AROUND 600 children with magical lanterns paraded through Barnoldswick at its Christmas lights were switch-on last Saturday.

The youngsters and their parents trooped around the town centre with the tree lights switching on as they passed each street.

The parade started and finished in the town square and the event itself attracted an impressive 1,800 visitors, despite the miserable weather conditions.

The town’s traders pitched in with many decorating their shop windows and handing out free mulled wine and mince pies.

There was plenty of family entertainment with Santa’s Grotto proving a big hit with youngsters, face painting, a Christmas-themed disco and entertainment from samba and silver bell bands.

The event was jointly organised by Barnoldswick Town Council and the Town Centre Action Group.

Around £1,000 was raised during the event for this year’s nominated good cause – Barnoldswick in Bloom.

Town councillor, Richard Milner, who was involved in organising the event, thanked Barnoldswick Army cadets who helped with marshalling at the event.

“It was very happy and jolly and quite a few shops did a Christmas window in support of the event.”

Sophie Mitchell, proprietor of Cafe on the Square, was among traders who dressed up.

She said: “The weather didn’t dampen the Christmas spirit. The children were so excited with the lanterns they made.

The town stages the first of four festive Christmas night markets tomorrow.

The town was successful in the Great British High Street Awards 2014. It was a winner in the Local Centre category. Judges said they were particularly impressed by its use of the market space for multi-purpose events including Bands on the Square, a free three-day live music festival of local talent.

Judges said the town had taken a range of positive action to halt the decline resulting from the closure of local pubs and put its success down to outstanding collaboration between local partners coupled with a huge sense of community pride.