St Piran's Day celebrations online for 2021

The celebratory event at Perran Sands must be cancelled for the first time in around 20 years, organisers said

Annual celebrations to mark St Piran's Day in Cornwall have been cancelled due to lockdown, but people are being urged to mark the day in alternative ways.

Normally hundreds join the annual walk across Perran Sands to celebrate one of Cornwall's patron saints on the Sunday closest to St Piran's Day, 5 March.

This year organisers are urging local people to leave daffodils at the old Cornish cross on the site during their daily exercise, to "make a big show".

Celebrations online are also planned.

Marches , processions and festivals are usually held across the county to mark the day

Eileen Carter from St Piran Trust, told the BBC she felt "deserted" that the march would not be taking place.

"The atmosphere out there is what we're going to miss. Everyone is so enthusiastic, they are Cornish and proud and you feel as one," she said.

Who was St Piran?

St Piran was a 6th Century abbot and saint. He is the patron saint of tin miners, and one of three patron saints of Cornwall - the others are St Michael and St Petroc.

According to legend St Piran was born in Ireland where he performed miracles, such as raising from the dead soldiers slain in battle.

However, a group of local kings grew wary of his powers so flung him into the sea with a millstone around his neck.

The legend says St Piran floated over to Perranporth beach on the north coast of Cornwall and built a small chapel in the dunes, where people travelled to hear him preach.

This is now known as St Piran's Oratory or the "lost church", and is where the annual march takes place, with his story being re-enacted.

St Piran also discovered tin running from a stone. The Cornish Flag, a white cross on a black background, represents white tin flowing from the black rock.

According to the legend St Piran lived for 200 years, meeting his death when he fell down a well drunk.

Organisers of the Perran Sands event said they hoped the event would return in 2022

Redruth usually hosts a St Piran's Festival, but said it had instead put together a virtual event for its Facebook page "to spread the community spirit", a town council spokesperson said.

The Trelawny Shout annual sing-a-long will be held virtually, encouraging people to join in singing the Song Of the Western Men at 21:00 either live or on BBC Radio Cornwall.

People local to Perran Sands are being urged to leave daffodils at the old Cornish cross

Other organisations and schools are marking the day in different ways online.

Truro Cathedral will stream a St Piran's Day sermon and choir performance at midday on Friday.