NORTH Oxfordshire residents are being invited to the town’s Christmas knees-up with the spectacular switch on of Banbury’s festive lights.

Emmerdale star Jeff Hordley will do the honours at 5.30pm on Sunday at a stage in front of the town hall in Bridge Street.

The Cain Dingle actor will cap off an afternoon of fantastic entertainment from an array of live music acts.

He said: “I’m really looking forward to coming to Banbury and hopefully meeting all the Emmerdale fans, I hope they are enjoying all the bad boy story lines I have in the show at the moment.

“My best mate Graeme Hawley, who plays John Stape in Coronation Street, comes from the Banbury area and may come along so it could be double trouble!”

Banbury Sound breakfast show presenter Kirsty Leahy and Radio Horton’s Paul Franklin will get proceedings underway at 1.50pm.

Rock act The High Jinks, which draws members from Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, will be first up at 2pm.

They will be followed at 2.35pm by the Banbury branch of The Rock Choir.

Bicester born R&B artist Hope Bush is on at 2.55pm and Little Miss Sixties will be on stage at 3.20pm.

Banbury classic rock band Neva Mynd are scheduled on at 4pm and will be followed by 70s tribute act Abba Fever at 4.40pm. Stilt walkers, a Santa float by Banbury Cross Round Table, a fairground in Market Place and Christmas market in Cornhill will top off the entertainment. There will also be a fireworks display.

The event has been organised by Banbury Town Council and is co-sponsored by Oxford Mail’s sister paper The Banbury Cake.

Town council events and projects officer Ann Sewell said: “We are really pleased to be bringing the town such a wonderful festive event.”

The round table will be taking its float around the town to collect cash for charity from Friday December 3.

It will be in the Bankside area from 6pm to 9pm on December 3 and Lower Hardwick and Hanwell Fields on the next two days respectively during the same times.

For full details visit tinyurl.com/6q8sycf.