Siblings honour mother by taking part in Flora Day

Dawn Strike led the Morning Dance the Evening Dance on Flora Day 1994

A group of siblings are taking part in Flora Day on Wednesday to honour their mother, who led the early morning dance and the evening dance in 1994.

Dawn Strike died in December 2022 after complications with the condition Polycystic Kidney Disease - she had received a kidney donation seven years before.

Helston Flora Day is a spring festival which celebrates the end of winter and marks the arrival of the "new vitality and fertility" on or around 8 May.

Ms Strike's children Kerry, Naomi, Aaron and her former dancing partner nephew Justin Spargo will take part to mark 30 years since she led the dance.

Aaron, Kerry, Naomi and Justin said they owed it to their mother and niece to dance

Ms Strike had danced in the event from 1984, and was chosen to lead it in 1994.

The decision to pay a tribute to their Mother by teaming up as a group of four was decided back in January - the group said Flora Day was "her world".

Justin Spargo, her nephew and Ms Strike's Flora Day partner, said it was such a huge day for the family.

He said: "She loved it, it was great - you go around the bowling green and up the street to the Town Hall and then it finishes.

"She cried all the way up and people were clapping all the way up the street it just meant so much to her to be leading on Flora Day."

Dawn Strike danced with her nephew Justin Spargo in Flora Day

Aaron Thomas, 33, has inherited Polycystic Kidney Disease, and has danced in Flora Day since he was in Year 2.

The disease is a genetic condition which sees the growth of numerous cysts in the kidneys.

He said: "The kidney function slowly drops over time and it will result in dialysis and kidney transplant.

"I do get symptoms, tiredness is a massive one and obviously pain around where my kidneys are... they are 30cm each where they should be nine centimetres each."

Mr Thomas said he was going to dance to honour his mum: "I feel I owe it to her."