MORE than 500 people gathered around the 25ft fir tree outside the Prospect Hospice in Wroughton for the annual Light-a-Life Christmas service.

Carols were sung around the tree by members of the Swindon Choral Society and Lydiard Millicent Primary School.

And in keeping with the festive mood, Arkells brewery provided mulled wine for the occasion.

As part of the Light-a-Life Campaign, people were invited to sponsor a light on the giant tree to celebrate the life of someone special and to raise much-needed funds for the hospice which, in the 24 years it has been established, has helped provide specialist palliative care for the terminally ill.

Last year more than 900 lights were lit as part of the event, which raised £5,000, the equivalent cost of one day's care.

The exact total year of this year's event has not yet been counted, but the hospice had hoped to double last year's total.

The hospice costs £1.8 million a year to maintain, 80 per cent of which comes from voluntary sources such as legacies, donations, fundraising events, the hospice lottery and its network of charity shops.