A steady drizzle did nothing to deter the throng that descended on Accrington town centre to witness the entertainment culminating in the big switch-on of the Christmas lights followed by a spectacular display of pyrotechnics to mark Christmas 2015.

A crowd of around 3,000 milled around the stage and enjoyed other events around the town centre including a fun-fair and a mascot race.

On stage were The Bee Radio to guide us through proceedings and theentertainment started around 6 p.m. with the appearance of Yorkshire singer/songwriter, Chris Atkinson. He was to return later to do a second set due to the unfortunate ill-health that prevented headliner, Misha B from appearing.

After Chris’s opening stint, celebrity guest Jesse McClure was introduced to the crowd. Then came Gabz who was previously a finalist in Britain’s Got Talent and has released four singles. She sang a selection of songs including her own self-penned “The One” which she performed on the talent show to great plaudits. She will be seventeen in December.

The cast of Cinderella, this year’s panto at the Civic were then introduced on stage. After an appearance by the founders of Limewood Christmas lights, ex Liberty X singer Kevin Simm took the stage to the delight of the young ladies in the audience. He got everyone on their feet and dancing with his rendition of Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk”.

Accrington Stanley’s Billy Kee and footballer of the year Piero Mingoia were next to grace the stage along with Stanley Mascot, Winstanley. Then it was the turn of the Snow Queen and her entourage from Frozen, who sang “Let it Go”. Never heard that one before.

After Chris Atkinson’s second set the crowd were rapt in anticipation waiting for Britain’s Got Talent finalist and teenage heartthrob Henry Gallagher. When he eventually appeared as the last act of the evening, screaming young girls put me in mind if the Beatlemania of the sixties.

The stage performances concluded and it was the turn of the Mayor And Mayoress of Hyndburn, Cllr. Marlene Haworth and Dorothy Berry with the able assistance of Jesse McClure to hit the switch and turn on the lights before the bumper crowd was treated to one of the best fireworks displays Accrington has ever seen.

© Peter Jones 2015