MORE than a hundred people braved a chilly evening for the Christmas lights switch-on in the village of Burn near Selby.

Minster FM’s Victoria Charles, assisted by the cuddly Minster Monster mascot, kept the crowd entertained on Saturday with seasonal music and games and lay-preacher Ann Wilson offered some more serious thoughts on the meaning of Christmas.

Switching on the lights this year was Paul Mudd, Divisional Commander of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, and the village collected over £100 on the day for the ambulance service’s charitable fund. The fund supports community first aid training and community defibrillators and will be Burn village’s nominated charity for the year.

Paul follows local postman Myles Boothman who did the honours in 2016 as part of the village’s commitment to honour local heroes, and received an honorary title of “Chief Medical Officer for Burn” and the freedom of the village.

Santa arrived in a lorry, courtesy of Phil Barton, on Burn’s equivalent of the Coca Cola truck, with tombolas, cards and crafts and bakery items at the Christmas market.

Chris Phillipson, Parish Council chairman, said: "Burn lights event marks the beginning of Christmas for so many people and it was a pleasure to see faces old and new this year. We’re only a little village, with under 400 residents, but we know how to put on a show.

"I’m delighted we’re supporting Yorkshire Ambulance Service this coming year and look forward to planning various events which will all help raise funds for YAS’s charitable fund."