CELEBRITY chef Rick Stein has announced that he is set to open a restaurant in Fistral, Newquay.

The restaurant, due to open this spring, will be located on the iconic Fistral beach, famous for being one of the best surf beaches in Europe with a long sandy stretch perfect for families.

Confirming the signing of the lease this week with business partner Jill, Rick said: "It's exciting to be opening a restaurant on Fistral, even my Aussie friends in Sydney know it; some were lifeguards there in the '70s. I imagine the restaurant buzzing with people enjoying a great beach and the sort of food you have to have by the water."

Renovation of the interiors will now begin with eldest son Edward working with Jill on the design. She added: "I've always wanted to have a restaurant in Newquay and particularly Fistral. I am very excited to be opening up on the best surfing beach in Cornwall."

Speaking of the opening of Rick Stein's new restaurant in Fistral, Eve Wooldridge, Newquay BID Manager, said: "We are very pleased at the BID to be welcoming Rick Stein to Newquay, we feel this is a great new arrival for the town and indicates a positive image change over the last four years. Newquay's culinary offering is now most definitely one that's hard to beat."

The team currently have a number of career opportunities available for kitchen and front of house positions which can be applied for on rickstein.com/careers.

Interested diners can keep up to date with the latest news and developments for the new restaurant at www.rickstein.com or @SteinFistral on twitter. 

The Steins recently opened a restaurant in Porthleven while their flagship Seafood Restaurant in Padstow celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

PARENTS of babies in the Port Isaac area are being asked if they would like their child to play a leading role in the next series of the hit TV comedy show, Doc Martin.

Filming for the seventh series is due to start next month and the producers are looking to cast a local child in the role of the Doc's baby son – although baby girls will also be considered for the role.

Casting for adults and child extras will be on March 7 in Port Isaac church hall and for babies on March 8.

Whichever infant is chosen to play Doc Martin's baby son is guaranteed a leading part and likely to feature in many scenes during the seven-episode series.

Over the course of the summer, around 200 local people are likely to be offered parts.

No casting decisions will be made on March 7 and 8, but the production company, Buffalo Pictures, will take photographs and contact details.

"We will look at all babies, including girls," said a company spokeswoman, "identical twins would be very welcome."

The character James Henry Ellingham is the son of Louisa Glasson and Doctor Martin Ellingham. He was born during the finale of series four and was unnamed until episode five in series five.

The successful "actor" is likely to be aged 10-12 months and his or her parent would need to be nearby at all times.

Buffalo Pictures is also looking for other local people to play various "extra" parts.

"We don't want to give away any details of the script so I can't say for certain what kind of people we're looking for, apart from the baby," said a spokeswoman.

"But we usually need people of all ages and shapes and sizes. Extras will be paid."

The choice of Port Isaac as the location for Doc Martin has been a boost to the town's economy for more than a decade.

The series has its roots in the 2000 film comedy Saving Grace, which was also filmed in the Port Isaac area.

Many of the street scenes in the fictional seaside village of 'Portwenn' are in Port Isaac, although most interior sequences are filmed in a converted local barn.

POLICE have issued CCTV footage of a person they wish to trace as part of an investigation into a series knifepoint robberies around Cornwall.

On Monday, February 16, the suspect entered Lanner Stores in Lanner at around 12.30pm and threatened the cashier with a knife, before demanding cash.

The female cashier was left traumatised and was unable to open the till, so the offender left empty handed.

The knife is described as a purple or red handled kitchen knife.

The suspect was wearing what is believed to be a woman's black duffle-style coat with a belt around the waist and a faux fur trim around the hood.

Underneath the jacket the offender was wearing a blue/purple hooded top, black or blue fleece gloves, blue skinny style jeans and a pair of trainers - possibly Nike. It is not clear if the suspect is a man or a woman.

CCTV shows the suspect walking up Lanner Hill towards Lanner Stores before crossing the road and into the shop.

Police believe the suspect may have been seen by a number of people in Lanner before the robbery took place and are keen to hear from anyone with information.

Officers are linking the robbery to a series of knifepoint robberies including an incident in Scorrier on Sunday, February 8, when a suspect left with a few hundred pounds of cash after threatening a cashier at the petrol station around 1pm.

