MUSIC, mince pies and Buttons were all part the festive fun at the tenth annual Christmas lights switch-on celebration in Tadley.

Hundreds of children and cheery folk flocked to do a spot of Christmas shopping, carol singing and join in the countdown to light up Tadley’s Christmas tree at the Ambrose Allen Centre, in Franklin Avenue, Tadley.

Visitors browsed stalls selling everything from jams and jewellery to gifts for pets, while outside fairground attractions, a snow machine, a juggler and stilt-walker kept youngsters entertained.

After carol-singing with Tadley Band and The Hurst Singers and a short play by the Boundary Players, the crowd was ready for the main event.

Doing the honours in 2009 was children’s television presenter Jamie Rickers, who is playing Buttons at The Anvil’s Christmas pantomime Cinderella this year, and who spent much of the evening signing autographs for young fans.

He had the crowd shouting and cheering before leading a countdown and flicking the switch to illuminate Tadley’s tree.

Mr Rickers, from ITV’s Toonattik, said before the switch-on: “It’s nice to come and meet the people who support us – I love it.”

Looking forward to the panto, which opens next week, the entertainer – who will be joined on stage by fellow presenter Anna Williamson as Cinderella - added: “The pantomime is a chance for us to be in front of a live audience rather than just on camera, so there’s nowhere to hide!”

Also among guests on stage in Tadley was Sir George Young, MP for North West Hampshire, who wished the people of Tadley a Merry Christmas, and members of the Jake and Lee Tadley Youth Fund who thanked residents for their votes which helped the charity win £50,000 in ITV Meridian’s The People’s Millions contest last week.

Councillor David Leeks, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Councillor for the Tadley South ward and a key organiser behind the annual event, was delighted. He said: “I don’t think we’ve ever had this many people. We’ve done this for 10 years now and each year it gets better and better.

“It’s a really nice family event for the community. Jamie said he really enjoyed it and it must have been good because people lingered after the switch-on.”