Hundreds of families celebrated the annual Cranleigh Christmas Lights switch-on event on Saturday.

Mayor of Waverley Cllr Mary Foryszewski joined Father Christmas on stage to switch on the lights, along with Graham Bonham-Carter and his granddaughters, Ellie and Minnie, winners of an auction of promises at Cranleigh Arts Centre earlier in the year.

The centerpiece of the switch-on was a 22ft tree in Fountain Square, generously donated by Hans Christmas Andersen at Santa Fir.

The switch-on event, hosted by Cranleigh Chamber of Commerce, was also sponsored by Berkeley Homes and around one hundred local businesses and individuals, who joined forces to donate the £12,000 required to store, inspect, repair, install and remove the Christmas lights each year.

Cranleigh Chamber of Commerce president Rosemary French OBE, one of the event organisers, said:

Staging such a large event for the village requires a serious investment of time and money each year. It wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our sponsors, and the willingness of volunteers to make everything happen.

With challenging conditions on the High Street across the UK, it’s more important than ever that we mark the start of the festive season with a family lights switch-on event, and illuminate our village with this stunning display.

Photo credit: helloimjoe.uk