THOUSANDS of people flocked to Odiham for the village’s annual celebration of Christmas.

Organisers estimated that up to 5,000 people flocked to High Street last Thursday to browse the village’s shops and get in the festive spirit.

Actors Grey Airey and Amanda Goldthorpe-Hall, who will star in the Dick Whittington pantomime at the Harlington Centre, in Fleet, turned on the village’s Christmas lights.

Other attractions included fairground rides, Santa’s grotto, performances by singers and musicians from schools in Odiham, and stalls selling fresh produce.

The event was organised for the first time by InOdiham, a group of shops in the High Street that formed this year, taking inspiration from retail guru Mary Portas.

Jan Baker, who runs The Frame, was one of the organisers. She said: “It was absolutely amazing. It makes you feel part of the community.

“The event is to promote trade, but we had a great collection of stalls and lots of people singing.”