The savage murders of Carol and Graham Fisher, who were shot and bludgeoned to death at their home in North Cornwall on Bonfire Night 2003, shocked the nation.

Brothers Robert and Lee Firkins, from Weston-super-Mare, now in their late 30s, were convicted and jailed for life at Exeter Crown Court in January 2006. They were ordered to serve a minimum of 26 years.

Lawyers representing the pair, who consistently denied the murders, confirmed yesterday they are preparing a fresh bid to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC).

It follows the murder conviction of a man – known only as Witness X – who claimed Robert Firkins confessed to the killings while they shared a cell.

It is claimed Firkins bragged: "Watch Crimewatch and you'll see my work."

Solicitor Jane Hickman, who represents Lee Firkins, told the Western Morning News: "We will definitely be taking the case back to the CCRC. But for his evidence there would have been no conviction."

Ms Hickman said she regarded the conviction as "completely unsafe" and described Witness X as a "dangerous, violent and manipulating individual".

She added: "One of the reasons Witness X gave for giving his evidence was that he had discovered God during his last stay in prison and that having seen the light he wanted to make amends.

"We said at the time that was not believable and that he was motivated by the reward which was being offered by Crimestoppers."

The extreme violence of the Fishers' murders shocked police and unnerved the local community.

Mr Fisher, 60, was found dead from three shotgun wounds in the kitchen of their home near Wadebridge.

His 53-year-old wife was first shot in the hand, and left a trail of blood through their bungalow before being shot in the back and the neck as she tried to flee down the garden path.

The couple died from massive head injuries caused by blows from a sledgehammer.

Their bodies were found the next morning at their garage business on the A39, near the Royal Cornwall showground.

Carol's brother Nigel Edwards, who lives in Falmouth, said the family were "shocked" at news of a possible further appeal.

"All we have ever wanted is justice for Carol and Graham and we thought we had that," Mr Edwards told the WMN. "We are in shock and I felt physically sick when I first heard. It is like we are living the nightmare all over again."

The reliability of Witness X's evidence, and its importance to the case, has been previously tested at the Court of Appeal and the European Court of Human Rights.

After a four-day hearing at London's Appeal Court in 2008, the brother's appeals were dismissed by three top judges: Lord Justice Hughes, sitting with Mr Justice Treacy and Sir Peter Cresswell.

Lord Justice Hughes said that although, as a "dishonest" man, it was possible that the witness' evidence contained "embroidery", there was more evidence to back it up.

"There were a great many criticisms to be made of X," the judge said.

"His character was bad. He was a recidivist criminal, largely committing acquisitive offences, but also with a drug habit.

"There had been significant violence towards a former girlfriend. In prison, there were repeated reports of drug dealing and 'taxing' of other prisoners.

"He was undoubtedly a dishonest man and he was demonstrated to have lied at a number of points in his evidence when these and other aspects of his history were put to him."

But Lord Justice Hughes added: "This was not a case which depended entirely on Witness X.

"Whether or not the other evidence would have justified a conviction in his absence, he certainly did not stand alone."

While denying the murders, the brothers had admitted a number of offences during a spree of violence in 2003.

In November, Robert Firkins attacked three men in the Grenville Arms pub in Nanpean, near St Austell – spraying two with ammonia.

Two days later, he and his brother went to Clacton, Essex, and caused actual bodily harm to a man called John Garrett while in possession of a shotgun.

On December 19, Lee Firkins fired a shotgun during a masked robbery on a Jet service station at Fraddon in Cornwall. The next day, Robert Firkins used a knife to slash the face of a man at his home in St Dennis. He was also squirted with ammonia before he was bound with tape and dumped in the countryside.

The next day, the brothers robbed the B&Q hardware store in Taunton, Somerset, dropping all but £600 of their £1,800 haul.

In 2011, Lee Firkin took his case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, arguing his right to a fair trial had been breached.

His legal team said the jury of "non-lawyers" could not be expected to understand fine legal points, particularly the strictly limited relevance of the "cell confession".