On the same day there was an attempted robbery at the Cubert Post Office and Store around 12.30pm, and on Friday, February 13, a similar incident occurred in Porthtowan Village Store when around £300 was stolen during a robbery at 4pm.

An earlier incident took place at Reawla Stores on Saturday, January 31, around 5pm, when around £100 was stolen.

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "This series is extremely unusual for this area of Cornwall and from the suspect's description and manner in which they operate we believe these incidents are linked.

"We are sure the offender must have been seen by a number of people and keen to identify the person pictured as soon as possible."

Anyone who thinks they can assist the investigation should call police on 101 quoting CR/011145/15."

WORK has finally begun on a multimillion-pound plan to transform Old County Hall in Truro into a luxury four-star hotel and spa.

On Friday, workers were power-washing the outside of the grade two listed building to remove carbon staining which had built up over the years from the railway line opposite.

The redevelopment work on the Truro Spa Hotel, which is expected to cost between

£8 million and £10 million and create 100 new jobs, is planned to start in November, with an anticipated opening date of April 2017.

Proprietor Nigel Carpenter, who also owns St Michael's Hotel & Spa in Falmouth, said: "It has been a long haul. It's incredible how it has come up now that it has returned to its native granite after being next to a railway track for all those years, with trains billowing smoke. It was quite blackened.

"I'm delighted the works have revealed some of Old County Hall's grandeur. I have always thought it was a wonderful building and I am excited to have started the process of restoring it to its former glory."

The spa will feature a swimming pool, a hydrotherapy pool, three thermal suites, six treatment rooms, a beauty room, deep relaxation lounges, a large fitness suite and an exercise studio.

Within the main historic building there will be a 120-seat brasserie and conference and meeting facilities, including a function suite for weddings and events.

The debating chamber will be restored and retained and converted into a bar at the heart of the new hotel.

The hotel will also include 42 luxury bedrooms and suites.

Close to the old building will be a new development housing 23 luxury "apart-suites" which will include lounges and kitchenettes as well as bedrooms and bathrooms.

The scheme also includes a new residential component,existing buildings on the east side.

There will be 12 residential apartments as well as the conversion of a coach house.

The Truro Spa Hotel will have its own personality and style, said Mr Carpenter, adding: "My philosophy isto focus on bringing out a very individual style based upon the hotel's location, history and sense of place.

"With Old County Hall, it will be exciting to make the most of all the original features of the building as well as to add a new sense of style."

Mr Carpenter bought the building from Cornwall Council for "an undisclosed fee" in 2012.

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Old County Hall in Truro being power washed in preparation for its transformation into a new hotel and spa complex.

CORNWALL Council has decided to rebuild a road on the Lizard which partially collapsed a year ago.

The council had considered closing the road from Carne to St Anthony, along Gillan Creek, and reclassifying it as a bridleway.

Council contractor Cormac has estimated the repairs could cost more than £400,000.

However at a meeting last week, it was revealed that the council would rebuild the road and set a weight limit.

Councillor Bert Biscoe, responsible for transport, said he had listened to villagers' concerns, and the work would get under way as early as possible in the new financial year.

Mr Biscoe said that the community had put forward a strong case for reopening.to have the road reopened.

Anthony Jenkin, who owns boat hire company Sailaway off Gillan Creek, had said that the closure would leave St Anthony with only one narrow access road, which could become impassable with summer traffic. , damaging his business.

St Keverne Parish Council backed St Anthony Parish Council's repairs call. in its calls to have the road repaired.

THE millions of pounds promised for the rebuilding of Helston Community College's North Site should remain in place whatever happens at the general election in May.

Cornwall councillor Andrew Wallis, who is responsible for education, said he had been given an assurance the money will be available, as it had been agreed before the general election has been officially called.

"Although Cornwall did have funding taken back many years ago, I seriously doubt this funding will be taken away given the significant focus on the shortage of school places," he said.

He said Cornwall Council, which made the bid to the Government, will meet officials from the Department for Education (DfE) in the next month or two to decide how to move forward.

The council will need to get planning permission and work out how to safely demolish the buildings, which are full of asbestos.

"At this moment in time, there is limited detail and it's unlikely that we'll know full details until the autumn, once all scoping works have been complete," he said.

Mr Wallis said officials from the DfE were expected to get in touch this month or next to arrange visits to each successful school in the funding round.

