A new charity has launched in Porthleven that will attempt to shine a light of hope in people's darkest hour.

The Sparkle Foundation is designed to offer discreet help to people who have fallen on hard times.

Those in need can apply to the charity for a helping hand, whether it is car park money so they can stay with their sick child in hospital or providing a cancer patient with a bespoke wig during chemotherapy rather than the NHS offering.

It has been set up by a group in the village made up of Leigh Yates, Wendy Everard, Elodie Waite, Barbara Powell and Thomas Harrison.

The foundation was launched at the Ship Inn on Tuesday, when its first donated fundraising was presented.

A group of women who will be cycling from Vietnam to Cambodia next month presented a cheque to the charity from what they have raised so far.

Joint founder Leigh said: "What I'm most excited about is it's just a really discreet way to provide support for the community. There's a lot of pride in the village.

"It is for people who have fallen on hard times; a discretionary fund for the grey areas of life."

Other money has come from the Porthleven Raft Race, while Headland Printers and Step By Step Tanning in Penzance have offered support to get the charity up and running.