Fifty tractors decked out in tinsel and Christmas lights delighted passersby as they took part in a two-hour charity run in south Cornwall on Friday evening.
People stopped in their tracks to watch the Christmas convoy go past, including through Helston town centre, as well as Gweek, Mullion and around the Lizard Peninsula.
It was the first festive charity tractor run organised by Helston and St Keverne Young Farmers Club, and it proved more successful than they could ever have imagined.
Video: Rebecca Johns
The purpose of the evening was to raise money for the children’s ward at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske as well as club funds.
Entry was £10 per tractor, plus an additional £5 per passenger.
The event started and finished at Lamarth Farm, Gunwalloe, hosted by the Wallis family, with a barbecue and refreshments afterwards.
The two-hour route took them from Lamarth along Culdrose and down past the Spar roundabout in Helston, to travel up through the town centre via Coinagehall Street and on to Helston Rugy Club.
From there the tractors travelled to Gweek, Garras, Newtown St Martin and St Keverne Square, then Roskilly’s, Traboe Cross and past Goonhilly to Cury Cross Lanes and on to Mullion, Poldhu and back through Cury to Lamarth.
The route was published beforehand and crowds of people lined the different locations to see the tractors go past.
Club members had the support of many of their parents and the wider community, including Luke Walllis who drove his festive combine harvester - recently seen delivering Father Christmas on a visit to Wendron School.
Writing after the event, club chairman Owen Williams said: “I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who came along to support or drove a tractor at this evening’s event and to who made it possible to go ahead successfully.”
Club secretary Betty Buchanan added: “In addition, I would like to thank everyone very much who came along to support along the route.
“It was absolutely amazing to see so many people, and it was obviously a lot more popular than what we ever expected it to be!”
The club has now set up at Just Giving page at www.justgiving.com/page/helstonyfc-1703929558486 for anyone who would like to donate to the cause.
Explaining, the club said: “The event was in aid of the Children’s Ward at Treliske Hospital, with some of the funds also going towards keeping our Young Farmers Club running.
“So, if you were lucky enough to spot the tractor run along the route, or if you unfortunately did not get to witness it but would still like to donate, we would be very grateful for your kind donations.
“Thank you very much for all of the incredible support that we have received so far. We really did not expect it to be so popular!”
- See more photos from the run in the picture gallery at the top of the page. With thanks to Ian Hampton photography for the images.
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