HUNDREDS of excited children queued up in Kidderminster's Bull Ring on Saturday to meet a certain white-haired gentleman in a red coat.

In fact Santa - better known as Peter Picken, chairman of Kidderminster Town Centre Partnership - said he was amazed at the number of youngsters in town for the festivities to mark the switching-on of the town's Christmas lights.

He said: "As Santa I started talking to children at 1.30pm and I was still talking to them at 3.30pm."

He said the event was a great success with well in excess of 2,000 people lining Exchange Street and Vicar Street. Many more enjoyed entertainment outside the town hall.

Also proving a big draw for families was Santa's mode of transport - five stunning reindeer who had travelled from the Scottish highlands to attend the event.

The reindeer pulled the sleigh through town at 1.30pm with Santa and the winners of the Shuttle/Times & News sleigh ride competition on board.

The reindeer were then corralled in the Bull Ring until the sleigh moved off at 3.45pm to head for the town hall where the lights were switched on by Kidderminster mayor Helen Dyke.

This year, shoppers in Bridge Street will be able to get into the festive swing as the street has Christmas lights for the first time.