"The scoping study will assess the detailed work required together with any specific site issues, and will review the best method and timescale for delivery," he added. "We may identify some cases where physically adjoining blocks may also need to be addressed, due to site practicalities.

"As part of the study we will also look at the accommodation needs of the school and take that into account in deciding what works should be done.

"I can add that based on local costings for the schemes submitted we believe that the scope of the Helston works is around £20 million although neither the value nor scope of the works has yet been confirmed."

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg came to Helston last week to announce that the school's C, D and E blocks will be rebuilt.

HEAVY rain and strong winds are expected to move in from dawn tomorrow for the rest of half term, with the MET office issuing a flooding alert for tomorrow morning.

The alert is confined to the north coast of Devon but waves and high tides could also affect parts of the north Cornwall coast.

Motorists across the south west are being urged to be wary of standing water and spray on the roads in the next few days.

The forecast predicts rain, in some places heavy, across Cornwall by dawn.

Heavy rain will continue throughout the day, coming from south south-west.

The wind is forecast to be force 6.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday will continue to be wet and windy.

Temperatures are expected to be around 5 degrees centigrade.

The flooding alert by the MET office, issued today, says: "Spray overtopping and some onshore flooding is possible due to wave action around high water on Thursday morning.

"This may affect coastal roads and promenades, but property flooding is not expected.

"High astronomical spring tides, combined with high energy waves, could result in flood warnings being issued for the North Devon coast from Friday through to Monday."

High water tomorrow is due at Ilfracombe at 6am, with the alert in place two hours either side of high tides. 

THE space company at Goonhilly has been awarded £2 million by the Government to become a leading light in the industry and create well-paid jobs.

The chief executive of Goonhilly Earth Station (GES) Ltd, Ian Jones, said the company was delighted at the investment.

He said it was now offering services which cannot be found elsewhere in Europe as well as gaining recognition from across the world.

He said: "This is very good news for us – the story for us is that Goonhilly is coming back to life.

"This will enable us to upgrade the antennas we use and support us as we look at high-tech job creation.

"We're also starting to attract other companies here." as well.

"It really is a very exciting time as far as we're concerned. The space sector is thriving in the UK and there have been strategic investments that are being noticed around the world. It's great to be a part of that."

Mr Jones refused to be drawn on how many jobs would be created but said he expected to make another major announcement about GES in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the company continues with its work in communications with satellites.

It offers a monitoring service, communications and download link and testing facility for companies.

Mr Jones added: "We had a very successful work experience week with Helston Community College and other students and we're repeating that this year. On the other side of the scale, we're now organising a space mission operators' course for professionals.

"There isn't a course like it in Europe.

"It is very exciting and we hope to build on that as the years go on."

The cash comes from the Government's Regional Development Fund, which is handing out £47 million to 12 companies in the South West.

Also in the round for a grant is Avanti Communications Ltd, which shares the Goonhilly site with GES as well as former owner BT.

Avanti has been given a conditional offer of a grant.

The funding was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who said: "After decades of regional economies being neglected, I set about investing directly in local businesses via the Regional Growth Fund.

"This investment has allowed regional businesses to be more ambitious than ever before." and gone a long way in creating a stronger economy."

THE family of a 12-year-old girl subjected to a sexual assault by Kiaran Bradshaw revealed their heartbreak about what happened. The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was one of a number of victims of Bradshaw, who was convicted of a series of sexual offences at Truro Crown Court on Friday. Bradshaw, now 19, met up with the girl and sexually assaulted her. The girl, who was audibly distressed when she gave evidence in court, came forward after reading a newspaper report about other allegations Bradshaw was facing. She told police he had contacted her on Facebook and sent her sexually explicit messages before she met with him. She said Bradshaw took her to some woodland near Bodmin and asked her to take her jumper off, but she refused as she was cold. She said: "He kissed me and I said I had never been kissed before so I didn't know how to respond." Jailed The girl said Bradshaw put his hands underneath her clothes and touched her sexually. "I started freaking out about it and I told him to take them out and he said 'no'," she said. Bradshaw denied anything sexual had happened with the girl but was found guilty. After he was jailed, the girl's mother said: "I knew something was wrong from the way she was acting and behaving. She saw a newspaper article and it obviously distressed her because she had thought she was the only one." She added: "She was so frightened that I would not believe her." Of finding out about what happened, she added: "It is really hard to describe feeling heartbroken and angry at the same time." The girl's stepfather said she was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), struggling mentally with what had happened, and the whole family had suffered as a result of Bradshaw's actions. Her mother added: "I am hoping that she now thinks that people believe what she said and that she can move on, or try to, because that was her main worry, that no one would believe her."