However, the court's Registrar President, Lawrence Garlicki, rejected Firkin's complaints, saying they were "manifestly ill-founded".

In his first budget, Police and crime commissioner Tony Hogg said accepting the Government's freeze deal could harm frontline policing in the region.

He has set out a 2% increase in the force's share of council tax bills, saying the extra cash from the taxpayer would keep police officer numbers above 3,000 while also retaining 380 community support officers and recruiting an extra 50 "specials" a year.

If approved by the Devon and Cornwall Police and Crime Panel, which meets on Friday, bills for Band D properties would rise by £3.19 to £162.92 a year.

The plan has been welcomed by the Police Federation in Devon and Cornwall, which represents constables, sergeants and inspectors.

Branch chairman Sergeant Nigel Rabbitts said 400 officers had already been lost because of cuts imposed by the Government, alongside some 500 civilian staff.

But he said there has been a "realisation" that dropping officer strength to 2,800, as had been planned, was "not obtainable without seriously damaging the frontline".

"I think the police and crime commissioner has been told that we can't afford to go to that number," Sgt Rabbitts said, "and that we need to maintain numbers at over 3,000 to be operationally viable."

Mr Hogg's budget report, published last week, described how taking the Government's offer of freezing council tax in exchange for a 1% increase in grant, would leave the force facing a "fiscal cliff" in two years' time and an annual shortfall of £1.8 million.

And he painted a worrying picture of the potential impact, saying: "There would be a critical reduction in pro-active crime reduction, there would be a critical reduction in partnership, community and early intervention activity (and) there would be a critical reduction in police visibility and hence reassurance to the public."

Additional savings made in the last two years have given Mr Hogg more financial flexibility in his first budget than had been expected. He is also proposing to use £4.3 million from reserves to top the total budget up to £288.6 million.

Farmers are being forced to use food banks as they battle ever-increasing hardships.

As reported in yesterday's Western Morning News, atrocious weather and low prices at the farmgate have conspired to spark plunging profits for Westcountry farmers.

According to the Government's latest farm business income forecasts, a massive reduction in profitability is on the cards across the bulk of farming sectors.

Rachael Collard, manager at Launceston Food Bank located at the Newport Industrial Estate, said the charity has recently been helping farmers out for the first time.

She said: "If a farmer is suddenly hit with a big heating bill or for a repair to a piece of machinery it could wipe out money for anything else such as food.

"By nature farmers are usually very proud people so they might find it rather difficult asking for help.

"They are the ones who usually provide food for the rest of us so they find asking for food totally alien."

Ms Collard said the charity was conscious of farmers and others living in remote areas who need help.

Funds are being raised to buy a van to reach those in the most remote areas of North Cornwall.

Peter Clarke, co-ordinator of Farm Crisis Network in Cornwall, said farmers were also being helped by other charities to put food on the table.

He said: "I'm well aware of farmers using food banks to survive and the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution have been giving out food parcels when they visit farms.

"Our farmers are having a really tough time of it. It's not as if farmers can go off and kill one of their livestock to eat. Because of all the red-tape, rules and regulations the animals have to go off the farm to be killed at abattoirs."

A man from the Truro area was seriously injured and transferred to Derriford Hospital's intensive care unit after his Volvo was in collision with a Seat van on the A30 near Bodmin on Monday night.

The accident happened just after 8pm  at Preeze Cross between Bodmin and Temple and the Volvo driver, a man in his 30s, suffered serious head injuries.

The westbound carriageway was closed for more than four hours as police, an ambulance crew and firefighters from Bodmin and Launceston were called to the scene.
 
Police are appealing for witness to the collision and they should phone 101 and quote log number 681.

David Cameron has personally championed allowing same-sex couples to get married in both civil and religious ceremonies, where a religious institution has formally consented.

But the Prime Minister will face resistance from MPs claiming the proposals de-value the institution of marriage during a free vote at the second reading of the Bill today. A free vote, which applies when MPs are asked to vote on an issue of conscience, allows MPs to break free of the party line.

