YOUR St Helens Star's very own 'stars' will be lighting up the sky tonight (Thursday, November 20).

For our Miss St Helens Starbud Show Princess, four-year-old Zoe Marie Westhead from Haydock, and our Starlad winner, six-year-old Jonathan Griffiths from Parr, will perform the official switching-on of the town's Christmas lights at 7pm in Church Square.

This also marks the start of late-night shopping and extended openings and the switch-on will be followed by the arrival of Father Christmas.

Magic 1548 and Channel One television will be producing a full programme of events on the night, starting at 6pm, with popular radio duo Billy Butler and Wally Scott hosting the event and producing a range of on-stage entertainment including a special guest group.

St Helens Council say both the Church Square Shopping Centre and Hardshaw Shopping Centre will have late-night trading to cater for the thousands of Christmas shoppers in the town.

Other attractions will include:

Silcock's Christmas Train plus a children's amusement ride.

Special needs Night, Hardshaw Centre for disabled shoppers (Tuesday, December 2) from 6.30 to 8.30pm.

Christmas Grotto will open at 11am in the Hardshaw Centre on Saturday, November 22. This year's theme will be Toy Wonderland.

There will be a special event on Thursday, December 18 - Carols by Candlelight in Church Square (inside parish church if wet) held by SHINE at 7pm.

The extended hours and late-night shopping starts tonight (Thursday), while Sunday trading begins on November 23. Arrangements are as follows:

CHURCH SQUARE:

Stores will open until 9pm every Thursday from and including November 20 to Thursday, December 18.

From December 1 normal trading extended to 6pm.

Friday, December 19 - 6pm close; Monday, December 22 - 8pm close; Tuesday, December 23 - 8pm close; Wednesday, December 24 - 5.30pm close.

Car parking on Sundays is free of charge from 10am to 5pm. There is extended car parking on late nights until 9.30pm with free parking for all who enter car parks after 6pm.

HARDSHAW CENTRE

Late-night trading until 9pm on Thursdays (November 20 and 27, December 4,11 and 18).

Friday, December 19 8pm close; Saturday, December 20 - 7pm close; Monday, December 22 - 9pm close; Tuesday, December 23 - 9pm close.

Sunday trading (from 10.30am to 4.30pm) is on November 23 and 30 and December 7,14 and 21.

Various bands and choirs will also feature in the shopping centres.

St Helens Council would like to thank Richard and Diane Rainford of Rainfords Farm for donating the Church Square Christmas tree.

FURTHER information from council events officer Jenny Lloyd on (01744) 456991/2.

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