SCOTTISH dancing was just one of the many attractions that brought out large crowds for the Marlborough Spirit of Christmas evening on Thursday.

The late night shopping evening and switch-on of the town's Christmas lights was organised by the Marlborough Community Partnership.

The MCP was established last year to encourage more community activities in the town and is a registered charity that acts as an umbrella group for small organisations in Marlborough.

It was the principle organiser of the Spirit of Christmas that took over three years ago from the former Victorian Evenings that were run by the Chamber of Commerce and were hugely successful.

It was the second year the MCP had run the event and in the programme its chairman Coun James Pearcy-Caldwell thanked all the supporting groups and said: "Without these local people the events would not be possible and Marlborough would miss out."

There were activities along the centre of the High Street and on the sides of the street.

Stalls were run by local charities and by organisations including the scouts.

In the Town Hall there was a disco for five-11 year olds while there were bands and choirs dotted around the High Street.

Santa's grotto, with a free gift for every child under seven, proved to be very popular as did the free fairground rides for children.

Gifts for deprived children in Wiltshire were collected at the Polly Tea Rooms.

The Phoenix Band, Highworth Band, Bedwyn Handbell Ringers, Marlborough Choral Society, Salvation Army Band, and Devizes Old Boys Band were among the entertainers.

Walking among the crowd were stilt walkers and clowns to entertain the children.

Carnival Queen Sadie Farrell switched on the Christmas lights after the Mayor, Coun Bill Cavill, led a countdown.

Restaurant owner Jackie Dicks, one of the principal organisers, said: "The whole event was themed around children and everything available for them was absolutely free.

"We had planned to have a children's bouncy castle and a giant inflatable slide at the bottom end of the High Street so that the entertainment was spread right along the street. To our disappointment the inflatables could not be put up because of the gusting wind.

"We took the advice of a health and safety officers and decided it would not be safe to put them up. Unfortunately by the time this decision was reached it was too late to spread the remaining entertainment right along the street and that did leave a gap."

Mrs Dicks said the charities who had stalls were delighted, with some of them making hundreds of pounds for their own funds.