Hundreds of people packed into Corsham High Street on Friday night to join in with festive celebrations as the town’s Christmas lights were switched on.

Families watched on as five-year-old Rio Hayden, from Corsham Primary School, switched on the lights with the help of Corsham Town Council chairman Pete Anstey.

Rio won a town council Christmas card design competition, alongside fellow pupils Mia Von Poppen and Zoe Champion, and his entry will be used as the official Christmas card for the town council this year.

The crowds gathered outside the Town Hall and were entertained by singers from the community choir, Pound Sound, music from Corsham Wind Band, a performance by the Corsham Choral Society and acts from Jake the Juggler.

Stallholders lined the rest of the High Street with food and crafts.

Among them, the Lacock Scrapstore brought its craft bus and encouraged youngsters to create Christmas-themed craftwork from recycled materials.

Organiser Glynis Cosgrave, from the Lacock Scrapstore, which is based at Bowden Hill, said: “Barty’s Scrap Mobile is proving extremely popular. We’ve had a lot of interest from people wanting to create things for Christmas, which has been great.”

Lisa Toghill, a committee member for the Neston Preschool Playgroup, said: “There has been a great atmosphere.

“This is the first time we’ve run a stall here and we’ve had a lot of interest.

“We wanted to raise money for the group so we’ve been selling cakes, sweets and crafts made by the parents.”

Corsham-based ceramicist Claire Baker made a grotto in the porch of a High Street house where she showed off her wares.

She said: “So many people have turned out to the event and I think it is fabulous that it has such a good community feel about it.”

Ms Baker also entered a tree into the St Bartholomew’s Church Christmas tree competition, which is raising money for the church’s Spire Appeal.

She decorated the tree with ceramic baubles, which she encouraged locals to buy and replace with their own hand-made baubles.

When all the baubles had been sold it was due to be displayed at the Goldfish Bowl Gallery, on the High Street.

Ms Baker said: “It will look completely different to how it did when it was first started, which is fantastic, and we will have raised money for a very worthwhile cause too.”