Devon and Cornwall MPs that last night indicated they would vote against the Bill were Anne Marie Morris (Con, Newton Abbot), Neil Parish (Con, Tiverton and Honiton) and Mel Stride (Con, Central Devon).

Mr Parish said: "These things are best left to evolve. This should be for the church and Christians to decide not for Parliament to legislate."

Gary Streeter, Tory MP for South West Devon, is understood to be against the Bill, as it was not in the party manifesto, but he is chairing it through committee stages and so cannot give a public view or vote on it at any stage.

Other Conservatives signalled they were undecided. Tory MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, Oliver Colvile, said he wanted to inform constituents first.

Geoffrey Cox, Conservative MP for West Devon and Torridge, said he was "pretty confident" that he knew which way he was going to vote but "will keep my mind open at the debate".

Sarah Newton, Conservative MP for Truro and Falmouth, is in favour of the reforms but has indicated she will vote with the majority of her constituents by the time of the final Commons vote.

South East Cornwall Tory MP Sheryll Murray is taking soundings from constituents before the third and last reading of the Bill.

George Eustice, Conservative MP for Camborne and Redruth, said he is likely to abstain, arguing civil partnerships are "working well".

Hugo Swire, MP for East Devon and Foreign Office Minister, and Totnes MP Sarah Wollaston were the only Conservatives in the region to firmly back the plans.

Dr Wollaston said her postbag indicated opposition to the reform was based on "prejudice that needs to be confronted": "I think there will be a lot of MPs who will be proved to be on the wrong side of the argument."

Liberal Democrat MPs Stephen Gilbert (St Austell and Newquay), Nick Harvey (North Devon), Dan Rogerson (North Cornwall) and Adrian Sanders (Torbay) will all back the Bill, they said last night.

Andrew George (Lib Dem, St Ives) said he will decide after today's debate – though is "presently minded to vote for the Bill".

Labour MPs Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) and Alison Seabeck (Plymouth Moor View) also support the legislation.

POLICE in Camborne are appealing for help to catch a man who stole a pushbike.
A GT Aggressor XCi 20 inch mountain bike vanished from outside of Cross Street News on January 24 at 7.10am.
The suspect is described as a white male in his mid 20s, 5'10 tall, slim build, short dyed blonde hair with facial piercings.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact PC Gray at Camborne police station on 101 quoting crime reference AC/13/301.

TWO brothers jailed for the brutal murder of a Wadebridge couple are to make a fresh appeal against their convictions.

Lawyers acting for Robert and Lee Firkins say they are preparing a case to go before the Criminal Cases Review Commission after a key witness in their trial was himself convicted of a murder.

They say that makes the evidence he gave at the trial unreliable.

Carol and Graham Fisher were shot and bludgeoned to death at their home at Perch Garage on Bonfire Night 2003.

The Firkins, from Weston-super-Mare, were convicted and jailed for life at Exeter Crown Court in January 2006. They were ordered to serve a minimum of 26 years.

The convicted murderer, known only as Witness X, claimed Robert Firkins confessed to the killings while they shared a cell.

THE rookie minor boys were Cornwall's golden performers at the South West Schools' Cross Country Championships in Bristol at the weekend.

Led by Finn Birnie in third place, the Cornish boys swamped the top ten, with their next five runners sweeping aside their rivals with James Greenwood fourth, Archie Vingoe fifth, Fred Bareham eighth, Thomas Fisher ninth and Jasper Hartley tenth.

Team manager John Knowles said: "That was an awesome performance by our boys.

"It was great to see Finn make the podium but the packing of the other five behind him to all finish inside the top ten, not to forget the other three lads also running well, was brilliant to watch and the boys were a credit to the county vest.

"It was one of the best team displays I have seen."

Finn, a 12-year-old from Truro School who lives in St Austell, certainly had an inspiration run as he finished probably faster than the winner moving from fifth to third in the closing stages during Saturday's race.

He said: "I had a good sprint at the end to get third and I am very happy with that.

