CHIRSTMAS arrives early this Friday in Winsford.

The Winsford Christmas Street Festival on November 27 runs from 4pm to 7pm, with a lantern parade leaving Winsford Cross Shopping Centre for the festival site along the Old High Street at 4.15pm.

Primary school children will parade with their own lanterns featuring nativity scenes, made with the help of local artist Russell Kirk.

The lights on Winsford’s first town Christmas tree for many years will be switched on by town mayor Ailsa Gaskill Jones at 5pm shortly after judging the best dressed Christmas shop window competition.

She will be joined by Bruce Jones (Les Battersby from Coronation Street) and Austin Armacost (Big Brother) who are appearing in the panto Snow White at Northwich Memorial Court.

There will be live music by local bands and solo artists as well as a Christmas market, fun fair, street entertainers, puppet shows and carol singers, adding to the festive fun.

Families can enjoy free tractor and trailer rides through the Christmas lights. Starting from Church Street, the specially-decorated trailer will take festival-goers along the length of the High Street through Winsford’s version of Blackpool illuminations.

Father Christmas will be making an early appearance in the St Luke’s Hospice double decker bus, and the festival will end with a bang at 7pm with a spectacular firework display.

Town clerk Alan Warburton said: “This year’s festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, with something for all the family, and thanks to the town council and the local Cheshire West and Chester councillors we’ve finally got a Christmas tree.

“The Old High Street is a great venue for the street festival, and will give hundreds of people the chance to see the wide range of specialist shops and businesses which operate there.”

The Winsford Christmas Street Festival is organised by a partnership of representatives from Winsford Town Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Winsford Cross Shopping Centre, Sharlands Funfair, local churches, The Hive, Cheshire Constabulary and Winsford Academy.

This year the organisers are grateful to Swetenhams estate agents and The Co-op for their sponsorship of the event.