X factor finalist and former EastEnder light-up Norfolk town

Thousands of people packed King's Lynn town centre tonight to watch former EastEnder Letitia Dean and X Factor finalist Johnny Robinson switch on the Christmas lights.

They were joined on stage by Ian Marr and Richard Pocock who are playing the ugly sisters alongside Letitia Dean's Fairy Godmother in the pantomime Cinderella which opens at the town's Corn Exchange on December 8.

The fun started in the late afternoon with a variety of stalls in the Vancouver Quarter and live music provided by local band Jessie's Ghost using a temporary bandstand which will remain in the shopping centre until December 24.

Youngsters also had the chance to make their own lanterns at a workshop organised by Norfolk-based conservation charity Fairyland Trust before parading them around town at 6pm.

Helium-voiced Johnny then took to the stage on the Tuesday Market Place and sang Ella Fitzgerald's That Ole Devil Called Love, Kylie Minogue's Can't Get You Out of My Head and The Darkness' I Believe in a Thing Called Love before the main switch-on at 7pm in front of an estimated 6,000 people.

The switch-on event also marked the start of late night shopping in the town and participating shops will be staying open until 8pm on Thursday evenings until December 22.

Letitia, who starred in the popular soap for many years, will be at the Corn Exchange starring in this year's panto until January 3.

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