A BIGGER and better Christmas lights switch-on is being promised for Gorleston with more stalls and live entertainments than at last year's yuletide curtain raiser.

A BIGGER and better Christmas lights switch-on is being promised for Gorleston with more stalls and live entertainments than at last year's yuletide curtain raiser.

Former Anglia TV presenter Helen McDermott will be the special guest.

She will switch on the lights next to the Christmas tree at the bottom of the High Street opposite Iceland supermarket at 6pm next Friday.

She will be joined by pantomime dame Mark Hudson as Widow Twankey.

Linda Pitcher, one of the event organisers, said there would be a marquee at the top of the High Street near the precinct which was not present last year.

This will be hosting the live music, headlined by girl band EFX who won through to ITV's X Factor's Boot Camp. They also performed at local events including the Town Centre Music Festival in July.

The music will start at 6pm before EFX appear at 7pm, followed by the band Shake, Rattle and Roll who will keep the show rolling from 7.30pm onwards.

Stradbroke School choir will perform by the Christmas tree and there will be an appearance by the Endeavour Rangers marching band.

Shops in the High Street and Baker Street are due to open until 10pm and there will be stalls, roundabouts for the children, hot chestnuts

and candy floss, as well as

Santa's Grotto which will be at Fusion Hair Consultants in the High Street.

Money from the late night event will go to the Palliative Care East Appeal to create a centre providing clinical care for patients suffering from cancer and other serious illnesses with the aim of improving quality of life.

The Mia Lucy Rose Trust will also be opening its High Street shop to provide coffee for thirsty shoppers.

The Lions Club will have a sleigh near party shop Sentiments where Santa will be waiting with sweeties for the children.

The High Street will be closed during the late night shopping and parking will be provided at Morrison's car park in Blackwall Reach, the precinct car park and the car park opposite Mr Chips in the High Street which will be free on the night.

Linda said: “We will have more

stalls at this year's event than last year.”