All contributors to the Launceston in Bloom scheme this year have been praised for their ‘excellent effort’. Generous local nurseries, shopkeepers, Launceston Town Council and its workmen have all been congratulated for their donations and hard work.

Bude-Stratton Town Council is to seek the necessary permission to install a bus shelter at Stratton surgery, and make further enquiries about the bus route in the Hollabury/East Fairholme Road area to establish the optimum site for a shelter.

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Trevor Walmsley, conductor of the Black Dyke Mills Band, conducted Launceston Band in rehearsal as part of Boosey and Hawkes’ band training scheme.

Michael Smale, of Launceston, received an award from Mr R F Norman, managing director of Ciba-Geigy Agrochemicals, for the best proposer in the senior debating competition of the National Young Farmers Clubs held at Stoneleigh on Saturday.

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Television actor Tony Maiden, the 16-year-old son of Mr and Mrs Arthur Maiden, of Dorset House, Killerton Road, Bude, and formerly of South Petherwin, will be taking part in ‘New Faces’ on ITV tomorrow (Saturday).

Five generations met at the home of Mrs L Jennings, of Pyworthy. With Mrs Jennings were Mrs A Sillifant (aged 88), Mrs O Snowdon, Mrs R Francis and Lorraine Francis (six weeks).

The choosing of the Fairy King and Queen for Launceston Carnival took place at the Youth Centre. As a result of a public ballot Mark Jenkins was elected Fairy King with Samantha McQuaide as Fairy Queen.

In the General Election John Pardoe (Liberal) won North Cornwall with a 3,856 majority over Gerry Neale (Conservative) regained the Bodmin seat by defeating Paul Tyler (Liberal) by 665 votes.

Someone took exception to a road direction sign and got rid of it and also its replacement. The sign at Morwenstow points the way to the beach at Stanbury Mouth. Parish Council clerk John Davy said: “We don’t know why the signs disappeared — all we know is that they were illegally removed”.

Kensey Vale Bowling Club’s executive committee are seeking tenders for a new pavilion to replace the building which was destroyed by fire. This was revealed by Mr C Harvey, honorary secretary, at the annual meeting of the club.

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A series of special services and events are being held at Launceston Wesley Church throughout the autumn to commemorate the bi-centenary of the opening of the first Methodist chapel in Launceston.

Forty children from Bude-Stratton secondary school went on an educational trip to London accompanied by teachers Mr Harrison and Mrs Worden.

Bude-Stratton Urban Council were criticised at their meeting for the early closure Crooklets surfing beach and car park at the end of a fine weather season. The criticism came in a letter from Bude Hotels and Caterers Association expressing surprise and disappointment at the haste in which the car park was left without an attendant, the deck-chairs put away and the beach huts dismantled.

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Messrs R Toms (Launceston) and E Chudleigh (Beacon) have been nominated to compete in the British ploughing championships to be held at Wellington, Somerset, next month.

Members of the council of the Bath and West Show, which is to be held at Launceston in May, decided to spend £2,000 on advertising the show. Most of the accommodation for stewards and judges would, it was hoped, be booked at Bude.

Mr H J D Penhale, chairman of South Cornwall Airways (Falmouth Ltd), stated his company was preparing to set up a helidrome centrally in Cornwall to serve initially the whole county. Although they would be running their own helicopter service, anyone else would be invited to use the helidrome. It was hoped it would be in operation by 1956, but Mr Penhale added: “I believe that within 10 years, or certainly 15, every town will have one.”

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Through a relaxation of security requirements, it is now possible to give details of bombing raids on this area since the beginning of the war. There was only one fatality in North Cornwall at St Breward in August 1942, when a child died after being injured in a tip-and-run raid with bombs and machine gun cannon fire, four buildings were demolished, including the Sunday Schoolroom and 58 houses were damaged. There were three other raids at St Breward, all in May 1941. Launceston Borough had only one raid, four bombs being dropped at Park Lanson St Stephens, in November 1940, but fell in a field and no one was hurt. In the Camelford area, bombs were dropped at St Teath, Jetwells (twice), Fenteroon, Advent, Highertown, Alex Tor and Michaelstow, Stoke Climsland, Blackapitts (South Petherwin), Larrick (Lezant) and Trekelland were places where other bombs fell without great damage and in 1942 a stick of bombs was dropped between Hawks Tor and Bearah Tor, North Hill. Fowls were killed in September 1940, when one bomb was dropped at Trehill, Stoke Climsland, and another single one came down near Peppershill, Werrington, without damage. A string of incendiaries was dropped between Landlake and Lewannick in August 1940, but the greatest activity was on May 28, 1941, when bombs were dropped on Pengelly, Delabole (one house demolished, six damaged).

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To provide two silver candlesticks for the altar of St Michael’s Church, Bude, a collection of old scrap silver has been launched at Bude and already 125ozs have been received.

A ratepayers’ meeting at which was discussed the proposed new abattoir at Newport, packed Launceston Town Hall on Tuesday. Mr J Treleaven was on the central figure in an attack on the proposal and town councillors came under heavy fire. There were cries of disapproval when Coun S Robins described Newport as “an industrial area”.

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The country goes to the polls next Wednesday in the General Election. The present Liberal Members in the Bodmin and North Cornwall Divisions, Mr I Foot and Sir G Croydon Marks are opposed by Mr G Harrison and Mr A M Williams, both Unionists respectively. In the South Molton and Tavistock division Mr G Lambert and Mr M Thornton, again retiring Liberal Members, are opposed by Mr C Drewe and Major K Slaney, both Unionists.

Mr Tom Allen Cudlipp, a well known journalist, who has died at the age of 62, was the youngest son of William Cudlipp, town crier and market lessee, of Launceston. The latter, in his youth, was a bearer of the last sedan chair used in town.