Brave Peter Smith raised the alarm as a ‘gun’ was allegedly pointed at him at Holsworthy Post Office, on Thursday. The armed robbery took place at 3.25pm, when Peter, his mother Pat, and fellow worker, Annette Cole, were serving behind the counter.

Camelford members of the St John Ambulance Brigade volunteered a total of 2,197 hours for duties in 1999. These included 763 hours on first aid duty at public events, 193 on welfare/social care duties, 12 on transporting patients, 375 on administration and the remaining 854 on divisional practice evenings.

Steeplejack Dave Dawson, of Port Isaac, was pictured with the rare weather vane from St Stephens-by-Launceston church. The vane has been taken down for re-gilding in best English Double Regular gold leaf, which will last for some 20 years. Weather vanes with a bird on top are only found in Cornwall. In fact there are three — Penzance St Mary’s, St Columb Major and the one at St Stephens. There were all manufactured some 100 years ago and could be by the same maker.

Ninety-two year old Mildred Trible, was awarded an MBE for raising thousands of pounds for numerous charities.

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Budehaven Dramatic Society’s 1985 season opened last night (Thursday) in Poughill Village Hall with the Victorian comedy “Hobson’s Choice”, produced by Lindy Mapleton.

Camelford town council are to take a lead in pressing the Health Service authorities for a mid-Cornwall general hospital.

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Bude harbour has been closed to shipping following a tragedy on Sunday when a 44ft cutter capsized and sank in heavy seas with the loss of two men. The vessel was spotted by auxiliary coastguard David Morris, who was on watch at Efford, also Mr Michael Scown and Mr Norman Pepperell, who were standing by the lock gate. Rescue services dashed to the scene but within minutes wreckage was coming ashore.

Jennifer Pengilly and Ruth Ham took the leading roles in Bradworthy Young Farmers’ Club pantomime ‘Old Mother Riding Boots and Her Three Little Pigs’, devised, written and produced by Ivor D Potter.

Mr Ian Lord said that Camelford Town Council should not shirk its duty and must fight to ensure there is a free car park in the town. It has been an eventful week for Mr Lord, the sub-postmaster, as the Post Office was robbed on Sunday evening. Mr Lord lives at the Post Office with his wife, Gerion, and father, John.

Mrs Connie Geach’s attempt to get North Cornwall Council to look again at the question of acquiring a permanent headquarters at Launceston was only narrowly defeated at a council meeting on Monday.

TV personality Keith Fordyce was question master for the ‘Sporting Chance Quiz’ organised by Sutcombe Liberal branch in the Memorial Hall with the winning team being Shebbear.

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Because of swine fever confirmed on Tuesday on a Sutcombe farm, a herd of 90 Landrace bacon pigs had to be slaughtered.

The last regular passenger trains ran through Hatherleigh Station on Saturday. Most goods traffic has already been withdrawn, and in a few weeks the station buildings will be closed. As yet, no firm decision has been taken as to what will happen to them, but it is a condition of the withdrawal of passenger trains that for the time being no rails will be removed.

Launceston firemen answered their sixth cal in five days when they were summoned to Ashwater Hill, a smallholding occupied by Mr George Gerry. In the early hours of Monday morning, cooperating with a unit from Holsworthy, the firemen fought a blaze which had broken out in the Dutch barn. The barn was considerably damaged and its contents of more than seven tons of hay were destroyed.

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With the heavy fall of snow and high winds, Otterham Churchtown was isolated last week. Urgent supplies and petrol were obtained for the community by Messrs K Horwell, S Gliddon, H Northcott and B Saunter, who were twice trapped in snowdrifts as they attempted to reach Otterham Station by tractor, which they had to dig out before crossing a field to cut a path through to the main road.

A tea company is reducing its price by 8d a lb to 7s 8d because of the fall in the market price.

North Cornwall’s MP Sir Harold Roper, was one of those who spoke in support of the Lotteries Bill to legalise raffles, and draws by football supporters’ clubs, etc, which was “talked out” in the House of Commons recently. The Bill now has little chance of being passed in the present Parliamentary session.

Launceston will provide two the Westcountry competitors taking part in the London to Brighton Veterans’ Race on March 20. They are father and son Mr S G Wooldridge, who has been competing for six successive years, and Mr Roger Wooldridge, aged 17, who will be competitoin for the first time and will be the youngest taking part. Mr Wooldridge, sen, will be riding a 1902 Dennis tricycle and Roger a 1913 Triumph.

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Wounded in action: Pte E Ball, of High Street, Launceston, and Pte E Brown, of Ham Mill, Morwenstow, both for the second time.

Miss Phyllis Walters, of Woodford, Morwenstow, has established a remarkable record as a National Savings group collector she sets out to get a member or members from every house in her scattered district, and this she has now succeeded in doing, a fact remarked on over the BBC on Sunday.

The residential property, Diddies, Stratton, was sold at auction by Messrs Kivell and Sons to Mrs Laurie, of Bude for £2,100.

The Tamar Valley Fruit and Flower Growers’ Association now has a membership of 284. For the post-war years they are re-enquiring about establishing a factory in the district to make fruit juice drinks — blackcurrant and raspberry juices as well as apple juice (they already provide apples for cider).

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Because there was no fire and they could not have their tobacco before doing their allocated jobs, 12 casuals went on strike at Holsworthy Poor Law Institution. They were brought before the magistrate, Mr W G Vivian, and each was sentenced to 14 days’ hard labour.

A public meeting, presided over by Mr R M Moyle, chairman of Bude-Stratton Urban Council, considered arrangements for Bude’s celebration of the King’s Silver Jubilee next May. It was decided no rate should be levied, but the cost should be met by voluntary subscription.

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The Spanish vessel Vallasandino (Ayr to Bayonne with coal) was driven ashore at Compass Point, Bude, by tremendous season on Saturday. The captain and crew of 26 had earlier been transferred to another vessel which came to their aid, but which found it impossible to tow the Spanish ship out of danger.

Thirty boys employed at the Delabole Slate Quarries went on strike on Monday. They had been receiving a fixed weekly wage of 14s or 15s and objected to a proposal to put them on piece-work. On Tuesday the fathers of the boys met the employers and agreement was reached.