THE lost decade of one of Cornwall's greatest sons will be the topic of a forthcoming history talk in Newquay.

Newquay Museum Group is hosting an illustrated talk by Joel Griffett about Richard Trevithick’s time in South America, which will be held at the Great Western Hotel on Tuesday, February 10 at 7.30pm.

The mining engineer was the inventor of the first steam locomotive, hauling goods in 1804. He revolutionised steam power machinery used in Cornish mining and elsewhere throughout the world.

Len Sheppard from Newquay Museum Group said: “Come and find out more about those lost years of which little has been known until more recently.”