A SCHOOLGIRL will switch on the Eccleshill Christmas lights after winning a poster design competition.

Tracey-Leigh O'Melia, eight, will press the button to light up the village this Sunday.

The Our Lady and St Brendan's RC Primary School pupil won this year's competition to design a poster to kick-off Eccleshill's lights switch-on event.

Nicola Pollard, chairman of the Eccleshill Village Steering Group, said: "We are delighted that Tracey-Leigh will be the star of the switch-on and hope that our colourful poster will bring lots of people out to join the procession and the entertainment afterwards.

"It is one of the main annual community events in the Eccleshill calendar."

Eccleshill's switch-on event starts at 4.45pm in the village's Recreation Ground, on Stone Hall Road, with carol singing. This will be followed at 5pm by a procession up to the Mechanics Institute where the switch-on will take place at 5.15pm. Residents are also invited to bring lanterns and torches to the event.

This will be followed by Christmas music from children and staff at St Luke's Primary School and other singers from St Luke's Church.

The Christmas lights will go ahead following £3,000 raised by residents and businesses at the village's fair held in JKuly.