ZestiFal, Falmouth's first sports-based festival, has been heralded a huge success as hundreds of people jumped at the chance to try their hand at something new - and all for free.

Organised by Falmouth BID (Business Improvement District), ZestiFal was held over nine days at various locations across the town - primarily The Moor, Events Square, Kimberley Park and Gyllyngvase Beach. There over 30 different activities on offer for free including cricket, tennis, pole fitness, badminton, circus skills, shinty, street dance, Zumba, Pilates, netball, basketball, archery, golf, roller derby, climbing, yoga, Special Olympics, scuba, paddleboarding, skateboarding, cycling, pirate running, acrobatics, swimming, dance mobs, fishing, table tennis, bowls, mountain biking, a host of gym classes, Taekwondo, Krav Maga, obstacle races and rugby.

Richard Wilcox, Falmouth BID manager, said: “We couldn’t have asked for a better ZestiFAL week. We’ve had a terrific response Falmouth and Cornwall residents as well as visitors, to the action packed schedule on offer. I’d like to thank the activity providers and businesses of the town who have supported the Falmouth BID in delivering ZestiFAL.

"We’ve sought to innovatively use our excellent town venues to showcase the very best of Falmouth, whether that be climbing walls, studio zones, artificial grass and skateboard ramps on The Moor, giant obstacle courses on the beach, mountain biking in Kimberley Park or a roller derby bout on Gylly tennis courts. We’ve now got an excellent platform from which to develop ZestiFAL into one of Cornwall’s most exciting and dynamic festivals.”

Sean White, of WESUP (paddleboarding) Centre on Gyllyngvase Beach, said: "ZestiFal is one of the greatest local sports and community initiatives we have ever heard of and we feel so lucky and excited to have been involved. We had an absolute belter with locals of all ages joining us for packed paddleboarding days throughout the week.”

Rose Beattie, events fundraiser for Cornwall Hospice Care, said: “We were thrilled to be invited to be involved with ZestiFAL and worked hard to put together an exciting new fundraising event to kick off the festival. The ZestiFAL Pirate Fun Run was a great way to start proceedings, and we're already working on the event for next year to make it bigger and better. Thank you to everyone who came along to support the event.”

Across the nine days there were several firsts for Falmouth, including the first open air studio tent showcasing a host of different gym activities, the first skateboarding ramp in town centre, first roller derby, first open air Piloxing event held in Cornwall and the first time The Moor has been "grassed" over for the Chillout Zone.