Police help round-up runaway cows

A PAIR of Penryn policemen used Rawhide-style cowboy skills to turn back a herd of cattle stampeding down the town's bypass on Saturday.

A potential traffic nightmare was successfully avoided by their prompt action. And colleagues were left wondering whether Pcs Colin Paul and Jerry Chugg carry a lasso as well as handcuffs and truncheons.

Nearly 50 Charolais cows and calves belonging to Mabe farmers, the Dunstan brothers, slipped out of their field on Nanturrian Hill at about 7.30am. Police believe the gate was deliberately left open by malicious pranksters. Fortunately a passerby closed the gate on the rest of the 105-strong herd in the field and raised the alarm.

In no time at all the cattle had cantered a mile down the bypass and through the deep cutting towards Hillhead roundabout. Motorists were forced to slow down and swerve to avoid the hurling herd as they crossed the fast stretch of new road. Quick-thinking Pc Paul headed off the minor stampede with his his car before the maverick Charolais wer able to reach the hilltop roundabout.

He was joined by his colleague Pc Chugg and both were enrolled as "special cowpokes" by farmer Brian Dunstan who had raced to the scene in his tractor. The three drove the disappointed cattle all the way back to the safety of their home field. The crowd control exercise took 20 minutes and left a trail of steaming debris on the roadway.

Ex-Rom Data boss declared bankrupt

A FORMER director of the Falmouth company Rom-Data, which collapsed last Christmas with debts of £1.6 million and the loss of 100 jobs, has been declared bankrupt.

One-time Porsche driver Brad Shepard told the Packet yesterday he now has to walk everywhere because he is "stony-broke" and does not have a car. Now living in Truro, the 38-year-old American stayed in a flat in Tremough Dale, Penryn, when he was a director as the ill-fated firm.

He helped set up the computerised data-input operation at Rom-Data with businessman John Dawson. Mr Shepard said the bankruptcy order at Truro county court related to £9,700 owed to an equipment leasing company, NWS Bank, for the use of photocopiers at Rom-Data.

His personal fortunes had sunk low because of the Rom Data experience, he said. "The company drained me of any resources I had. I put money into it." But he declined to say just how much. "Enough," was his reply.