Santa and his sleigh will be lighting up the borough when the Christmas festivities get under way in earnest on Thursday.

An afternoon of festive fun is in store with events taking place across the town centre from 2pm.

The War Memorial Gardens will be transformed into Kingston's Christmas Kingdom, complete with a live nativity farm and children's workshops.

Market Place will come alive with the traditional German market and a musical collaboration from schools across the borough from 4pm.

Music from Borough Brass and the Southern Serenaders will entertain shoppers in Clarence Street and Tiffin School's swing band and Kingston Youth Big Band will play at Eden Walk.

Clarence Street will have entertainment from Radio Jackie, comedy and street theatre shows and there will be a carol service at All Saints' Church at 4.30pm, followed by the launch of the Royal Kingston Christmas craft and gift fair on the church lawn.

The Christmas lights will be simultaneously switched on at 6pm at the Bentall Centre, Clarence Street and Eden Walk and there will be late night shopping until 8pm.

Christmas cheer in the Bentall Centre can only mean one thing - the return of the bears.

The first performance by the Bentall Centre's bears, Barney, Amber and Daisy, is at 6pm on November 15. Shoppers can watch the bears on the hour and half-hour daily until January 3.

Heather Joy, marketing manager for the Bentall Centre, said: "The number of enquiries we have received regarding the return of our bear family has been fantastic.

"It's clear that all of us at the centre are not the only ones pleased to have them home."

For further information, call 020 8547 5016.