ORGANISERS of New Year's Eve events in Looe were thrilled with the turnout for celebrations in the town – which for the first time had a family-focused fancy dress competition and fireworks display earlier in the evening, as well as the traditional midnight show.

Paul Penhaligon owns the Rusty Bucket cafe which sponsored a children's fancy dress competition and stayed open for an extra two hours to provide a focal point before the family firework display at 6pm.

He said: 'It was a lovely way to launch New Year's Eve.

'We had 70 entries to the fancy dress – it was lovely that the children could feel part of it.'

Paul, who said they'd had a lot of positive feedback from local people and holidaymakers,' added: 'The whole of the seafront was full of people – that's not normal for six o'clock on New Year's Eve.

'We all came away totally encouraged that it was the right thing to do – and we are 100 per cent committed to it happening again.'

Cornwall councillor for East Looe and St Martin's Armand Toms was delighted at the success of all the events across New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

'The children's display at six o'clock went down a storm.

'We had a lot of people who wouldn't have normally come out because of having young children.

'And for the midnight display there were 2,000-plus people out on the seafront.'