A special visit from Father and Mother Christmas marked the start of the festive season last week.
Crowds came out in Debden Broadway, Loughton, on Friday (November 27), to see school children get the festive celebrations under way with a Christmas carol service.
Santa then paid a visit in his sleigh, arriving to help town mayor Judy Jennings turn on the Christmas lights.
He then spread festive cheer around the area with Mrs Christmas, taking a carriage ride before stopping at the Cottage Loaf pub for more live music.
Town clerk Enid Walsh said: “We were delighted with the large attendance at this year’s Christmas event in The Broadway despite the wet weather and would like to thank all the volunteers involved for ensuring the event’s success, particularly Father and Mrs Christmas.”
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