This year’s Helston Flora Day will see one of the dances revert back to its more traditional time.

The Children’s Dance will begin at 9.50am on Wednesday, ten minutes later than it has been in recent years.

The second band will stand and play at the junction of Wendron Street and Meneage Street, by Lloyds Bank, before taking their position in the dance and spectators are asked to leave space for them.

Michael Jay, owner of Lismore in Cross, has agreed that the Children’s Dance can enter the property by the small gate then continue around to the driveway of the house, to exit onto Cross Street again without going into the gardens.

When the dance reaches the Bowling Green, the second band will remain outside the Grylls Monument and follow the dancers up Coinagehall Street to the end. The dance is expected to finish at around 11.20am.

Access to the gardens of Lismore will be available to spectators for the Midday Dance once the Children’s Dance has passed by, and it will also be open later in the day for the Evening Dance.

Nick Wills, secretary of the Flora Day Association, said: “Entry into properties and gardens on the route of the dances is a great privilege to us and we would remind the public that it is by courtesy of the owners, who retain the right to close their gates/doors if they so wish. We ask you to respect their properties.”

The route of the Midday Dance will be largely as last year, entering Lismore as usual, as well as the Old Vicarage further down Cross Street.

“The Association are delighted that we will be able to enter the Old Vicarage again this year with special thanks to Sir Nicholas and Lady Serota.

“With renovations completed to the garden last year, the dance will proceed after Penhellis Gardens via Cross St through the Old Vicarage gates, through the garden then onto Leslie House Gardens,” added Mr Wills.

He also thanked Helston Town Band for its continued involvement in the event, with the association grateful for encouraging so many young musicians to join with the older members, so that in years to come there will still be a full complement of players.

“We would ask the public to support the band by giving generously to the collectors who will be preceding the dances,” said Mr Wills.

The association said it was pleased that Cornwall Council had promised to repair the road surfaces in the town ahead of Wednesday, but would still remind those taking part in the dances and also watching that there may still be some uneven surfaces under foot.

Property owners are asked to take down any greenery from their buildings before 8.30am on Thursday, so that the collection teams can remove it from the streets. Any greenery left out after that time may not be collected.

Road closures and parking restrictions are in force on Flora Day from 6.30am and people are asked not to park in the streets the night before, to avoid becoming an obstruction on Flora Day.

Mr Wills concluded: “As with any event of this size, there is a considerable financial commitment to cover the cost of health and safety issues, insurances and for example purchasing of new flags.

“If you are able to help us by contributing to our funds to maintain our unique event, please contact us by email on helstonfloraday@yahoo.co.uk.”