Organisers of a Christmas lights event in Market Drayton are hoping for a bigger turn out than ever.

The switch-on of the town’s lights display is at 6.30pm on Friday.

Val Taylor, from Market Drayton Town Council, said the event usually attracts crowds of thousands, but this year would probably see more visitors than ever, thanks to a new programme of events to kick off Christmas in the town.

“I’m really looking forward to it and hopefully it will stay dry, but even if it rains it won’t dampen our spirits,” she said.

“The square is normally jam-packed and then there’s all the stalls, but this year there is a procession with schoolchildren so all their parents will be there.

“We normally get a couple of thousand, but we might have more there than ever before. The kids just love it.”

Mrs Taylor said the light display, which costs about £11,000 each year, has been running for more than 20 years.

Anne Weeks, secretary of the Market Drayton Chamber of Trade and owner of the Ginger Jar in Market Drayton, agreed this year’s event would be the best ever.

“We have got schoolchildren doing a torchlight procession and there is a nativity play under the Buttercross, so it will hopefully be quite a big event,” she said.

Up to 75 stalls are expected to line the streets of the town.