Falmouth's newest festival, ZestiFal kicked off at the weekend with the inaugural Pirate Run being one of the highlights.

Cornwall Hospice Care was behind the fun run which saw with around 100 "pirates" marauding through the streets of the town. Many visitors stopped to watch as the nautical characters of all ages, shapes and sizes, some pushing buggies and others with their four legged friends, paraded through the town raising funds for the Cornish charity.

The Pirates assembled on The Moor, and were put through their warm up paces by staff from The Core before being set off by Pirate FM, who supported the event.

“We are really pleased with the turn out for this first year of the event'' said Rose Beattie, events fundraiser for Cornwall Hospice Care. "People had gone to a great deal of trouble with costumes and decorated buggies. ''We would like to thank everyone who took part or volunteered, Pirate FM, the Falmouth Town Team, Falmouth Methodist Church, Cornwall 4x4 Emergency Response as well as the people who stopped to cheer our pirates through the town."

The ZestiFal Pirate Fun Run is expected to have raised over £2,000 for Cornwall Hospice Care once all the sponsorship money has been received.

The event marked the start of Falmouth BID's ZestiFal - a week long event showcasing a huge variety of sports and activities across the town. There are have already been a host of have-a-go sessions and group classes including martial arts, scuba and snorkelling, zumba, dance, yoga, tennis, netball, shinty, paddleboarding and sailing.

The festival runs until Sunday with activities being held on The Moor, Events Square, Gyllyngvase Beach and tennis courts and Kimberley Park. Still to come are skateboarding, a climbing wall and circus skills on The Moor; a roller derby in aid of Macmillan at the tennis courts on Sunday and a P1 Powerboat (the Formula One machine of the sea) will be on display on Events Square from Thursday.

For a full itinerary of what's on and when go to www.falmouth.co.uk.