What a difference a single digit makes, as discovered recently by Helston's mayor who has quite literally had the ground pulled out from under her feet.

Gillian Geer has been fundraising to return of the town’s original granite paving slabs since she was first elected to office in May 2016.

In her acceptance speech she spoke of the granite being removed over the years and “thoughtless replacements” left in their place, while drawing attention to the pavement opposite the Blue Anchor that she said was surfaced with hand-chiselled granite featuring non-slip grooves and “the right colour, quality and dignity that Helston merits.”

Just before Christmas Mrs Geer believed she finally had enough money, through fundraising and donations, to cover the cost of Cornish granite for in front of Methodist church in Coinagehall Street, to get the project started.

However, she was later forced to update the town council that it "all went pear shaped," explaining: "There was an amount of money we were promised, or implied we were going to get - a £5,000 donation that turned out to be £500."

She added that the fund was left with between £5,000 and £6,000 - but the cost of the granite alone was £11,000.

It had been hoped that if the town council found the money for the materials, Cornwall Council might have covered the installation cost.

"Unfortunately people don't have money for 'things', they have money for 'people' at the moment," she said, adding that while this was "right and proper" people were "falling down on the pavements left, right and centre" in Helston.

Town centre regeneration officer Martin Searle said improvement of the pavements was amongst a document commissioned by the town council in 2015, to look at ways of regenerating the town.

"In order to sustain vitality in this era of supermarket, out-of-town and internet shopping all stakeholders involved need to strive to make the experience in a town centre as good as it can get, and the quality of the physical environment is one of a number of important components," he said.

He added that it would also improve public safety as many slabs were cracked and uneven.