Bright sparks in Manningtree are beaming after their festive late-night event was a light-up success.

It was one of the only towns or villages in Essex to get a licence for Christmas lights.

It was well worth the effort as more than 1,000 people turned out for the event.

  • It was dubbed Walton's Christmas Spectacular - and it didn't disappoint.

Organisers decided to buck the late-night shopping trend and hold the town's seasonal event during the day on Saturday - and it worked a treat.

John Halls, of the Walton Community Project, said: "It was really something special, certainly one of the best in recent years."