PORLOCK High Street was buzzing with residents and visitors enjoying retail therapy, music and entertainment during the village’s annual late night Christmas shopping and Santa festival.

Entertainment for the popular event was provided by West Somerset Morris dancers, West Somerset Brass Band, Friends in Harmony, live band Blythwood, town crier Grant Dennis and Porlock Panto, plus a Santa’s grotto and face painting for the youngsters.

As well as shops being open, there were stalls and pop-up shops against a backdrop of lights and Christmas trees.

Porlock Visitor Centre manager Deborah Stanyon said: "It was an amazing event and we were so pleased with how everything went. My huge thanks to all the performers and traders, and to the many volunteers who helped."

The event also included the Santa Dash when runners raced in their Santa suits - plus two dressed as turkeys - from one end of the High Street to the other, rewarded with a pint at the Top Ship Inn for their efforts.

The Santa Festival was launched on Friday, December 10, with a wonderful array of Santas around the village judged by a village panel which awarded the Best Santa of the Year and the Porlock Newsletter Best Santa cup to the Top Ship pub with its display named ’Sloe Down Santa’.

Second place was ’Santa’s Solution’ by The Cottage B&B and third equal were ’Santa’s Checklist’ by the Spar and ’Rudolf’s Lie-in’ by Myrtle Cottage B&B.

The Lorna Doone Best Comic Santa cup went to ’Santa’s Checklist’ by the Spar and the Porlock Visitor Centre Most Festive Santa cup went to ’Santa’s Starry Night’ by Porlock Pharmacy.

Porlock’s Santa Trail - available in several outlets along the High Street - will be on display until the end of December.