THE Christmas festival and world record attempt in Calne on Saturday proved to be a roaring success, despite organisers having to battle with a number of technical difficulties on the night.

Thousands of people who gathered in The Strand could not hear anything that was being said from the big screen on Saturday night, which was set up to show coverage of the Guinness World Record attempt for the Most Living Figures in a Nativity Scene, organised by the town council and the Bible Society.

The technical hitch plagued the screen from the offset, meaning visitors in the town centre were unable to hear CBeebies' Joanna Adeyinka-Burford and the special live link-up with schoolchildren in Bethlehem who sang a Christmas carol.

Mayor Coun Tom Rounds said: "The sound went down and we did not know what actually happened, because we are just a town council. Yes, it did cause a little disappointment in that people in the town centre were unable to hear what was going on.

"That said, the imagery was fantastic and it was pretty clear looking at the energy and animation that was there that they were having a really good time up there. It did not detract from the enjoyment of it all."

The town, which went on to break the world record at The Green, welcomed thousands who had come far and wide to enjoy the Christmas festivities.

Dressed as shepherds, wise men and angels, 1,254 people came together on the Green on Saturday night to help break the Guinness World Record for the World’s Largest Live Nativity, which was previously set by the people of Utah, USA in December 2014.

Coun Rounds added: "I went for a walk around the town and down to the fairground after and on my way I was constantly being stopped by people who told me it was the best Christmas festival the town had ever had.

"I am so pleased for the town and also for the staff who were hard at work until 10 o'clock at night packing the place up. It was a great night for the town and I am not sure what we are going to do in the future."

Footage from the night is currently being edited by the Bible Society and will be available online soon.