WIND and driving rain failed to dampen young people's entrepreneurial spirit at a town's first youth Christmas market.

The inaugural event saw dozens of young people set up stalls selling handmade crafts and gifts in Waltham Abbey town hall on Friday evening.

The sale was scheduled to take place in the Market Square, but grim weather forced stallholders to relocate indoors.

The joint brainchild of LCS Choices - a scheme providing support to excluded pupils or those at risk of exclusion - and Waltham Abbey Town Partnership, the market was designed to offer young people a chance to experience starting and running a business.

It was opened by Epping Forest MP Eleanor Laing, who spent several hours talking to stallholders from LCS, King Harold Academy and Epping Forest College.

Award-winning dance troupe Streetz Ahead were on hand to provide entertainment, while younger visitors had a chance to visit Santa in his grotto.

Town mayor Elizabeth Webster also spent time browsing the stalls - two of which sold out completely by the end of the day.

She said: "It was really enjoyable and really enlightening.

"There was such a vast variety of youngsters there - I was extremely impressed by it all.

"The amount of work that goes into it was incredible. It was a new idea and a brilliant idea. I take my hat off to the youngsters that were there."

The event was also backed by Jobcentre Plus, Waltham Abbey Town Council, Epping Forest District Council, Epping Forest District Museum and Epping Forest Chamber of Commerce.