A RECORD crowd turned out for the ‘best yet’ Beacon Hill Christmas Market, where Haslemere Mayor David Round switched on the lights with the help of the youngest Beacon Hill Primary School pupils, on Sunday.

Haslemere is now gearing up for an estimated 10,000 visitors at the town’s blockbuster Christmas Market on Sunday, December 2, from 10am to 4pm.

Beacon Hill Light Brigade chairman Brian Walsh, who opened last Sunday’s event, said: “Everybody had a really good time. We had 27 stalls, up from 22 last year, which is just about full capacity.

“The Phyllis Tuckwell shop stayed open and we had the Cookie Bar Bus.

“There were carols around the tree with Haslemere Town Band.”

“Our fantastic light display rivals anything locally and is worthy of a town, let alone a small village in Surrey. We have eight large animated designs and over 1,500 multi-coloured light strings.”

nMore Beacon Hill pictures on pages six & seven. Haslemere Christmas Market information on p11.