Town Square in Nantwich was packed for a feast of festive entertainment including carols and a spectacular fireworks display

The switch-on took place on the Town Square, with Chris Radford from The Cat 107.9 FM community radio compering the event. Entertainment was provided from singers Callum Wright and Josh Whittaker, and carols from Nantwich Young Voices.

The sponsors of the event were invited onto the stage before the switch-on - Cronkinson Farm Co-op, South Cheshire College, which sponsored the square’s giant screen and Applewood Independent, which - for the third year running – has sponsored the square’s Christmas tree.

They were joined by Santa’s PolkaDot Pirate, who will soon be appearing at Nantwich Civic Hall, Mayor of Nantwich councillor Andrew Martin and wife Linda, Father Christmas, eight-year-old Lilyanna, who won a contest to switch on the lights by guessing there were 2,000 lights on the star on the town’s Christmas tree, local singer songwriter Thea Gilmore and Nantwich sporting heroes Bryony Page and Andrew Small.

The lights were turned on by wheelchair racer Andrew Small, a former Brine Leas and South Cheshire College student, who won bronze in the men’s T33 100m at the Rio Paralympics, Thea Gilmore, Councillor Martin, Bryony Page, a former Brine Leas pupil who won a silver medal on the trampoline at the Rio 2016 Olympics, and Lilyanna. The switch-on was followed by a firework display.