Party poppers cracked and cheers rang out as hundreds of revellers braved the weather and took to the streets to welcome 2007 into Helston.

New Year's Eve proved as colourful and chaotic as ever, despite a fierce wind and lashing rain.

While parties were forced to cancel up and down the country, the pubs of Helston were filled to the brim as the townsfolk refused to let the weather get in the way of their celebrations.

Many people even dressed for the occasion, sporting a wide variety of fancy dress costumes from pirates to Vikings and schoolgirls to nurses.

Landlords of the town's pubs were all reporting good profits, with the number of punters appearing to be high. At the Trelawney's nightclub the dancefloor was packed as the countdown to 2007 began, with customers provided with free party poppers that were let off at the stroke of midnight. This was followed by a lusty rendition of the traditional New Year's Eve song based on the Robert Burns' famous poem, Auld Lang Syne.

Karen Jones, from The Angel Hotel in Coinagehall Street, believed the poor weather conditions had helped make Helston busier.

She said: "It was a bit busier this year - I think the weather stopped people going further afield. It was very good; it just seemed busier for longer."

Zia Trevena, from the Red Lion Inn, also thought that the wind and rain had discouraged people from moving around pubs so much, with punters picking a pub and staying there.

Mrs Trevena said: "We're a very local pub and our customers will come out whatever the weather.

"But it might have encouraged people to stay once they were in here, rather than move around. We were really busy."

She added that the band The Roosters played throughout the evening, proving very popular, and the pub also sported a "superhero" fancy dress theme, with Zia and her husband Barrie dressed as Superman and Supergirl. The bar staff turned into Batman and Robin while customers also joined in, with one group showing imagination by dressing as canine crime-fighter Scooby Doo and his gang.

Meanwhile, over at the Seven Stars the pub was celebrating its first New Year's Eve under its new name, after being taken over by John Nesbit, who reverted the name back from the Fitzsimmons Arms to its original title.

Heather, from the pub, reported a "very good evening," with everyone happy. Customers were entertained by their in-house DJ Neil.