THE 16th annual Christmas tree festival in Watchet’s St Decuman’s Church was a spectacular start to the town’s festive season - and raised more than £4,400 for the 15th century church.

A total of 49 decorated trees were on display from Friday to Sunday, November 28 to 30, attracting large crowds of visitors from as far away as Burnham-on-Sea.

Trees were provided by a wide range of organisations including six scout units, four from Williton and two from Watchet, four Watchet guiding units, the Baptist, Methodist, and Salvation Army churches, Danesfield, Knights Templar, and St Peter's schools, Williton Hospital, Croft House, and Watchet social clubs and charity fund-raising groups.

The theme was ‘Sounds of Christmas’, which resulted in trees depicting the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’, crackers with jokes, Christmas carols, discs of Christmas hits since the 1960s, bells, and churchyard wildlife.

On the Friday morning, a team rang the church bells to herald in the festival and on Saturday a trio provided flute music.

To close the festival, there was a traditional Christingle on Sunday afternoon when a collection was taken for the Children’s Society.

A hamper raffle raised more than £600 and winners were Amanda Benham, Chris and Bob Smith, from Washford, Glenys Knight, Sue Upstone, John Irven, Jon Tarr, Mark Phillips, and Joanne Knight.

On Saturday, the Franklin family, on behalf of Watchet Rainbows, provided bacon rolls and hot dogs.

The trees will remain in St Decuman's through to Epiphany (January 6) and will be lit for all services and for visits of Danesfield School, Knights Templar Nursery, the Den, and Knights Templar reception class.

Festival organiser Tony Knight said: “Thanks to all the helpers, especially Jim, for his steadfast back-ups, and all who attended, making the festival such a wonderful success, and, of course, all the organisations who delighted everybodywith their trees.”