ECO-FRIENDLY festive lights will make Christmas extra-special in Eastleigh this year.

The festivities officially began at the weekend when a day of seasonal celebrations took place in the town, culminating in the switching on of the brand new £25,000 lights and a fireworks display.

The energy-saving lights will brighten up the town centre streets into the new year.

The Mayor of Eastleigh Councillor Peter Wall performed the switch-on. He told the Daily Echo: "We have had to spend some more money this year renewing the Christmas lights. We took advantage of trying to get low energy-consumption lights for the town so they are not as expensive to run and are eco-friendly."

Ahead of the big switch-on, there were fairground rides, a mini ice rink, reindeer, a climbing wall, street entertainers and bands, while shopkeepers and councillors dressed in Victorian costume.

Meanwhile hundreds of people packed Romsey's Town Square for the annual turning on of the Christmas lights and winter carnival procession.

Entertainment was provided by jugglers, stilt-walkers and The Mountbatten School band. Percy the Owl, mascot of Paultons Park, performed the switch-on, helped by Scottish funnyman Scotty.