Christmas cheer is beginning to descend on Furness as an annual Christmas Tree Festival got under way yesterday.

The event, at St Mary's Church, Dalton, is now in its 15th year as it welcomes both local and national charities to decorate their own Christmas trees to raise money for many different causes.

Festival organiser Sylvia Stoker has thanked all the charities that take part and keep contributing each year.

She said: "The church is absolutely beautiful and has the warmest and most welcoming atmosphere.

"They say this is the start of our Christmas! People who come here say they are blown away by the experience."

This year the festival will showcase 50 trees with 48 different causes to donate to. Each year the trees are decorated in a different theme. This time the theme is 'let's go to the cinema'. The display features an incredible wide variety of different films or film-themes, including Jurassic Park , Toy Story , Harry Potter , Star Wars and Frozen .

Mrs Stoker also said: "I would like to thank all the volunteers and I am so thankful to them because without them it would not happen."

Also taking place this weekend is the Dalton Christmas lights switch-on. The festivities will be taking place on Sunday, November 29, in Tudor Square, Dalton. 

The St Mary's Church festival runs right through until the December 27, where the church will host a number of events leading up to Christmas Day and the final day of the event. 

The Christmas Tree Festival will be open Fridays and Saturdays 2pm-6pm, and Sundays from 2pm-5.30pm.

Visit www.daltonstmary.co.uk for more information about the festival.

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