A LACK of interest in upholding Helston's traditions has been blamed for the disappointing number of floats that turned up to take part in this year's harvest fair carnival on Saturday.

There were more walkers than usual for the annual event, and those that did enter produced some superb outfits, but the number of floats was down on the previous year and there were also fewer spectators lining the carnival route.

Organiser Sue Atkinson said: "It seems such a shame that all the effort that goes into keeping this old Helston tradition going is falling on deaf ears. Helston itself is growing, but the support seems to be shrinking. It's the same people, who are all getting older, putting in the effort to enter, as they have done since the carnival was revived."

Mrs Atkinson, who single-handedly re-started the carnival in 2001 after a gap of several years, said she was nonetheless determined to make the 2005 event a success.