TWO rogue builders who swindled elderly and vulnerable people out of more than £600,000 have been jailed.

Johnny Jones, 48, and Nelson Richards, 51, both of Boscarn Park, Tregajorran, near Redruth, pleaded guilty to a number of charges and were told by Judge Simon Carr that they charged people inflated sums for work that was either not done or was of a shoddy standard. The offences dated between 2012 and 2014.

Truro Crown Court heard that Jones made a financial benefit of between £35,000 and £45,550 from the work, with Richards taking in £58,020, as Judge Carr said he "could not ignore the fact that 90 per cent of the victims had been elderly".

In total Cornwall Council's Trading Standards officers investigated 17 incidents with the average age of victims being 75. Complaints included work on flat roofs that led to drainage problems, inadequate fixings and unnecessary repairs.

Judge Carr accepted that he was a genuine builder, adding: "People like you and Mr Richards prey on the elderly, but I accept that you did not set up your business with the intention of committing fraud. However, there were a number of occasions where you came into contact with the elderly and saw them as easy targets and took the chance to defraud them."

Judge Carr added that the victims were aged up to 89, many with modest incomes, and they had all paid for work which was not done or was completed to an inadequate standard. Some of the victims were also verbally threatened when they challenged the work, the court heard. On one occasion Richards marched a victim to a cash machine to physically withdraw money.

Both men had previous convictions for fraud, and Richards was not in court for the hearing on Friday, having been recalled to prison in 2012 after being released on licence for a previous similar crime.

Sentencing Richards, Judge Carr said: "Deliberately targeting people is your occupation and you had no intention to be a genuine builder. You were released after a conviction, but within weeks had committed identical offences."

Jones was sentenced to three years with an extra six months for breaching a suspended sentence and Richards for five years.

THE family of a "funny, loyal, caring and sensitive" Falmouth man who died in a car crash have spoken for the first time about losing him the day before Valentine's Day.

Matthew Hodges, aged 27, died at the scene of the crash near Perranarworthal 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.

On behalf of the family yesterday, his sister Charlotte Hodges told the West Briton: "Matthew James Hodges, our beautiful son, brother, grandson and fiancé was tragically taken from us.

"Life can be so cruel, but we only have the best memories of him – such a funny, loyal, caring and sensitive man.

"He enjoyed and lived his life to the full, both in his personal life and his career in the Army.

"Words can't explain how much we will miss you, Matt, but you and your always smiling face will be always remembered by all your family, friends and everyone that ever knew you.

"Never forgotten. We love you Matthew James."

Al Williams, one of Matt's close friends and his tattooist for nine years said: "We spent so much time together, we would sit for four hours at a time and just laugh. I just grew to love the guy. He was a gentle, friendly, generous, beautiful man. It was almost like he was a family member."

Al said Matt found true happiness when he left the Army, got a new job and met his fianceé.

"He absolutely loved her so much, you could just see it in his face," he added. "You just knew they were meant to be. He was an amazing, beautiful man and he was just starting his new life with his soul mate."

The Truro-bound carriageway of the A39 remained closed throughout much of Friday while officers carried out a forensic examination of the scene.

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.

Detectives are investigating an arson attack on a boat at a transport yard at Leedstown, Hayle.

Two fire engines from Camborne attended the blaze, at around 11.45pm last night.There are no other details.

A knife-wielding robber has attacked the village shop at Lanner in the latest in a series of attacks in Cornwall.

The incident was caught on CCTV.

Detectives working under "Operation Origin" have now linked the raids, which have all taken place since January 31.

A police statement says: "The robberies have taken place at business premises in Reawla, Cubert, Scorrier, Porthtowan and Lanner.

"The most recent incident occurred on Monday 16th February at the Lanner Stores in Lanner at around 12.30pm.

"Footage shows the suspect entering the store, who then threatened the cashier with a knife and demanded cash but left empty handed.

"A previous incident occurred in Scorrier on Sunday 8th February when a suspect left with a few hundred pounds of cash after threatening a cashier at the petrol station around 1pm.

