Months of planning - not to mention weeks of 6am starts on Sundays - will all be worth it this Friday when Helston switches on its Christmas lights display.

This year's array features new set displays, along with 1,000 new LED bulbs and new role lighting to enhance the outline of the refurbished Grylls Monument, thanks to a £10,000 donation from Helston Town Council.

More than 50 small Christmas trees will be mounted on shop fronts this week, ahead of the the grand switch on this Friday evening, when the dedicated team of around 20 volunteers - who have put up the displays in all weathers over the last few weeks - will finally see their work come to fruition.

Rebecca Wills from BBC Spotlight will compere the switch on ceremony, with this year's Harvest Fair king and queen pushing the plunger at 7.30pm to illuminate the town and signal for the start of the fireworks display. This has been sponsored by Borlase & Co Solicitors and will be staged once again by Bobby Eustis and David Eva.

A professional PA company has been employed to project the sound from the main stage outside Barclays Bank via booster speakers, so that everyone in Coinagehall Street should be able to hear what is going on this year.

The main streets will be closed to traffic from 3.40pm, to allow time for traders and the fun rides to set up and the main stage to be built, with vehicles allowed back into town at 10pm.

From 5pm there will be gift stalls to visit and food vans serving everything from a hog roast to jacket potatoes and burgers, as well as mulled wine and churros, with the local cafes and restaurants also opening later so that people can head into town for something to eat and then stay for the switch on.

Although there is no grotto this year, Santa will be braving the elements by the Guildhall with gifts for little ones. There is a fee of £1 per gift to help cover costs and reindeer food will also be ons ale for %0 from Santa's elves.

Entertainment will come from the Culdrose Military Wives Choir singing on the main stage from 6pm to 6.45pm, with Helston Town Band leading carol singing from 7pm and local band Sounds Ecclectic on stage from 7.50pm until 8.30pm. Elsewhere, Cornish Roots will be performing by the Guildhall from 6pm until 7pm and the Helston Concert Band will be playing near WH Smith in Meneage Street.

The lights committee has thanked Bob Cowell and Helston Community College for providing free storage space for the lights during the year, and the Park Café and Wetherspoons for donating cooked breakfasts for the crew on the last few Sunday mornings.

The Christmas Lights Committee relies heavily on donations as costs rise, with the insurance alone costing £2,600.

Donations of any size can be sent to Robert Williams, care of 10 Meneage Street, Helston, TR13 8AB. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Helston Christmas Lights.'

To take part as a trader or volunteer at any of the Christmas events email helston.christmas.lights@gmail.com