Thousands of pirates will descend on Penzance on Bank Holiday Monday, May 26, to raise money for the RNLI and to regain the record for ‘most people dressed as pirates in one place’.

Three years ago over 8,700 pirates crowded onto a Penzance promenade to break the Guinness World Record, held until July 2012 when it was taken by 14,000 pirates in Hastings.

Now a programme of events is being held over the Sunday 25 and Monday 26 of Whitsun Bank Holiday to attract even more visitors, helping Penzance to reclaim the world record – and raising thousands of pounds for the RNLI in the process.

Entertainment will be held from Friday to Monday and includes fairground rides, a beer tent, theatre and circus performances and a host of musical bands and performers.

Players from the Cornish Pirates rugby teams and around 60 Johnny Depp lookalikes will also be lending support, with the official final count due to take place at 4pm.

In the evening revellers can enjoy a mini-festival of music at the Pirates' rugby ground headlined by well known Cornish band the Three Daft Monkeys – who will also have a very special guest, to be revealed on the night.

Great Western Railways are laying on extra carriages to help pirates get to the town, and there will also be coachloads bussed in from around the county.

Organiser Andy Hazlehurst said: "We're really looking to smash the record this year by getting 20,000 pirates on to the prom and raising loads of money for the RNLI."

Everyone wanting to join the record attempt will be asked to pay £1 and proceeds from that will go straight to training and equipping the RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew and lifeguards in the south west.’ The event will also celebrate Penzance Town Council's 400th Anniversary of being granted it's Charter by King James I in 1614.

For full programme visit http://www.piratesontheprom.co.uk/