Christmas Festival's warm glow on a chilly night

Nothing if not varied, Saturday s town centre parade - watched by many hundreds lining the streets - was headed by the vibrant and energetic Hastings Borough Bonfire Boys band.

With their infectious drum rhythms and flaming torches, they quickly caught the attention of crowds waiting three and four deep in places in the cold and drizzle along the town centre route.

Most parades have a police car at their head. With the occasional "Whoop! Whoop!" of its siren, Tim and Jackie Dennis 1977 Chevrolet Impala - in California Highway Patrol guise - brought a touch of the exotic.

Coldest place in the procession was held by the plucky girls of Bexhill s Carnival Court. With their cloaks clutched about them, Carnival Queen Anita Clow, Princesses Mia Stephens and Katie Roy plus three year-old mascot Cloe Wallis managed smiles despite chattering teeth.

Asked afterwards if she was cold, tiny Cloe responded with a defiant "No!"

Bringing the message of the real Christmas to an otherwise secular event, Revelation Christian Bookshop contributed a young team in costume to provide a mobile nativity play. Later, they sang carols in Devonshire Road.

Autopoint s buses, which provided the day s park-and-ride facility, contrasted with East Sussex Transport Preservation Group s 1951 Leyland PD2 double-decker and 1957 AEC Reliance single-decker.

Bexhill-based 1066 Cruisers Rod And Custom Club contributed such idiosyncrasies as a supercharged van called Blown Idle and a V8 Ford Popular dubbed Pinky And Purply.

There was no shortage of music to make the parade go with a swing, from the Blue Stars Marching Band to the Hastings 1066 Pipe And Drum Band, not to mention the stilt-walkers Sergeant Pepper routine..

Best (i.e. warmest) vantage point for the parade were the crowded landings of the pavilion north staircase.

One casualty of the parade was Cllr Jean Hopkinson. Despite tripping on Bexhill s notorious uneven paving, cutting her knee and bruising her elbow, she continued with a street survey on behalf of Bexhill Promotions Group.

"Reaction to the festival has been very good - very positive.

"Most people are thoroughly enjoying themselves but there is no disguising the fact that they don t like the absence of Christmas lights.

"A lot of people have said they think last night s late-night shopping should be combined with today s festival next year. There was nobody about last night - look at them all tonight!

"The comments they have given me speak for themselves - 'Christmas hasn t arrived in Western Road ; 'Sidley, Little Common and Old Town have more lights than Bexhill ."