A KALEIDOSCOPE of colourful lights and a packed programme of street entertainment will bring plenty of Christmas cheer to Bromsgrove and Rubery this Yuletide.

Santa Claus will join district council chairman, Councillor John Tidmarsh, for the official switch on ceremonies, this Saturday, November 22, in Bromsgrove, and Saturday, November 29, in Rubery.

Both gentlemen will be accompanied by local schoolchildren to lead a lantern procession.

Four-year-old Molly Bowles, and Lauren Stevens, aged seven, from Stoke Prior First School, will do the honours in Bromsgrove, and John Hazzan and Beth Loat, both 10, from Holywell Primary School, in Rubery.

Youngsters from Meadows First School and Beaconside Nursery and Primary School have made the lanterns.

Each 5pm switch on will be proceeded by three hours of festive fun, including face painting, rural crafts, fire eating and juggling from Bill Brookman's Christmas Street Theatre.

There will also be traditional, but up-tempo, Christmas carols, for everyone to join in, music from Bromsgrove's own Samba band, Someone At The Door, and a visit from the Bromsgrove and Redditch Training Ship Kingfisher Sea Cadet Corps.

Cllr Tidmarsh, said: "Please come along and join us. There will be lots of fun to be had and the more the merrier. We hope the festive lights and celebrations will bring plenty of colour and joy to you, your family and friends this Christmas."

Lighting displays at both venues are bigger and brighter than ever before and in Bromsgrove town centre, thousands of colourful bulbs will offer a Christmas blanket of mini features, shining alongside twinkling stars and the story of The Twelve Days of Christmas.

This year, the lights will go on each day at 3.30pm, half an hour earlier than in previous years.

The Switch On ceremonies will take place outside the Golden Cross pub in Bromsgrove's High Street, and, around the Christmas Tree near to the police station in New Road, Rubery.