THE MERRY MORNING OF MAY

"Unite and unite let us all unite

For summer is acome unto day

And whither we are going we will all unite

In the merry morning of May."

So begins the morning song in the north Cornish town of Padstow. It is here that the most boisterous, driving, compelling celebration of the arrival of summer takes place.

One of the things I have always wanted to do, but never quite got round to it, is to spend a few days in Padstow around May Day, just to experience the occasion and feel part of one of the most traditional of events in the English calendar. I`ve promised myself I will do that one year....along with a lot of other things I feel the need to do before it`s all too late.

But, back to Padstow. It`s a pity, I feel, that the town has become more popular and identified in the wider world since the establishment of Rick Stein and his fish restaurant empire. Now, I`ve nothing at all against Mr. Stein - he seems a pleasant enough chap, is clearly an excellent chef and has brought popularity and prosperity to both himself and to Padstow, which now boasts a number of `Rick Stein` establishments. Good luck to him.

But it really is for the May Day celebrations that Padstow should be recognised. No-one is really sure about the origins of what some describe as a pagan ritual but it`s clear that the tradition goes back for centuries.....and seems to have been little changed over all that time. It`s the sheer exuberance that touches the heart and the soul and, who knows, perhaps touches some basic instinct that lies deep within each of us.

The whole thing goes on for hours - with the rival `Obby `Osses (the `Old` and the `Blue Ribbon`) cavorting through the town, going from door to door, urged on by the teasers, the music driven on by the rhythmic drums and accordians, the throng of participants and onlookers becoming merrier and merrier until the morning, when the song announces that summer has indeed `acome.` A tradition to be savoured, revered but most of all enjoyed and I for one rejoice at the return of summer, when the living might just be a little easier.