A TV singing star is set to launch Christmas in Wickford with a £10,000 event described as "spectacular" by organisers.

Che Chesterman from Basildon who reached the final of X Factor will switch on the festive cheer on Sunday in the high street.

The whole event is drawn up with a small committee of nine people.

There will be a parade from noon from the Railway Bridge and Mr Chesterman will light up town at 4pm.

Wickford at Christmas organisers say there's a buzz in the town about the event.

Secretary Dawn Hutson said: "We've got around 12 Disney characters, pipers and lots more for the parade and there will be rides.

"We have 44 stalls too and a main stage in the high street with other entertainment in the Ladygate Centre and Willows Centre too.

"I've been speaking with businesses and schools and there's a such buzz about the town for the event.

"We start planning this really early in the year and have a high demand for stalls. We focus on performers from the borough and do get approached by lots too."

She said it takes lots of work to store and install the Christmas lights and the town cannot wait to celebrate the festive period after Covid halted last year's event.

David Harrison, committee member said they are also working on attracting someone from the worlds of sports to open the event.

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He said: "It will be a great achievement and a lot of work has gone into this and fundraising throughout the year.

"I think it's so important that we can mark the start of the Christmas period after the last year.

"It's going to be spectacular and its all done with a small group of great people who have been doing fantastic work."

On Saturday festivities filled Basildon with activities and entertainment across the whole town centre including the Eastgate Centre, Town Square and St Martin's Square where the event concluded with a fireworks display at 6pm.

It included rides, Santa's grottos in Eastgate and the market, food stalls, festive mini-golf, live performances the main stage in St Martin's Square including a Robbie Williams tribute act.

The cast of this year's Towngate Theatre Panto Beauty and the Beast also made an appearance.