"I wasn't sure what to expect here today but I would say that was definitely my best ever run and I relay enjoyed myself. And it is great to win the team gold as well."

Finn's storming finish took him ahead of Wadebridge School's Greenwood with Mounts Bay Academy youngster Vingoe, who was only eighth in the county championships, enjoying his best ever run in fifth.

Bareham (Truro School), Fisher (Penair) and Hartley (Penryn) completed an over-whelming team success.

Knowles had an even keener interest in Molly Long's performance as he coaches the 16-year-old Truro School student from Trevone, near Padstow.

Molly has only raced once this winter due to injury but such is her quality that she announced her comeback with an emphatic win in the county championships last month.

While track remains her priority – she is one of the best 800m runners in the country – Molly showed that she is steadily returning to form with a hard-earned silver medal in a highly competitive inter girls' race just doing enough to hold off her fast-finishing Devon rival.

Knowles said: "Molly isn't a huge fan of cross country but as I keep telling her it is essential to build up her strength and stamina during the winter for the summer track season.

"After all the problems Molly has had that silver medal represents a really good run and she should be pleased with that."

Long also picked up a second silver as she led the Cornwall squad of Charlotte Cayton-Smith (Newquay Tretherras), Yvonne Chart (Truro School), Tess Masselink (Callington Community College), Lowenna Hawkey (Newquay Tretherras) and Amy Bennallick (Callington Community) to second place behind Devon.

Knowles said: "That was another really good team medal with some fine individual efforts."

While it was just the two individual medals Truro School's county champion Emily Becconsall came agonisingly close in the minor girls' race finishing fourth and just three seconds off a place on the podium.

There were also top ten finishes for Truro High School's Yoyo Barnsley in the junior girls' race, Helston Community School's Callum Jones in the senior boys' age group and Callington Community College student Sam Lane de Courtin in the inter boys.

Results, see Page 90.

Bodmin 25, Illogan Park 7

BODMIN achieved their 12th bonus point win of the season with a comfortable but uninspiring victory over Illogan Park.

They now sit clear 14 points clear at the top of Cornwall Two with only five league matches remaining.

Their next league match promises to be a keenly contested battle as they travel to St Day on Saturday February 16. The teams' last meeting on January 12 ended in controversy when the referee abandoned the match after three players were sent off.

On a dark and dreary afternoon, a heavy pitch and a stop-start tempo didn't allow Bodmin to play the fast-paced running rugby they have thrilled the Clifden Park crowd with on most occasions this season, subsequently creating a very fragmented game.

Bodmin started brightly though, controlling possession and crashing over the gain line time after time only for Illogan to illegally turn the ball over and ruin Bodmin's momentum. The referee was wise to Illogan's infringements and regularly sent them retreating ten metres.

Indeed it was a quick tap penalty five metres out from hooker Max Roberts that opened the scoring as he powered over from close range.

Shortly after the try, following persistent infringements, Illogan's tight head prop was sent to the sin bin.

Bodmin, already dominating before they were given the numerical advantage, increased their pressure upon the visitors but only managed to add the one score during the ten minutes.

Superb counter-attacking rugby from full back Dan Pooley saw him beat a couple of defenders before the ball was well recycled and spun wide for winger Paul Carter to dive over in the corner and stretch the lead to ten.

Illogan were keen to get themselves back into the game and were assisted by some Bodmin indiscipline, offsides being penalised to give Illogan an easy route for a lineout in the corner.

From the resultant lineout Illogan used their sizeable pack to create a driving maul and touchdown over the try line. The extras were then added to reduce the deficit to three.

Bodmin, however, didn't panic and continued to control possession and try to work their way into try scoring areas. It was an excellent piece of individual skill that added the next score for the home side though as Carter collected the ball on the right wing before chipping over his opposite number and diving onto the bouncing ball to take the score in at half time at 15-7.

The second half was a rather low key 40 minutes of rugby as the game became more and more fragmented.

Broken up with frequent scrums and the occasional lineout, Bodmin continued to dominate the exchanges but without adding any scores.

