THOUSANDS of people turned out to enjoy the switching on of Barnoldswick’s Christmas lights on Saturday.

Families created colourful lanterns and visited Santa’s Grotto before taking part in the tea-time parade. More than 1,000 lanterns were carried in the parade which took about 20 minutes to pass through the town centre to the Town Square where Barnoldswick Brass Band serenaded the audience before a countdown to the last lights being switched on.

One of the organisers, Barnoldswick Town Council chairman Cllr Tom Whipp, said: “It was a fantastic event with about 5,000 people taking part. Probably the best yet! Thank you to everyone who made it possible and to all the families who made lanterns and took part.”