Diaries of Cornish poet studied

Charles Causley was awarded the CBE in 1986

Diaries belonging to the Cornish poet Charles Causley are being studied by academics at Exeter University.

They were among a pile of papers bequeathed to the university after the poet's death in 2003 aged 86.

Charles Causley was born in Launceston and lived their all his life apart from his work during World War II.

The diaries cover this period of his life from 1938 to 1943, when he served with the Royal Navy around the world decoding messages.

Queen's medal

The war is said to have had a huge influence on Causley's poetry and stories and academics say these are his only known diaries which provide a fascinating insight into his life.

It is believed Causley sent the diaries home to his mother.

The Cornishman started writing in the 1930s and published more than 50 books and collections of verses for adults and children.

He was awarded the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 1967 and became a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1986.