When Bodmin eventually did score it was a training ground move that created a huge gap for fly half Mark Trevarthen to slot through and give Bodmin the all important try bonus point.

The conversion was missed but Bodmin now led by 13 and were cruising towards the final whistle.

Bodmin's fifth and final try was came from back rower Connor Dymond who burst through some tiring tackles to score.

Bodmin: Pollard, Roberts, TJ Hicks, Day, Cullip, Dymond, Williams, Taylor (c), Helgesen, Trevarthen, Fairman, Cunniffe, Coad, Carter, Pooley.

Replacements: T Hicks, Haimes, Read, Couldrey.

Scorers. Tries: Carter (2), Roberts, Trevarthen, Dymond.

Man of the Match: Dan Pooley.

LISKEARD Athletic's dramatic downturn in fortunes this season shows no signs of easing after they were beaten 6-0 at Newquay on Saturday.

The Blues, who finished a respectable seventh last season, have won only two games in the league this term and defeat at Mount Wise at the weekend was their 18th of the season. Only Penzance, with two points all season, are keeping them off the bottom.

Newquay took only nine minutes to open the scoring when Danny Brook fired home Luke Weldhen's cross.

Josh Sims then crossed for Weldhen to head home Newquay's second, before the striker claimed his second before the break.

Brook then doubled his tally in the second half and Matt David headed home the Peppermints' fifth.

Weldhen soon completed his hat-trick to seal a comfortable win for Glynn Hooper's side.

Bodmin Town returned to league action after their FA Vase heroics to beat Bovey Tracey 4-2 at Mill Marsh Park.

Sam Matthews slotted home Bodmin's first after 20 minutes and Shane Krac added a second moments later.

Bovey pulled a goal back after the break through substitute Hayden Roe, but Town regained their two-goal advantage through Adam Carter.

But despite being reduced to ten men following Jared Lewington's dismissal, Bovey pulled a goal back when, after Town defender Tom Chambers was red carded for handball, Jamie Micklewright scored from the penalty spot.

But it was from another spot kick at the other end that Bodmin made sure of victory through Carter.

Despite the loss of prolific striker Lewis Coombes to Plymouth Parkway, St Blazey enjoyed a 3-1 win at Cullompton Rangers on Saturday.

All three of Blazey's goals arrived in the remaining four minutes of the first half, the first courtesy of a George Swain header.

A minute later Jon Hoyles fired home and Seb Broomfield completed a remarkable spell with St Blazey's third goal before half-time. There was still time before half-time for St Blazey goalkeeper Dave Painter to save a penalty from Sam Kemp.

Ash Donohue pulled a goal back for Rangers in the second half, but it proved to be nothing more than a consolation.

Torpoint Athletic claimed an impressive and much deserved point with a 2-2 draw at title-chasing Plymouth Parkway.

Lewis Coombes started for Parkway following his move from St Blazey, though he was unable to get on the scoresheet as goals from Shane White and Paul Baker ensured a share of the spoils for Darren Edwards' men.

Saltash United slumped to a 4-0 defeat at Liverton United.

It may have been a different story had Sam Hughes scored from the penalty spot, but saw his effort saved by Ben Hardy.

Liverton responded with Stefan Chubb scoring after 30 minutes and it was 2-0 moments later when Frazer Clark fired home.

And after Chubb was brought down in the box, Stuart Bowker made no mistake from the spot.

The Ashes conceded a fourth when Jordan Lamm claimed a fine individual goal.

Launceston were beaten 4-2 at home to Elburton Villa as Levi Landricombe scored all four goals for the visitors.

The striker gave Villa a 20th minute lead with a lob over Clarets' goalkeeper Dan Stevenson.

Launceston drew level early in the second half when Sam Davey scored from the penalty spot after being brought down.

And after the hosts missed a couple of opportunities they were made to pay when Landricombe made it 2-1. He then completed his hat-trick with a clever back heel.

The forward claimed his fourth goal with full time approaching, before Davey scored his second with a late consolation.