Forres High Street’s light switch-on attended by hundreds is a great success

A crowd well into the hundreds turned out to celebrate the switching on of a town’s Christmas lights.

Forres High Street was packed with a crowd that organisers estimate was somewhere between 400 and 500 people.

The lights were switched on by Santa at 5pm on Saturday to big cheers from delighted onlookers.

Santa was wheeled along to the lights switch-on in a trishaw invested in by Forres Rotary.

Chairman of the Forres Christmas Lights commitee, Alan Hunter, said: “The public seemed to enjoy themselves.

“The kids were really happy to see and speak to Santa.

“I would like to thank the public for turning out and for their support and appreciation. It makes it all worthwhile.”

A total of £701 was raised by volunteers shaking buckets at the Christmas lights.

Funds will help the committee keep the event running - with Alan confirming that it will return in 2025.

“Each year we try to improve our display,” he said. “And next year will be no different.

“We will try to add new displays and phase out some of our older lights.”