A ST AUSTELL woman is plucking at the heart strings of Cornwall Council this Valentine's Day and asking it to replace a kissing gate which has been taken down near her house.

What may be seen as just a gate by many was a source of inspiration for Jean Tonkin's poetry as she battled through the lowest point of her life after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Pursuits

But now the kissing gate, a romantic symbol of countryside pursuits, which stood next to Jean's house along the footpath off Bodmin Road, Trethowel, has been taken down.

Jean, 66, wants the gate replaced but the council has said it will not be.

Jean was fortunate enough to overcome her breast cancer after battling it for more than a year.

During that time and as a result of being bed-bound from several chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions, the kissing gate and the surrounding countryside came to be a source of inspiration for Jean.

She wrote more than 100 poems – her first of which was simply entitled, Kissing Gate.

The gate was taken down last week to make for better access along the clay trails.

Jean, who has lived in the village for almost 40 years, said: "It's so sad to see the gate has been taken down.

"When I first moved to the village it looked beautiful but over the years it has gradually got worse.

"I have nothing against cyclists but I think a lot of the villagers would have preferred to keep it.

"I hope it will be replaced."

A spokesman for the council said: "The kissing gate was removed to improve access to the green corridor route linking villages to St Austell and the clay trails.

"With the kissing gate in place it was impossible for people from Trethowel to access the multi-use trail with pushchairs and bicycles and a number of residents contacted the council to express their concern.

"As such there were issues with Disability Discrimination Act compliancy.

"A flight of steps was also replaced in order to improve access to the clay trails network."