Hammer hero switches on North Walsham Christmas lights

Eleventh-hour repairs did the trick on Saturday evening as the Christmas switch was flicked without a hitch in North Walsham.

Lights group volunteers were up early to spend two hours fixing the lights on the clock tower, which had failed to work on the eve of the big event.

Their efforts paid off at 6.15pm as - after two warm-up countdowns - the town's teenage hammer throwing international Callum Brown flicked the switch in front of a large crowd to give the town a light touch.

Chistmas lights group chairman Dave Robertson said: ' I think in view of the weather we've had for the week, the evening went extremely well.

'It was well attended. A lot of hard work went into it in the run-up because of the weather.'

The switch-on was the climax of an afternoon of fun in the town. The bandstand was the location for singing by Mundesley Junior School youngsters at 3pm, followed by a band and students from North Walsham High School.

There was a street fair, with only three of the stallholders unable to make it because of the weather. And Santa ensured that the children stayed warm by moving his grotto into a town centre shop for the afternoon.