From crepes to onions and garlic - there was plenty to keep the winter chill away in Stanford-le-Hope yesterday.

Hundreds of people braved the cold breeze - strong enough to keep the tricolour flags flying - to visit the French Market in the King Street car park throughout the day, taking the chance to search out Christmas presents and festive flavours.

The market had visited Stanford in the summer and proved such a hit, it was invited back again in the run-up to Christmas - visiting Grays on Friday and Saturday too.

More than a dozen stalls offered a wide Continental range of goods centred, of course, on food.

Scattered among the French baguettes, Brioche, sausage and sweet stalls there were warm woollies, silk pyjamas, knick-knacks and wooden sculptures - a real Continental choice.

And, as darkness fell and the stalls were put away, the town's focus moved a couple of hundred yards up the High Street where the Hope Committee had organised a festive celebration to light Stanford's Christmas tree outside the Inn On The Green, opposite St Margaret's Church.

Carols and a Nativity play were enjoyed as the lights, donated by St Luke's Hospice, were switched on.

Published Monday December 17, 2001