Hundreds gathered in Canterbury city centre for the official unveiling of the year’s Christmas lights display.

The spectacular display was switched on by kmfm presenters Rob Wills and Andy Walker , who were joined in St George’s Street with the Marlowe Theatre’s panto cast from Aladdin.

Also joining the festivities were Coco and the Butterfields, local musicians tipped for great things, the Canterbury Gospel Chior and opera star Hercules Smith.

Last year Canterbury City Council decided against a Christmas lights display in a bid to save cash.

But this year local businesses were determined to see in the festive season with some sparkle.

The Canterbury Connected Business Improvement District (Bid) group, funded via a voluntary levy on city centre traders, dug deep to provide the £40,000 display.

Bid group operations manager Lucy Martin said: “We are thrilled to have appointed Kent company Gala Lights as our Christmas lights contractor for the next five years.

“It has been tough making sure we had the permissions we needed from everyone in the city to put up the lights, and our timescale was incredibly tight.

“We listened to our businesses who wanted a traditional theme of warm and bright lights with plenty of sparkle.

The Bid group was voted for in a ballot of city centre traders.
For more information visit www.canterburybid.co.uk