THE festive season will arrive in style in a Worcestershire village tonight when a giant Christmas tree is lit up.

At 6pm this evening the Laxford House Christmas tree switch-on of 1,000 lights will be held in Inkberrow in front of the home of Avril and Christopher Rowlands, of Poplar Piece, Inkberrow.

From small beginnings in 1978, when the tree arrived on the roof rack of a Mini and was planted in a front garden, it has grown to more than 40ft and now boasts 1,000 lights.

The event is a popular one in the village calendar and collects money for charity, this year money raised will be in aid of Acorns Children's Hospice.