The season of peace and goodwill is coming to Helston on Friday as the Christmas Lights switch on heralds the opening of a month long programme of festive events.

Organisers are promising a memorable night filled with illuminations and fireworks, music and entertainment from 5pm to 9pm.

There will also be late night shopping as many local businesses stay open until 8pm, as well as a Christmas market larger than the year before, lit with the Shelter Box Luminaid lanterns, and Father Christmas in his grotto.

The switch on will be followed on Saturday with Helston’s first Santa Fun Run.

Organised by Cornwall Hospice Care in conjunction with the Helston Business Improvement Partnership, over 150 participants in the traditional red and white livery will take a mile long route from the Bowling Club around the town at 1pm.

The following Friday, December 4, the live reindeer will return to the town. They will be outside the museum from 4.30pm to 6.30pm, with plenty of family activities on offer in the museum, the Guildhall, and Santa's grotto.

And Friday, December 11, will mark another first for Helston as the town hosts a lantern parade attended by children from every primary school in the area.

Over 200 children are expected to form a procession carrying handmade lanterns, moving off from the top of Meneage Street at 7pm.

The children will be led by the Helston Town Band, and joined by Santa’s sleigh, pantomime characters from the Epworth Hall, representatives from the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts and a nativity procession from the Methodist Chapel.

There will again be late night shopping until 8pm, a Santa’s grotto, market stalls and entertainment.