Cornwall's best known saint will be joining the Helston Flora Day celebrations this year - as a new character in the colourful Hal-an-Tow pageant.

St Piran, the patron saint of tin miners, will feature in the pageant in one of the biggest changes to the spectacle in the last 80 years.

Traditionally depicting the age-old battle between good and evil, the Hal-an-Tow features St Michael versus the Devil and St George, the patron saint of England, vanquishing the dragon.

Local MP Andrew George, who in recent years has played St George, will take the role of St Piran this year. Mr George said that as a Cornishman he considered it a "promotion" to switch from playing an Anglo-Saxon to a Cornish saint.

The role of St George will be taken by Paul Blaber, who stepped in last year after the MP injured his leg and was unable to take part.

In addition to the physical representation, a new verse about St Piran has been penned by Jonathan Geer, husband of Hal-an-Tow organiser Gillian Geer.

Gillian, who sought approval for the move from the Flora Day stewards, said she thought a verse about St Piran would "go down well".

She added that the saint, who famously arrived in Cornwall on a millstone, would "float in" to the pageant surrounded by ladies dressed in costumes representing the sea.