A curious British tradition once banned for being too noisy has returned to a coastal town.
People gathered to bid farewell to winter and herald in the summer in Penzance, Cornwall. Held on the first Sunday of May, Penzance’s May Horns is now in its 17th year since it was revived - and each year sees the group blow horns and bang drums in the belief the noise "drives out the devil of winter".
The procession is led by a giant crow, Old Ned, who dies three times along the way, overcome by winter, but is brought back to life by the noise of the horns and drums around him. Footage taken yesterday shows a member of the procession dress as Old Ned - complete with a crown - as dancers gather around the creature.
Traditionally, the May Horns procession stops at the boundary between Newlyn and Penzance, where they are reminded that they are banned from entering the town, and must decide whether to proceed despite this rule. As with every other year since the tradition has been revived, the hornblowers took the decision to ignore the rule, and proceed into Penzance making as much noise as possible.
After a third and final death and resurrection of Old Ned on Penzance promenade, the noisy procession took a new route through the back lanes of the town, eventually ending up outside The Union Hotel on Chapel Street. Here, many chose to put down their horns and go inside for a pint, having successfully chased off the devil of winter for another year.
Photographs taken and published by CornwallLive show scores of residents gathered by the sea for the event. People were encouraged to dress in green and white, with foliage to symbolise spring and the coming of summer. They were urged to make as much noise as possible and tease Old Ned.
But as well as the usual green and white costumes, there were some other interesting fashions on display. One man was pictured as a wolf and another wore large antler-like structures on his head.