Port alert after rat ships tip

PORT Health Officers were on alert this week after a tip-off that two rat infested Russian factory ships could be heading for Falmouth.

They were keeping in regular contact with other South Coast ports.

Port officers were told that the Russian ships anchored off Weymouth could soon be heading towards Falmouth for bunkers and possible fumigation.

Chief port health officer Mr Andy Hopson and his deputy, Miss Cathy Frances, are monitoring the situation on a daily basis and will be at the sharp end if and when the ships arrive.

The ships, Okhava and Oma, were visited by Weymouth Chief Port Health Officer Tony Beeson, who discovered rat infestation on the ships during a routine inspection.

He served directions on the ships' masters that they had to find suitable ports where professional pest controllers could carry out the work.

Mr Hopson explained that both ships would have to be vacated by their crews before pest controllers using a methyl bromide gas fumigation process could carry out the de-rat operation at Falmouth Docks.

But he stressed that there was no need for public alarm over the matter.

Xmas party snub for sacked docker

A FORMER Falmouth docks worker says he has been unfairly left off an invitation list for a retired workers' annual Christmas dinner.

Mr Desmond Wengradt, 65, of Old Hill Crescent, Falmouth, worked as a steelworker in the yard for 40 years and said he was looking forward to seeing his old colleagues at the dinner.

But Mr Wengradt was sacked from his job earlier this year, only a few months before he was due to retire and that, say officials, rules him out of the dinner.

One official said Mr Wengradt was not a docks pensioner and therefore not invited.

Mr Wengradt feels hard done by. He officially left the docks in April but said he was not aware he had been sacked until two months later as he had been off work.

Since then he has tried to establish the reasons behind his sacking and why officials at te docks did not want him on the premises.

He says other men due to attend the dinner had left the yard before retirement age, including workers who had been made redundant.

"I feel very upset because I will not be able to have a drink with old mates," he said. "I will sit in at home on the night and reflect on my life and ask myself where I went wrong."

Rufus leaves them behind

RUFUS proved himself to be the fastest ferret in the county at the weekend when he came tops in the Cornish Ferret Championships' 10 yard race.

White-furred Rufus, one of 10 ferrets owned by Mrs Jane Laloe, of Wellington Terrace, Falmouth, excellent himself at the championships held at Lewdown near Launceston on Sunday.

Mrs Laloe took nine of her ferrets to the championships, but surprisingly Rufus was the only one to take a prize. He came home with the Buffalo Mullis perpetual cup which is presented to the ferret racing champion each year.

"Punch usually wins prizes in shows, but this year we did not get any prizes," said Mrs Laloe. "We go to quite a lot of shows and races, normally in the summer time. I have masses of trophies and rosettes."

Mrs Laloe is a founder member of the Cornish Ferret Club, which she admits is in its infancy and currently has 12 members.

"We have a great time with it," said Mrs Laloe, who breeds ferrets. "We started it to teach young people how to go ferreting properly without making a mess of it.

"It started as an educational thing for young people, but rolled into competitive classes."