Council bosses have admitted that the six leisure centres in North Cornwall have made losses of over £1.8-million in the current financial year. This follows a £1.6-million loss last year and a £1.4-million deficit the year before.

Awards For All, the department of the National Lottery which makes awards to local groups announced that it is awarding £4,096 to local Scouts and Cubs at Wainhouse Corner. The Second Bude (Jacobstow) Scouts and Cubs have proved so popular in the area during recent years that they are literally bursting at the seams of their headquarters at Wainhouse.

A fifteen year old boy from the Launceston area attended a national awards ceremony on Sunday (February 11) as one of only 150 children to be presented with the 2001 Child of Achievement Awards. Martin Venning, who attends Launceston College suffers from dwarfism. Martin has never let his condition affect his life, and is always determined to fulfil his potential, overcoming any obstacle put in his way by his sense of humour.

* * *

Darts players from the Westgate Inn notched up the highest score — 33,269 — in a one hour sponsored event organised by Launceston Round Table in aid of the Arthritis and Rheumatism Council. They included: Round Table chairman Mike King, Mike Robbies, Roger Wright, Trevor Worden, Adrian Downing, Brian Higgins and George Quirk. The mayor John Moir was also in attendance.

Bandmaster Nick Chadd reported another successful year at the annual meeting of Launceston Town Band, held in the bandroom. The band had gained third place at Truro and second place at Barnstaple.

The Dunheved Gallery in the former National school building in Launceston is fast gaining a reputation as a proving ground for established and new artists and craftspeople. Its latest exhibition is a triple effort — three artists, Steve Dooley, Dimity Treffry and Trixi Wutz, each offer something a little bit different to titillate the most jaded artistic palate.

* * *

Film fans’ loss will be bingo-goers’ gain when Launceston’s Tower Cinema changes its main function to the “eyes down game” starting towards the end of April. North Cornwall councillor Mr Peter Hockridge said: “It will be a tragedy if the cinema closes and I will raise the matter at the next meeting of the recreation and amenities committee.”

Mrs Rachel Dingle, secretary, said that entries at the annual show of Bude Horticultural and Honey Society showed an increase in new exhibitors, when she gave her report at the Society’s annual meeting at Bude Conservative Club.

Mr Kernick Brown, aged 63, of Tresinney, Advent, near Camelford, has lost his job with North Cornwall Council agter being fined and banned for driving for 12 months for driving a dustcart with excess alcohol in his blood.

Mrs M Cobbledick was appointed Rector’s warden and Mrs M Colwill people’s warden at Week St Mary Vestry and Parochial Church Council meeting.

Mr Bill Maunder is the new men’s captain, and his wife, Mrs Elsie Maunder, is the new ladies’ captain of Launceston Golf Club.

* * *

Mr Tom Westaway, licensee of the Crown and Sceptre, Holsworthy, was granted his 57th annual licence at Holsworthy Brewater Sessions.

The withdrawal of freight traffic from Launceston and its concentration on Plymouth with deliveries to Launceston by road will take effect from Monday, February 28.

Presenting his report at the annual general licensing meeting at Camelford, Supt C Richards said there were no convictions for drunkenness in the Lesnewth Divisions.

Stratton Young Farmers were placed equal first with Probus in the second round of the come dancing competitoin organised by the County Federation of YFCs.

* * *

An application for a full liquor licence for the Green Inn, Week St Mary, was approved at Stratton Brewster Sessions on Monday.

The Minister of Housing and Local Government proposes to hold an inquiry into the appeal of Mr D A C Paterson against the County Council’s refusal to permit the use of land at Penally Hill, Boscastle, as a caravan site.

Colwills Ltd, at an auction in the White Hart Hotel on Tuesday, offered number 4, Chapple, Launceston, a detached seven-roomed house with mains services and garden. Bidding started at £600 and reached £975 at which figure it was secured by Mrs Smith, Trehurdon, South Petherwin.

Fire devastated about ten acres of heath near Ashbury, Okehampton, on Saturday night.

* * *

For charging four and a half pence per pint for milk which should have been supplied at 2d under the government scheme for children and nursing mothers, a farmer was fined £1 at Stratton Sessions on Monday.

A new society has been formed covering Tresmeer, Tremaine, Treneglos, Davidstow, Otterham, St Juliot, St Gennys, Warbstow and adjoining parishes, for the encouragement of music and the arts. Rev F N Partridge is president; Mrs M Jenkins, vice-president; Messrs H Northcott and W R Gliddon, secretaries; and C E Billington, treasurer.

The number of sheep in Devon has dropped from 973,000 in 1939 to 760,000 now, and the acreage of what has dropped from 95,000 in 1943 to 29,000 this year.

* * *

A terrific storm caused havoc throughout the West Country on Monday, and was accompanied by a heavy fall of snow. Ships sought shelter between the breakwater and Upton Cliff at Bude, and inland many trees were blown down. Cars had to be abandoned in several places, and a Bude party, having to proceed on foot in driving snow after leaving their car, spent the night at Otterham Station. In the morning it took over two hours to dig the vehicle out. Other people were stranded all night, including a Portgate party who spent the night in their car at Bridestowe. Mr Eric Chadd had a lucky escape in Bude when a tree fell on the milk cart he was driving. He was uninjured, but the horse bolted.

The fire engine question has come up again at Camelford. The nearest engine is 11 miles away at present. There is argument whether an engine should be stationed at Camelford or at Delabole, while there is also a move to distribute hoses throughout the district. The main opposition is on the ground of cost.

* * *

Madam Beatrice Holman, Mrs Hamilton Akaster and party gave a concert in the Town Hall, Launceston, on Thursday, in aid of the funds of the Wesleyan church. The organising secretary was Mr Ernest V Dunn. Other items in a musical week from Launceston included a concert by Camborne Town Band in the Town Hall.

Search parties have been out during the past week for a Boscastle woman who went for a walk on Wednesday, and did not return. No trace of her has yet been found.