"On the same day there was an attempted robbery at the Cubert Post Office and Store around 12.30pm and on Friday 13th February a similar incident occurred in Porthtowan Village Store when around £300 was stolen during a robbery at 4pm.

"An earlier incident took place at Reawla Stores on Saturday 31 January, around 5pm, when around £100 was stolen.

"The offender appears to be targeting isolated premises and has either taken or tried to take cash from the tills, after brandishing a knife to staff.

"They are described as wearing a hooded top, gloves and having their face covered with a scarf of some type.

"Officers are advising owners and staff who work in isolated business premises to be vigilant and to review their security arrangements."

Police are appealing for both witnesses and anyone who may recognise the offender from the released images to contact them on 101 quoting Police reference CR/111485/15 or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 ore report online at www.Crimestoppers-uk.org

Vandals have smashed dozens of windows at the 14^th  Century Carn Brea Castle restaurant, near Carnkie, Redruth.

The Grade 2 listed building is run by Mounir Sawalha and his family, specialising in Jordanian cuisine. The castle is a former hunting lodge, built originally in 1331 and extensively rebuilt in the 19^th century.

Mounir's son, Andy Sawalha, told the BBC a total of 47 windows had been smashed."Pretty much every window in the place has been totalled," he said."Some of these rocks are pretty big.We think that whoever did this must have taken at least an hour to throw stones and boulders like this."

The restaurant had to close yesterday as the smashed windows were boarded up.Police are appealing for information about the attack.

RAF jet fighters were scrambled to warn off two Russian bombers from the Cornish coastline yesterday.

The incident has been confirmed by the Ministry of Defence, and follows months of increased tension between Russia and the west.

A video of the jet fighters flying alongside the bombers has been posted on Youtube this morning.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman told the Daily Express: "RAF Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon fighter aircraft were launched yesterday after Russian aircraft were identified flying close to UK airspace.

"The Russian planes were escorted by the RAF until they were out of the UK area of interest.

"At no time did the Russian military aircraft cross into UK sovereign airspace."

The Typhoon fighters were scrambled from RAF Coningsby, in Lincolnshire.

Earlier this week a Russian warship was tracked by HMS Argyll as it passed through the English Channel.

Yaroslav Mudry and its accompanying tanker, the Kola, were sailing back to Russia after a deployment in the Mediterranean.

British warship HMS Argyll, based in Plymouth, was deployed and used its Lynx helicopter and sensors to locate and monitor the movement of the Russian ships off the coast of France and through the English Channel.

The MoD said the Royal Navy took over from French surveillance, in line with the Nato agreement, and described the operation as "pretty routine".

The Cornish Pirates will be looking to bounce back from the disappointment of Sunday's home defeat by Doncaster Knights when they take on Nottingham on Friday evening (8pm), in the first game to be played under the lights  at their new home at the Lady Bay Sports Ground in West Bridgford, following their move from Notts County's Meadow Lane.

Nottingham have lost their last three Greene King IPA Championship games, including a 43-14 defeat at Yorkshire Carnegie on Sunday, but he coach Martin Haag's side are still fourth in the table, while the Pirates, who have lost two in a row since that superb win over Bristol, are ninth.

In the two teams' first meeting earlier in the season, Nottingham beat the Pirates 28-13 at the Mennaye Field in November.

Team changes for the Pirates include the selection of Rheon James at inside centre and that of Stuart Townsend at scrum-half, the latter having featured for England U20s in their 61-0 points Six Nations win against Italy last weekend.

In the pack, there are returns to the starting line-up for prop Jamal Ford-Robinson and lock Will Carrick Smith, whileJoel Conlon is named at No8. There is a welcome return on the bench after injury of prop Paul Andrew.

Nottingham have made made five change. Dan Montagu returns in the second row after recovering from a knock. He replaces Toby Freeman who reverts to the bench, with Tom Price continuing as the second lock. Rupert Cooper also replaces Tom Calladine on the flank to complete the pack.

In the backs, Tiff Eden earns his first start for the club at fly half after impressing off the bench against Yorkshire. Elliott Cox returns from a long term injury on the left wing in place of Ryan Hough.

Billy Robinson is completing his graduated return to play protocol following a blow to the head in the last match so Liam O'Neill deputises at full back.

The Pirates Director of Rugby, Ian Davies is expecting a difficult match.

