CHRISTMAS has come early for a community that is rallying to help support a popular winter event.

People in Millom will dressing in their best festive fancy dress in less than two weeks' time to raise funds for this year's Winter Wonderland event.

Each year, Russell Townsend and Gina Hine from The Bridge Cafe organise a magical Yuletide event to ensure every child in Millom gets the opportunity to meet Father Christmas.

However, last year's stormy weather left the cafe's wonderful array of decorations in ruins so members of the community are pulling together to ensure that this December's event continues.

Karyn Sharpe, who is helping to organise the fundraising, was eager to do something to help.

She said: "Russell goes out of his way for everyone and it's all for the kids. He is always supporting everyone else in Millom when they've got something else going on so it's nice to give him that support back."

Ms Sharpe has joined forces with friends to organise a special Christmas pub crawl around Millom - while dressed in fancy dress.

The event will begin at The Bridge Cafe where mince pies will be on offer for the revellers to get them in the Christmas spirit.

Ms Sharpe said: "I'm going as a Christmas tree. I just thought it would be really fun in the middle of October. It's just something novel."

The Winter Wonderland extravaganza has been running for the past two years and has delighted many Millom families.

Cafe owner Mr Townsend organises the event with his partner Ms Hine, and the couple put their heart and soul into the annual event, in addition to money from their own pocket.

However, this year the pair are delighted to receive the additional support from the community.

Ms Hine said: "It's really good. Deputy mayor Angela Dixon held a coffee morning as well which raised a lot of money too.

"Last year it absolutely threw it down and we only had decorations for inside, not outside.

"It was just one of those things we'll learn from. It was still a good day but everything got destroyed.

During the event, the cafe gets transformed in a festive theme, with a snow machine, Christmas trees and a visit from Father Christmas.

Ms Hine said: "We do it to bring the magic of Christmas back and we don't charge. It's all for free.

"Millom isn't a rich place and it's the most expensive time of the year as it is."

The bar crawl will take place on Saturday October 15 and will begin at 7pm at The Bridge Cafe in St George's Road, Millom.

Ms Sharpe is encouraging as many people as possible to come along and donate.

She said: "Russell is always there for everybody and he has always supported me so it's nice to give something - but he will then be giving it straight back to the community because it's all for the kids."

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