THERE were big cheers coming from outside St Teath's White Hart Inn when a large crowd gathered to welcome the new community bus.

Almost everyone in the village had contributed in some way towards raising the huge amount of money needed to buy the much needed vehicle.

It is St Teath's fourth community bus, the first having arrived in 1989, funded by generous grants from Cornwall Council, the RDA and other illustrious bodies which have now sadly ceased to exist.

The new design Ford Transit, 17 seat bus, replaces the old model which has served the village well for the past ten years, and already been put into action taking school children to their swimming lessons, taking passengers to a christening celebration and a darts team to Bodmin.

When Peggy Crosley, Chairman of the Bus Committee announced in January 2011 that a replacement vehicle was urgently required, she also declared that it was going to be up to the people of St Teath to raise the £26,000 needed to buy a good second-hand bus.

Last year was declared the Year of the Bus and despite gloomy predictions about the financial climate fundraising began.

For the full report, and a round up of the area news and sport, please see this week's edition of the 'Post'.