Last updated 18:11, Monday, 01 December 2008

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Crowds gather for the lantern procession.

ABOUT 400 people joined Santa and 1960s group Marmalade to welcome Christmas in Maryport on Sunday.

Maryport Town Council bought new lights this year to extend the display up Crosby Street.

When workmen arrived to put the lights up, however, town mayor Mary-Claire Telford was told the work could not be done because of scaffolding on businesses being given a make-over at the moment.

She said: “I just know there is going to be criticism about the lights. But we have them - the council bought them - and they are sitting in our offices because they can’t go up.”

Whatever problems the organisers were facing, however, the atmosphere in the Memorial Gardens was one of excitement as Coun Telford, with eight town children, switched on the lights.

The pupils - Nathan McMullen, five, Terezia Holecova, five, Kieran Bell, five, Ciara Morrison, nine, Ellis Hewer, seven, Theo Dixon, six, Brooklyn Harris, eight, and Thomas Quale - won a competition by writing a story on what they would do if they were mayor for the day.

Coun Telford praised the children who had given her some great ideas, she said, including building a home for cats and opening a KFC in Maryport.

The annual Christmas Festival was moved to the Maryport Social Club on Mealpot Road this year after closure of the town’s Civic Hall.

Debra Park, of organisers Maryport Festivals, said they were grateful to the social club, which had opened its doors for free.

The venue was small and people were packed in but that did nothing to dampen spirits of children and adults alike.

There were charity stalls and youngsters painted lanterns and were entertained by Cheekie Charley with his magic balloons.

The highlight of the afternoon was the appearance of 60s pop group, Marmalade, famous for their version of the Beatles’ Ob-La-Di-Ob-La-Da.

They played a selection of hits and entertained the crowd.