HUNDREDS of Tywyn residents braved the bad weather to watch the town council’s first official Christmas Lights switch on.

With help from the Tywyn Events Organisation, council chair John Boulter pushed the plunger and turned on the Meirionnydd town’s festive lights.

Santa was on hand to meet and greet the town’s children and hand out goody bags as presents.

Santa was ably assisted on the day by Mrs Claus and an elf who kept spirits up despite whirling wind and rain.

Free drinks and cakes were also provided by the Baptist Church.

Tywyn chair John Boulter thought the event was excellent.

“I felt it all went very well, it was certainly very well attended when you consider the weather,” he told the Cambrian News.

“It was very wet and windy but we still had two or three hundred people there - about 150 goody bags were handed out to the town’s children.

“As a town council, we’d like to thank Tywyn Events Organisation for their efforts, the feedback has all been very positive.

“This event gives us something to build on for next year, hopefully we can do something even bigger and better next year.”

Bob Edwards, chair of the Tywyn Events Organisation added: “It was a really good night, a great success.

“We had Santa handing out presents, a bit of music and some lights too.

“We organise a few events throughout the year so we’d be happy to help next year if the town council wants us to.

“We’d like to do something more, perhaps a Christmas show or similar.

“It’d be great to try and get as many people from Tywyn, and the shopkeepers, involved as possible.”