There was rocking around the Christmas tree as hundreds gathered in Woking town centre today (Thursday, November 20) for a festive evening of light entertainment.

There were cheers just after 5pm in Jubilee Square as the mayor of Woking and the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey turned on the town’s Christmas lights.

While shoppers expecting to see a “secret celebrity guest” doing the honours may have been disappointed, there was plenty to warm the heart on a cold November night.

The Rock Choir did their bit, belting out hits from Guns N Roses, Keane, Blondie and others to get the crowd in a party mood as the clock ticked down.

The Woking Rotary Club sleigh and Santa Claus dropped in while a Christmas market gave hungry shoppers the chance to buy everything from cookies to Bratwurst.

At the heart of it all was the eight-metre Nordic spruce donated and sponsored by the Woking Asian Business Forum, adorned by sparkling lights sponsored by Boz’s Fruit and Veg.

The crowd knew the big moment was approaching when the choir recited Silent Night before Lord-Lieutenant Michael More-Molyneux led a round of applause for the sponsors and urging revellers to embrace peace.

He said: “Can I please thank the Woking Asian Business Forum as I think this is their 18th year of sponsoring the tree so I think we should give them a big hand.

“Let’s try and do what we can to bring around a more peaceful world,” he added before starting the final countdown with the help of the crowd.

And although she managed a little bit of dancing, Mayor Cllr Amanda Boote had to fly like Rudolph having agreed to turn on Byfleet’s Christmas lights on the same evening.

She said: “I think I’ll have to take a ride on the sleigh to make it.”