The Easter bank holiday weekend got off to traditional start yesterday when Good Friday ‘trigging’ took place around the Helford River.

The old Cornish term for cockle picking, trigging sees people armed with rakes and buckets dig through the riverbed at low tide at Helford, St Anthony and all around the estuary.

They are looking for cockles and winkles, which live just under the surface and can be uncovered at low tide.

Ancient law states that people are only allowed to do this on one day of the year – Good Friday.

Falmouth Packet:

Suzanne Bray and Molly rake through the riverbed to try to find cockles at St Anthony

It is a firm favourite on the calendar for many families, who make a day of it by taking pasties down for lunch and then often cooking their harvest on the beach for tea.

Yesterday saw perfect weather conditions, with very little wind and temperatures reaching 19 degrees centigrade.

It helped encourage scores of the people down to the river, to try their hand at digging up the shellfish and simply spend time with their families.

Falmouth Packet:

This little chap gets a lesson from someone with more experience... Photo: Suzanne Willey

Falmouth Packet:

And is then determined to try it out himself. Photo: Suzanne Willey

Falmouth Packet:

Fun in the sun for this pair at St Anthony. Photo: Pagan Mitchell

  • Were you out trigging yesterday? Send us your photos to emma.ferguson@packetseries.co.uk or via the Packet Newspapers Facebook page to be included in the article.