Large crowds of people filled Sittingbourne town centre at the weekend for the annual switch-on.

This year’s display sparkled into life in stages on Saturday after a day of activities in the High Street.

Sittingbourne Christmas Lights Association events organiser Jack Miller said: “It was fantastic - one of the best ones we have done.

“The High Street was packed with stalls and people. We had 200 children visit Santa at Swale Arts Forum’s grotto. The entertainment was brilliant. Everyone seemed to have a really good time.

“We’re there to give everyone a good time and to get the High Street packed out and that’s what we did.”

Mr Miller said there had been some comments about the fact not all the lights had not gone on after the countdown.

“It was planned to be just Central Avenue going on,” he said. “The rest have to go on individually.”

Two children from Teynham Primary School, Madi Brown and Sophie Walker, helped Santa press the button to turn on the illuminations.

They and their fellow Teynham pupils also joined in with a parade which included groups such as Sittingbourne’s Carnival Court and the town’s Artistic Twirlers.

Mr Miller thanked all those who helped make the lights possible and urged people to look out for Santa’s sleigh, which will be making its way around Sittingbourne’s streets every day until December 20.

• Things are on the up for Sittingbourne with work due to start on the long-awaited multi-screen cinema in the spring. We also reported this month how Marks and Spencer will be setting up shop in the town centre, as will Starbucks and Costa.