ON Saturday, February 15, the rain lashed down and the wind howled as Storm Dennis arrived and the St Teath Joybirds wondered if all their efforts for the morning’s bacon butty event were in vain!

The Joybirds held a Valentine’s bacon butty and hot dog morning in the community centre at St Teath to raise as much money as possible to help the Australian firefighters and the Australian animal charities in the wake of the catastrophic fires that took place recently.

The Joybirds needn’t have worried — a superb selection of delicious cakes arrived for sale, a sub-group of the Joybirds had knitted and sewn the cutest koalas imaginable — making up their own stall, and many, many people turned up for a bacon butty (there was standing room only).

The magnificent sum of £490 was raised and, together with monies raised from a recent quiz in the village, a total of £600 will be sent directly to the charities.

A spokesperson from the St Teath Joybirds said: “A brilliant effort that we hope will help Australia a little!”