Christmas tree festival at St Peter's and St Mary's Church in Stowmarket boasts 360 trees

A Stowmarket church has officially stepped into Christmas with 360 tinselled and twinkling trees on display at its annual festival.

St Peter’s and St Mary’s Church, in Station Road West, launched its 14th Christmas Tree Festival with trees decorated by various local businesses and organisations on show.

The church also hosted its Christmas lights switch-on which saw Jack and Tim Goodacre, who were finalists in this year’s Britain’s Got Talent, perform.

Michael Eden, vicar of Stowmarket, said: “Every time I go into the church there’s lots of people wandering around so it’s been an excellent start.

“It’s a lovely way of preparing for Christmas and for the hope of Christmas advent.”

The festival, which attracted around 35,000 visitors last year, will run until January 5, giving everyone the chance to go along and see the tree designs, all of which focus on the theme of nativity.

Church services will continue as normal throughout the festival and Michael even has a wedding to perform among the trees next weekend.

“It is always a really lovely sight when all the trees are lit up and things are going on as normal. It’s a very nice Christmas atmosphere,” he said.

• For more pictures see this week's Bury Free Press.