It's a sight that is sure to bring festive joy to people across Helston - the town's Christmas lights being put up.

Volunteers on the Helston Christmas Lights Committee have already braved heavy rain and chilly temperatures since heading into the streets at 6am today to start putting up the lights.

While this year will see a slightly reduced display, the town will still be filled with strings of coloured bulbs zig-zagging through the streets, the two main Christmas trees and a few of the set pieces, including the lighting up of the Grylls Monument and the 'Welcome to Helston' sign at the bottom of Monument Road.

Rob Williams, chairman of the lights committee, said: "Now that the lockdown restrictions have eased we're lucky to get back to Tier 1. We need to be in groups of six to be able to put the lights up.

"This is the first weekend available to be able to do it.

"Even though it's a scaled down effort this year, it will be nice to see a bit of colour in the streets."

Falmouth Packet: The lights go up in Meneage Street and Horse and Jockey LaneThe lights go up in Meneage Street and Horse and Jockey Lane

Rob Williams with some of the volunteer lights team

He also paid tribute to the team of volunteers had turned out this morning and are due to return again at 6am tomorrow to finish the job.

"Thank you to the team of volunteers that have braved the weather. The showers have been a bit wild, but we are getting the job done."

The lights will be switched on at some point this weekend, without a ceremony, and will then stay on throughout December and into the start of January.

At point, however, it looked as though it may never happen at all.

At exactly the time the lights team would be expecting to start hanging the lights, the second lockdown was introduced.

With it being impossible to put the lights up without social distancing, volunteers faced a situation where it was looking highly unlikely the town would be lit for Christmas.

Thankfully the lifting of the lockdown on Wednesday, combined with Cornwall being placed into Tier 1, the lightest of the restrictions, meant that volunteers could gather in small groups again this weekend to give three weeks of festive joy ahead of December 25.