FESTIVE fun will fill Malvern this weekend during the town's Christmas extravaganza.

Children's TV star Kasia Haded - Josie Jump in Balamory - will switch on Great Malvern's lights at 5.45pm today (Friday).

All kinds of seasonal activities have been organised around the big switch-on.

The fun begins at 4pm this afternoon, when Father Christmas will be taken to his grotto behind the town council offices, on Belle Vue Terrace, in a reindeer-drawn sleigh.

Children from local primary schools and Malvern Youth Centre have been making decorations for the grotto, where Father Christmas will be receiving visitors all evening and the following day.

A lantern procession and samba band parade at 5.30pm will take Ms Haded up Church Street to switch on the lights. Other activities include musical performances, street entertainment, refreshments and fireworks in Priory Park at 7.15pm.

Many Malvern businesses will be open late for Christmas shopping.

Town councillors Mike Charles and Pat Merrick have judged the traders' window competition, which had a Christmas theme.

First was Brays, winning a trophy and a meal for two at the Great Malvern Hotel. Audrey Tong, who works in the fashion department, created a display of Christmas bags decorated with gold twigs and gold, silver and red balls and bows.

Drive Pave, in Malvern Link, was runner-up with a window featuring a reindeer, snowy paving and starry sky, while Malvern Studios' festive house scene scooped third prize.