He said: "Nottingham are always traditionally a tough team and after losing last week they will be doubly tough on Friday. There can be no hiding from the fact we were very poor against Doncaster Knights so our focus this week has very much been looking at us."

NOTTINGHAM: 15 Liam O'Neill; 14 Pila Iongi, 13 Ed Styles, 12 Javiah Pohe, 11 Elliott Cox; 10 Tiff Eden, 9 Sean Romans; 1 Campese Ma'afu, 2 Shaun Malton, 3 Conor Carey, 4 Tom Price, 5 Dan Montagu, 6 Rupert Cooper, 7 Brent Wilson (c), 8 Paul Grant.

Replacements: 16 Jon Vickers, 17 Michael Holford, 18 Toby Freeman, 19 Tom Calladone, 20 Alex Smit, 21 Rory Lynn, 22 Ryan Hough.

CORNISH PIRATES: 15 Max Bodilly,14 Matt Evans, 13 Tom Hendrickson, 12 Rheon James, 11 Craig Holland, 10 Kieran Hallett, 9 Stuart Townsend; 1 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 2 Tom Channon, 3 Alan Paver, 4 Will Carrick-Smith, 5 Darren Barry, 6 Chris Morgan (capt), 7 Alex Cheesman, 8 Joel Conlon.

Replacements: 16. Jack Innard, 17 Paul Andrew, 18 Jake Parker, 19 Todd Lowry, 20 Mike Pope, 21 Alex Dancer, 22 Laurence May.

A massive sea swell is due to hit Cornwall at the weekend, as the highest spring tide in almost is forecast.

The so-called 'supertide' will peak at the weekend as a rare alignment between the moon and sun triggers a higher than normal gravitational pull which will cause the sea to rise to an unusually high level.

However, that the exceptionally high tides could also coincide with a blast of stormy weather which could cause sea defences to be breached.

A year ago, the Westcountry was in the grip of a series of powerful storms which lashed the region causing widespread damage to coastal communities and transport links.

KNEEHIGH brings 946, Michael Morpurgo's story of the D Day training operations, to Cornwall this summer

The company's world-renowned Asylum theatre space will return for a fifth season to Cornwall's The Lost Gardens of Heligan. This is an exciting new production that tells the little known story of the rehearsal of the D Day landings, and of the 946 people who were killed during Operation Tiger at Slapton Sands in Devon in 1944.

946 is a collaboration between Kneehigh co-artistic director Emma Rice, and Michael Morpurgo, adapted by them both from his book The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips.

946 explodes everything we thought we knew about the D Day landings. With the kind of storytelling sorcery Kneehigh is famous for, the production uses music, puppetry and Kneehigh's unique brand of craziness to tell this tale of war, prejudice and love. At once, tender, political and romantic, this production speaks to all ages, revealing the secrets the US and British government tried to keep quiet.

Rice and Morpurgo workshopped the production of 946 with a team of performers at the theatre company's famous barns on the cliff tops of Gorran Haven near St Austell. This is the first time that the War Horse author has co-adapted one of his own books for stage, and he said of the experience: "There is no theatre company that tells stories more imaginatively, more unexpectedly than Kneehigh. 946 is a story that emerges not just from the legends and the rocks and the landscape, but is based on historical events that took place in and around Slapton as the Americans trained for the landings in France a year later. I have witnessed first hand the way Kneehigh weaves a tale and makes it live on stage for us. For my story to play a part in this is simply a joy."

Rice added: "It's about English village life, the beauty of it, the danger of it and the capacity for it to change. The other thing I love about this is that my mum gave this story to me and said it was something she longed to see Kneehigh do."

946 is directed by Rice, with a cast including Mike Shepherd, Craig Johnson, Giles King and Katy Owen, composition by Stu Barker, design by Lez Brotherston and lighting by Malcolm Rippeth.

Kneehigh has enjoyed huge critical success in recent years with UK and international tours of Tristan & Yseult, Brief Encounter, Dead Dog in a Suitcase (and other love songs), and most recently Rebecca, which opens this week in Plymouth.

The show is staged from July 25 to August 23. Tickets go on general sale from February 26,with  Kneehigh Friends on sale from today (February 19).

Online booking: www.hallforcornwall.co.uk and search 'Kneehigh Asylum' or call 01872 262466.