Teignmouth Post and Gazette No 4874 Friday 18 July 1975

BROADMEADOW SPORTS CENTRE

A row was sparked off at Monday’s meeting of Teignbridge Council’s Policy and Resources Committee by a letter from Teignmouth Town Council. It asked the Council to carry out remedial work at the sports complex to prevent damage.

Eight months ago, Teignbridge decided on the principle that Broadmeadow should continue as a sports complex, and to spend £10,000 on roofing and protecting it. The Committee found on Monday that nothing had been done. The architect, Mr. J. Littlemore, said in explanation that they had got on with the housing programme, and only now had been able to look at it. He said it was abortive to try and roof something where the stanchions were rusting away. It ought to have been done last April.“

THE ELEPHANT

”Several people might like to know that the Super Sentinel called “The Elephant” which was owned by the Teignmouth Quay Company, and was used to tow and push railway wagons on the Quay, is now restored to its former glory, together with its original front wheels. It was built in 1924, and weighs about eight tons. Now it has become a rare collector’s piece; there is not believed to be another one of its kind in Britain. The nearest is thought to be housed in the Science Museum in Salzburg.

HAYTOR ROCKS

At the auction, bidding for the Rocks went up to £13,000, and there was no sale, but afterwards, Devon County County Council bought the Rocks and its acres of land privately for £15,000.It is a coincidence that news comes from MIND that a 400 yard stretch of the Haytor Granite Railway, the first railroad in Devon, is to be uncovered by teenage members of a youth club, led by Mr. P. Hewitt, of Bickington, starting in July. It will create a permanent wild life conservation area, and the cleared track will be used as a footpath. The funds raised will be fifty percent for the project and fifty percent for MIND.

CROSSBOWS

Wild life lovers of Tiverton are to approach MP Mr. Robin Maxwell-Hyslop to try and get controls placed on the sale of crossbows. The move follows the shooting of a rare duck on the Grand Western Canal by a 10 inch long plastic flighted arrow. “We have been told where there is a crossbow on sale with telescopic sights. An arrow could blind or kill,” said the chairman of the canal management body, Mr. William Authers.

OIL POLLUTION VICTIMS

Following a recent case where a member of the public became contaminated with oil while bathing in the sea at Brixham, the hospital casualty, accident and emergency departments are concerned that they treat only those persons who are medically affected by the contamination - eg. oil in the eyes, inhaled or swallowed.

Members of the public whose skin or clothing becomes contaminated are advised to contact the following persons listed regarding arrangements for cleaning, in Beach Inspector’s Offices in Teignbridge, Torbay, Dawlish, Dawlish Warren, South Hams and Dartmouth.

LOST IN FOG

On Sunday morning, Berry Head coastguard picked up a radio signal from the 28ft cabin cruiser “Sandcat”, hopelessly lost in thick fog. The Torbay lifeboat went out at 2.30 am to search, but “Sandcat”, made of fibreglass, did not show on the radar scanner. “We must have been within feet of her at times”. The lifeboat was out for seven hours. The cruiser was spotted at 10 am and guided into Brixham by the trawler “Our Unity”.