It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas in Hitchin as the town starts its festive celebrations by ‘flicking the switch’ at their lights this evening – completed with festive binstallations!

Hitchin’s switch on in Market Place will see lucky competition winner, Molly-Ivanoski-Nichol, six, from the town whisked away from her house by a vintage fire engine to turn the town’s lights on.

Youngster Molly, gets to ride in Dennis, a perfectly preserved 1987 fire engine and its crew known as Ladder 87 who ran the competition.

Ladder 87 is also urging everyone to get involved and light up Hitchin by buying their luminous flash bands.

There will also be a chance to enjoy a wonderful celebration of community spirit with music and stalls with street traders starting from 4pm,

Crowd favourites Choir on Fire will be performing from 4.45pm to 5.15pm – with Molly turning the lights on at 6.15pm followed by live music by The New Town Centres at 6.30pm.

Talking of town centres passionate anti-litter campaginer Rachel Campbell of Wymondley Road has been busy creating festive rubbish bins for the many hundreds of revellers to put their rubbish into.

Rachel, who is known for her previous ‘binstallations’ – including Chupa Chups prints – which not only helped brighten up the town but helped prevent littering.

But for one night only Rachel has created festive bins. She said: “I am partnering with Ladder 87.

“These bins are a bit of fun which I hope will remind people to keep doing the right thing – look after Hitchin and use the bins whether they look like a crazy Christmas tree or not.

“If any local Hitchin shop or cafe wants to give one of the bins a home on the run up to Christmas – in a prominent place in the centre of town where people can see and use them – they are welcome to do so.”

Book loving revellers are then urged to visit the pop-up version of Eric T Moore books that is opening until 8pm for people leaving the lights switch on to pick up Christmas presents at bargain prices. She said: “Our pop-up opening day coincides with the lights – we think it will be a fabulous evening all round!”