SANTA, snow and Spiderman will be in Egremont this weekend as the town gets ready to celebrate Christmas.

Children will have the chance to get up close to an array of animals as a mobile zoo comes to visit. And a Christmas Wonderland, including a snow globe, will give youngsters a chance to visit Santa’s grotto.

This Sunday, from 1pm, alongside the zoo, there will be the opportunity to see reindeers and a special visit from Batman, Spiderman and a Stormtrooper.

Geraldine Pritchard, of Egremont Amenity Committee, said: “Our special attraction this year will be a very ‘different’ zoo where the children can look at and touch the animals.

“We ask that the good people of Egremont and beyond please try to come down and support this community event.”

Among the other entertainment is a fireworks finale from the castle and the festive lights.

Turning on the lights this year is Elvina Quayle, a retired florist and long-standing member of the community. And a Christmas tree in the Market Place will be decorated with wishes of children from the five local primary schools: Bookwell, Orgill, St Bridget’s, Moor Row and Thornhill.

The wishes will also be hung on trees at Moor Row and Bigrigg.

Live music is to be performed on a CFM stage with performances from Ben Rowland, The Singstars and Step by Step dancers. Whitehaven Theatre Group will present a preview of its pantomime, Beauty and the Beast .

The Christmas event has been organised by Egremont Amenity Committee with support from Mayson brothers, Millcroft Vets, Reay’s coaches, Memory Lane, Unite, the Copeland community fund and Low Level Waste Repository.