HUNDREDS of revellers joined Father Christmas and Anglia TV's glamorous newsreader Becky Jago as Bury St Edmunds welcomed in the festive season.

Jonathan Schofield

HUNDREDS of revellers joined Father Christmas and Anglia TV's glamorous newsreader Becky Jago as Bury St Edmunds welcomed in the festive season.

The pair joined hands to light up the town in the Big Switch On at about 6pm last night as children from Bury schools sang Christmas carols and the smell of chestnuts mingled in the air.

Husky dogs from the frozen lands of Elveden pulled festive sleighs through the town centre while pantomime characters from the Theatre Royal entertained residents, and performers from Elveden Circus wowed the crowds with gravity defying stunts.

Shops entered into the spirit of the occasion by keeping their doors open to allow for some early Christmas shopping.

Mick Kelly and his two children Grace and Reuben drove to Bury from Lavenham to watch the lights being switched on.

Mr Kelly said: “It's a wonderful atmosphere here and a beautiful town like Bury looks even more stunning and traditional when the lights come on. With the roads closed and so many people mingling in the town centre you really do feel like Christmas is just around the corner - they always do such a fantastic job here.”