Miserable weather failed to dampen the spirits of New Year revellers in the Helston and Lizard area.

The rain and strong winds did keep some people off the streets and put paid to a few celebratory fireworks displays but overall 2004 was welcomed in style despite the weather.

In Helston, the pubs and clubs were teeming as revellers, many in fancy dress, enjoyed the party atmosphere.

The town was in festive mood and police officers on duty on the night said there had been little to spoil the celebrations.

One man was arrested after causing a disturbance at a public house in Coinagehall Street and police dealt with an incident outside Trelawney's nightclub but there were few other problems.

Sergeant Steve Bradford, from Helston police station, said: "I think generally the mood was friendly. The majority of people we came across were amiable and happy.

"There will always be one or two incidents but there were no more or less than we would expect on a normal night.

"There was a point where a few people were upset about what happened to them in and around Trelawney's but there was nothing out of the ordinary. We had some extra officers on duty and we were able to deal with any incidents as they came in."

Over in Porthleven, the arrival of 2004 was marked with a spectacular fireworks display, which went ahead despite a last-minute hitch that almost put paid to the whole event.

Members of the Porthleven pyrotechnics committee, who had been fundraising throughout the year in order to bring in experts to stage the traditional display, were horrified to learn shortly before Christmas that the Devon-based fireworks company chosen had gone into liquidation.

Thankfully, following eleventh-hour negotiations by committee chairman and former harbourmaster Ken Milburn, the company's new owners agreed to honour the booking and a team arrived in the village at lunchtime on New Year's Eve to set up the display.

The appaling weather meant the fireworks were set off from a cliff-top field at Breageside, instead of from the pier as originally planned but all agreed the resulting display was well worth the additional effort.

"It was absolutely fantastic," said committee member Elaine Taylor. "They had fireworks you would never be able to buy if you were just doing an amateur display.

"They told us around 20 per cent of them didn't go off because they got so wet but we still had nearly 15 solid minutes of fireworks.

"It was brilliant."