HUNDREDS of people flocked to Abbotswood on Saturday for the annual Christmas lights switch-on.

The event’s guest of honour Father Christmas arrived in the back of a police car, to the applause of the many families and children. He then began moving through the crowd, checking his list was correct and that everyone was getting what they had asked for this Christmas.

Making his way over to the giant Christmas tree, which has this year been supplied by Yate Town Council, Father Christmas was joined by Yate beat manager PC Harry Baynham to press the big red button to switch on the display – led by a countdown from the crowd.

Running alongside the switch-on was a Christmas fayre in St Nicholas Family Centre, which featured an impressive array of stalls as well as a popular tombola, and performances from the Keynsham Brass Band and the Abbotswood and Wellesley school choirs to get everyone in a Christmassy mood.

Thanking everyone for coming and getting involved in this year’s celebration, the new chairman of the Abbotswood Action Group Caroline Jacques highlighted some of the points that made this year memorable, adding that she particularly enjoyed “a group of kids not part of the choir with their song sheet singing at the top of their lungs and dancing with total abandon.”