kind words. I'm broken, numb, devastated – literally every negative emotion I'm feeling right now.

"But you are all amazing. I can't reply to you all (I'd be here all day), but every message, text, phone call and visit means the world.

"To know that you all loved him as much as we did makes me so happy in this sad, sad time.

"RIP my beautiful, kind, amazing, funny, sometimes moody, but lush brother. Rest knowing I'm staying strong for mum."

Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to contact police on 101 or email 101@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk quoting log number 273 of 13/02/15.

The driver of a sports car was left high and dry this morning when their car left the road and ended up balanced on the central reservation of the A30.

The incident took place at the Chiverton Cross roundabout at around 8.20am.

Recovery work was carried out and the car was removed by 10am.

A police spokesman said nobody was injured in the incident.

A PETITION against the closure of the last bank in St Agnes was presented in the House of Commons last week.

Barclays Bank in St Agnes is due to close on Friday and Truro and Falmouth MP Sarah Newton has backed local calls for it to remain open.

Last week the Conservative MP presented a petition with 3,000 signatures to Parliament and called for support.

She presented the petition to the secretary of state for business, Vince Cable.

It calls for the closure to be postponed to allow the chamber of commerce and parish council in St Agnes to work together with the bank to make it more viable so that it can remain open.

Responding to Sarah Mr Cable said: "I have indeed discussed that directly with the chief executive of Barclays. We recognise the need in St Agnes for a bespoke solution, since the post office is not the ideal vehicle, and I think we are working towards a satisfactory outcome."

Speaking afterwards Sarah said: "Time is running out with the branch due to close on 20 February. I will continue to do everything I can to ensure that the residents, businesses and community organisations continue to have access to banking services. "