Revellers gear up for Christmas at Shropshire towns switch on lights
The big day is drawing ever closer – and just one look at Shropshire's high streets is enough to prove it.
Hundreds of people turned out to see Christmas lights turned on across the county over the weekend.
The main festive lights were lit up in Newport, Wellington, Shifnal, Highley, Broseley, Whitchurch and Ludlow.
This year it was the turn of nine-year-old Thea Lee, a pupil of Castle House School, to press the button and illuminate the town of Newport, after she won a competition to design a Christmas card.
A procession left the town's Guildhall at 6pm on Friday and headed to the Buttercross, where the switch-on took place before songs in St Nicholas' Church.
Huge crowds also headed to Shifnal on the same night to see its switch-on.
The Lions group was in attendance, bringing Father Christmas and his sleigh, and there were also two live reindeer for children to see. A Christmas market was set up along Broadway.
In Wellington, the Christmas lights switch-on was held alongside a Victorian Market, with a day of activities held in the centre of the town.
A family fun day ran from 9am on Saturday, with stalls in Market Square and performances by Wellington Brass Band and Mr George's Famous Last Words. There was also an appearance by Telford's pantomime cast.
Saturday also saw Highley's switch-on at the Severn Centre. Guests could meet Santa, browse Christmas stalls, with entertainment for children including a bouncy castle and face painting.
Whitchurch's switch-on day saw an indoor and outdoor Christmas Market in Whitchurch Town Centre, with a variety of gifts, crafts, dance performances, live music and hot food stalls.
The town also played host to Father Christmas and there were children's fairground rides in the Bullring and late-night shopping for local businesses.
Whitchurch's Lantern Parade also began its journey from the Market Hall at 4.30pm. The parade travelled along Brownlow Street, through Green End and then up the High Street before the town's Christmas lights were switched on outside the civic centre at 5pm.
In Ludlow, on Saturday and Sunday, there was a medieval Christmas fair, with over 100 stalls selling seasonal wares, food and drink, crafts, historical goods and more. There was live music, theatre, comedy, juggling and sword fights.
The lights were switched on in Broseley on Saturday by deputy mayor Jean Jones and her husband Dave Wallace. Entertainment was put on in the Birchmeadow Centre.
Yesterday saw Shrewsbury Rotary Club's Tree of Light switched on at Church of St Mary the Virgin.
Market Drayton's Tree of Light was also switched on at Morrisons in Maer Lane at 4pm yesterday.
