Santa swaps sleigh for lifeboat at lights turn on

Santa Claus swapped his sleigh for an offshore lifeboat at the switch on of Newlyn's Christmas lights.

Storm Darragh meant it was "too windy for Father Christmas to use his reindeer-driven sleigh" so he came in on the RNLI's Severn class lifeboat the Ivan Ellen instead, Penzance Council said.

The festive ceremony started with pupils from Newlyn School singing Christmas songs before a firework display and the lights switch on.

Penzance mayor Stephen Reynolds said there was no Christmas lights switch on events "quite like Newlyn's", adding: "Well done everyone in Newlyn for making it such a great occasion."

The event went ahead despite the bad weather, with the mayor saying Storm Darragh "brought a little bit to the party, but thankfully, not too much!"

The annual light display and switch on is organised by volunteers from Newlyn Harbour Lights and the fireworks were funded by a £6,000 grant funding from Penzance Council, which said it wanted to help "deliver a fireworks display to rival previous years".

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