Cornish teenager recycles grandad's fishing nets using heritage skill 'splicing'

• Watch Kathy Wardle's report.

A 15 year old and her grandad from St Ives have come up with an inventive way to recycle old fishing gear.

Beth Perkin and Frank Plummer are turning ropes and nets into pet accessories, using skills that have been passed down through three generations.

Former St Ives fisherman Frank has been teaching his grand daughter Beth the heritage skill of 'splicing' ropes together.

Together they've launched a venture called 'Cornish Spliced' selling their pet and home accessories online and at local events.

The pair have been reusing Frank's 30 year old unwanted fishing nets.

They also use donated ropes from the St Ives fishing community, and beach comb for abandoned fishing gear known as 'ghost gear'.

They then clean it before giving it a new life as items like dog leads and mats.

Frank Plummer: "Splicing is a dying art and St Ives 30 to 40 years ago was really, really busy.

"Most of the boats now don't use such heavy gear. Splicing is part of fishing, you have to splice your ropes together, especially to join two ropes together.

"It's good to hand down to my grand daughter and also I've got two daughters who are very keen."

Beth Perkin: ''It feels quite special to be able to learn it, something that's been passed down. It's really quite difficult to learn so I'm still trying to get the hang of it, but it's fun."

By using discarded gear Beth says it is hopefully preventing some of the materials ending up in landfill or having to be incinerated.

Beth and Frank now hope to expand the range of items they make, and have also been asked to put on workshops.Beth added: “The response has been amazing. People have contacted us from as far away as Canada, asking us to post things. We are going to need to recruit more family members to the splicing table at this rate. As grandad jokes - we’re going to need a bigger boat!”