A magical journey to Santa's grotto lit up the faces of more than 3,000 children near Helston this Christmas - and that delight is being passed on to the many local charities that will now benefit.

Festive events through December at Trevena Cross nursery and garden centre, supported by Helston-Lizard Rotary Club, raised more than £9,500.

This money will now be divided between Cornwall Air Ambulance, The Invictus Trust and local causes in the Breage parish, which included sponsoring Christmas lunches for Breage and Carleen pensioners and 24 Christmas hampers for Breage residents.

Trevena Cross owner Graham Jeffery said: "We pulled out all the stops to hand-build the biggest, most show-stopping grotto we’ve ever attempted, for December 2018. We wanted 2018 to be one that visitors remember for a long time.

"Weeks, even months, of hard work from the Trevena Cross team went into this year’s creation, which saw a spectacular Arctic and woodland scene combine to make pure magic."

With plenty of photo opportunities, twinkling lights, entertaining characters and of course Father Christmas and his elves, the garden centre was busy throughout the festive period.

Graham added: "It is really satisfying to know that we helped lots of local families create wonderful memories in the build up to Christmas, but even more satisfying to be able to give wonderfully worthy Cornish charities and causes a sizeable donation that can really make a difference, thanks to the support of all our grotto visitors.

"It makes the many hours of hard work, beforehand and during the event, completely worthwhile.

"A big thanks to The Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard, without whom it wouldn’t all have been possible."