Campaigners against a railway attraction being extended near Sithney were celebrating the withdrawal of plans this week - but it appears their jubilation may be a little premature.

Richard Barnes, chairman of Helston Railway, which put in a planning application for Trevarno Farm near Prospidnick, confirmed to the Packet that their retraction was merely a temporary measure.

The railway enthusiasts had applied for permission to use a temporary platform and build a permanent one, as well as extend the track and sidings, form a car park and turn buildings into workshops and shops.

Mr Barnes said the plan had been withdrawn in order to make two amendments.

The group had promised protestors that a picnic area and amenity field would be taken out the plans - and this had been done, in a bid to address some of the concerns of residents.

However, Cornwall Council recommended it would be best to resubmit the application with these two elements removed.

Other than that the plan, which has the support of roughly 1,800 signatories on a petition, was exactly the same and would be resubmitted in the very near future.

A protest group called Prospidnick and Chynhale against the Train (PACT) has been set up in opposition of the plans and members had welcomed what they believed was the withdrawal of plans.

Adrian Curtis said: “Local residents and campaigners are extremely relieved that Helston Railway has pulled its plans after Cornwall Council planners' recommended that its planning application should be withdrawn.

“This has been a very stressful period for local people, and these plans have hung over our heads like an unwelcome black cloud that has caused many of us sleepless nights.”

The campaigners maintain their concerns about loss of privacy and quality of life, the environmental impact of the scheme that requires an access road to be built across fields near Chynhale Chapel and flooding, as well as the chance of use of the farm from agricultural to retail and workshops, when Helston had empty shops and three industrial estates “within a few miles of the site.”