What went wrong? Inquiry sought as snow storm causes havoc

FURIOUS motorists were this week demanding got know why the Valentine Day blizzard brought such havoc to roads around Falmouth and Penryn, causing hundreds of cars to be abandoned in despair.

"Absolute hell" was how some drivers described Monday afternoon's chaos on the roads between Falmouth and Truro and Falmouth and Redruth.

Now a call has gone out for an inquiry into why Cornwall's highways department failed to grit surfaces adequately for the snowfall.

By nightfall hundreds of vehicles littered the roadside as falling temperatures turned the snow into pack ice.

Treluswell Hill was just passable, but the hill out of Ponsanooth beat most vehicles whose hills towards Truro were treacherous, with empty articulated lorries slithering to a standstill on the glassy surface.

The journey out of Falmouth was a nightmare, with drivers taking a full two hours to reach Treluswell crossroads.

Those attempting to reach villages such as Mylor, Flushing, Budock and Mawnan Smith failed to negotiate ungritted hills, gave up and walked.

Having been warned by weathermen, most people set off early for home. This caused added problems for emergency services who were blamed for not acting sooner with snow ploughs and gritters.

Marine band 'useless' says rugby supremo

CORNWALL'S rugby boss has strongly defended the CRFU's decision to deny Falmouth Marine Band their traditional march in front of die-hard Cornish rugby fans before the crucial semi-final game against Durham.

But in a bitter and unprecedented attack, Dr Victor Phillips, the CRFU's secretary, insisted last weekend: "They are a useless band - a group of musicians who don't know a note of music in their heads."

He added: "They are far too interested in lubricating their throats instead of reaching the ground on time."

A spokesman for the popular marine band, David Spargo, last week played down the controversial decision. He stressed that the band were a "fun organisation" and did not want to become embroiled in the debate, despite the musicians' disappointment over the decision.

But Dave Saunby, a founder member of Trelawny's Army and the marine band's drummer, said: "Speaking as a touchline Cornish rugby fan, I think that the CRFU committee should look at their decision and then think about the team and the gate-paying public.

"When you've got 15,000 fans screaming for the band, you have to ask the question: Why don't the CRFU like us? Had we reached the final, we were invited to march around Twickenham's inner concourse - but we're not allowed to perform in our own backyard."

Refugee's widow bestows scholarship on art school

FALMOUTH School of art and Design are to offer a new scholarship, bestowed on them by the widow of a Polish refugee who made his home in this country in 1940 and was forever grateful.

To be known as the Ferdynand Zweig Memorial Scholarship, it comes from Mrs Doris Zweig, who now lives in the Falmouth area and whose husband was born in Cracow, Poland, in 1896 and died just before he was 92.

The school is delighted with the scholarship. It will enable students and staff to explore the past and current artistic-cultural achievements of other nations. It will be used to support travel and/or study with a practical and/or theoretical perspective.

The total amount for student and staff combined allocated in any one year will not normally exceed £5,000.

Mrs Zweig is proud that the Falmouth School of Art and Design will benefit from her husband. "Before he died he said he would like to create a scholarship in appreciation for being able to live and work in this country," said Mrs Zweig. "I chose Falmouth."