It snowed on Sunday in time for the grand switch- on of the Christmas Lights in Ledbury town centre and 800 people were there to see it.

All afternoon, bubbles had been drifting from the Market House, where a snow machine was concealed.

At 5pm, with a flick of the switch, the bubbles turned to snowflakes as the lights came on for the festive season.

The Mayor of Ledbury, Coun Keith Francis, said: "This was one of our most successful switch-ons. Having a stage, provided by the band, the Gentlemen of Jive, was an improvement.

"Another improvement was having a plunger there, where more people could see it."

The plunger must have been a heavy one, because the task of pressing it down was accomplished by a number of VIPs, including Coun Francis, Ledbury Carnival Princess Kimberley Brickell and Laura Chadd, of Colwall Primary School, the winner of Countrywide store's colouring competition.

Father Christmas was also on the stage, as was mayoress Pam Juckes and Chloe Hawkins and Jade Gibson, attendants to the Carnival Princess.

Santa had arrived at 3pm in a Weston's Dray, and he soon took up residence in his grotto in Ledbury Town Council's old Committee Room, off Church Lane.

There he saw a steady stream of around 160 children.

The Market House had stalls underneath it and upstairs, and the Brownies did a roaring trade. They raised £100 for their funds by serving tea and coffee.

Street entertainment was a big feature of the whole afternoon.

The Gentlemen of Jive put jazz and rock'n'roll through its paces and medieval madrigals were heard from the Ledbury Waytes.

The Ledbury Festival Dancers went through their popular routines and the Ledbury Handbell Ringers chimed in with a good performance.

Traditional rustic dances were performed by the Old Meg morris dancers, from Malvern.