News that the Flora Day Clock should be saved in time for this year's dance had Helston Museum staff practically jumping with joy on Tuesday morning.

Katherine Ashton, the museum curator, told the Packet she was so happy she was doing a little dance after learning a Crowdfunder appeal had raised £1,000 to refurbish the clock, which was described as being in desperate need of bringing up to date.

She said: “I think it’s absolutely fabulous that we’ve reached the target so quickly. I think it just demonstrates how important the Flora Day Clock is to the people of Helston.

“We are very happy that we can restore it to its working condition so it can go on for many more generations and many more children can come into the museum to see it.”

Rosie Kliskey, the museum’s marketing intern who set up the campaign, had been unaware that it had reached its target until contacted by the Packet, and was thrilled at the support it had gathered in just four days.

The appeal was launched on March 27 to refurbish the clock and its workings, digitise the music, and update the mechanisms controlling the dancers, all in time for Flora Day on May 8 when the dancers while pass through the museum.

The clock, which recreates the town's iconic dance and the Hal-an-Tow dance, while the dance’s music plays, was built in the 1930s by the owner of the Regent Hotel, but had fallen into disrepair.

Katherine said: “It’s fantastic, and means we can do a thorough, proper job now and get it all in working order and spruced up and safe.”

The repairs will be carried out by Sam Lanyon, a Cornwall based designer and technologist who is a specialist in the repair of automata.

Having raised the initial £1,000, the museum has extended its target by £500, and hopes this will allow it to fund work on several other automata in its collection, with three that do not work at all and two that are in need of some maintenance.

Katherine said: “It’s not the only automaton we have in the museum. We have an old tin mine, a working model, but that’s also broken so that needs to be refurbished. We can get that done.”

Rosie added: “I set that up just in case. I didn’t realise that we would over fund.”

The campaign is due to continue until April 24, and pledges can be made online at