A DECISION by Dartmoor Prison to switch to natural gas means local homes and businesses in the area now have the choice of using this fuel.

The new network has been installed by the Gas Transportation Company Ltd which extended the main pipe from Horrabridge. It means residents in Princetown, Dousland and Walkhampton can now connect to a gas supply for their own home.

Duchy of Cornwall land agent Colin Sturmer said it was 'a wonderful opportunity' for the community.

'We are a village which is 1,300 ft above sea level so any mains supply of potential energy is one we welcome. We hope to make some use of it in the future.'

Mr Sturmer said he was very glad the prison had taken this initiative.

'When you can turn the source of energy on like that it must be good for the community.'

The facility follows a decision by Dartmoor Prison to convert to gas for its heating and cooking.

The prison's director of estate management, John Conduit, said the installation of gas was a national thing by the Prison Service. Dartmoor was one of eight prisons in this first tranche and a second tranche is planned.

'It is financed by the company that installed it — the Prison Service do not have the capital,' he said.

The switch to natural gas means the prison's central boiler — which is oil-fired and 45-years-old — can be removed.

'The equipment we have now is inefficient and expensive to run and maintain,' said Mr Conduit.

'The company that is supplying the gas is taking over the whole of the primary heating responsibilities. It will be contracted to do so for 15 years with an option for a further five years.'

He said each building in the prison will have its own boiler instead of pumping steam all over the place.

'There will be a direct hot water system in each building,' said Mr Conduit.

He said the installation of the system in the prison was already three-quarters completed and was due to be finished by the end of the year.

Postmistress Heather Stanley said there had been a lot of interest in converting to gas.

'I'm going to see if I can get a gas key holder set up in the post office so the people can pay for the gas as they use it rather than have a big bill,' she said.

Although this will be the first time households in Princetown can convert to gas it is not the first time the community has had access to it. Heather Stanley recalls that the prison once made its own gas and it was used in the street lights.