Amid the pomp and ceremony of Helston's civic parade, the mayor celebrated a hero and young heroine who have contributed to the town.

During a service in St Michael's Church, mayor Mike Thomas bestowed awards upon a man who has played his part helping the town's homeless, and a school girl who has helped raise over £1 million tu support child cancer sufferers.

Helston Town Band and the town's beadle and mace bearers led a procession of local dignitaries, representatives of local organisations and mayors from other towns, as well as the mayor and councillors, as they wended their way from the Guildhall to at the start of the mayor's second civic year.

He was in full regalia as he walked through the town and entered the church for the service given by the mayor's chaplain the Reverend Canon Doctor David Miller.

During the service, the mayor presented the town's civic awards to this year's recipients: Citizen of the Year Derek Wear and Junior Citizen of the Year Leanna Williams.

Derek, who the mayor called "a truly inspirational man," was recognised for his work in helping the homeless of Helston by running 'breakfast clubs' at Helston Methodist Church with his wife Ann.

The mayor said: "He organised a group of people in the Methodists church to provide breakfast and aid, providing washing facilities and a shower."

Leanna, from Mullion School, who was diagnosed with leukaemia at a very young age, was given her award after all she has done to battle the disease by raising awareness and money to fight cancer.

The mayor said: "She's got involved with raising money for CLIC Sargent, and has helped to raise over £1 million, and wants to have a website where youngsters who have cancer can get somebody who has been through it to write to them."

As well as the two civic awards the mayor, a former teacher at Helston Community College, presented one of the current pupils, Ryan Lamb, with "half a trombone."

He said: "The school paid for the other half. It was part of my fundraising for deserving and enterprising young people. He was identified by the school."

During the service, a prayer from 1799 that was found in Helston Town Council's strong room and recently rebound was re-dedicated.

There was also a collection, which raised £317 for the mayors fund, and a further £120 in donations to the fund was received from members of the public.

The mayor added: "This work was well supported by the generosity of the people."

Following the ceremony, the congregation was taken to the Andrew Hall for refreshments.