Hundreds take part in town's feast day celebrations

A West Cornwall town was yesterday the scene of a centuries old tradition in which a whole community boisterously takes part in a unique version of rugby.

The hurling of the silver ball, part of the annual St Ives Feast celebrations, starts with the Mayor casting the ceremonial metal-clad wooden ball into a crowd of people.

St Ives Feast: after the return of the silver ball, Mayor Councillor Ron Tulley (below) throws pennies to the children from the balcony of the Guildhall
Children from St Uny School and St Ives Infant School parade and dance

The ball is the subject of a good natured pursuit around town and whoever returns it to the step's of St Ives Guildhall on the stroke of midday is rewarded with a silver coin.

Mayor Ron Tulley led the event and said: "It's gone really well, there are more people than last year, and the sun came out so we had everything, large crowds and good weather.

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"The feast day is important because it's part of the history of St Ives. This feast day celebrations and the hurling of the silver ball are very important for the community and to the children."

The feast day celebration includes a procession through the town's cobbled streets and ends with councillors tossing newly minted pennies from the Guildhall balcony to a crowd of children.