X-FACTOR star Sam Callahan helped to spread festive cheer by marking the start of the Christmas countdown in Keighley.

More than 1,500 ‘Callafans’ flocked to Airedale Shopping Centre to see the former barman switch on the town’s Christmas lights on Sunday.

Sam spent more than an hour meeting and greeting his fans, signing autographs and having his photograph taken.

The singer-songwriter Ben wowed the audience with tracks such as She Looks So Perfect, Iris, Bigger Things, Rock n Roll and Photograph.

He was joined on stage by Santa Claus and Keighley town mayor Cllr Graham Mitchell to turn on Keighley’s Christmas lights.

As the lights were turned on, the stage erupted with fireworks, and confetti bombs burst into the night sky.

Sam’s appearance rounded off a day-long event, sponsored by Airedale Shopping Centre and the Keighley Town Centre Association, which launched the hunt for Keighley’s Champion Christmas Elf.

* Full story and picture spread in this Thursday's Keighley News