HE may be best-known for his worldwide hit In The Summertime, but he will be headlining the Christmas celebrations in Westbourne.

Ray Dorset, of Mungo Jerry fame, says he is “over the moon” to have been picked to perform the switch-on of the festive lights in at the Christmas Festival near his home.

Ray lives in Westbourne with his wife Britta but has never before been asked to take part in anything like the festival, which takes place on Saturday, December 6.

“It’s a great place,” he said.

“We’ve got all the shopping facilities, nice restaurants and places to eat and chill out and then you can walk to the beach.

“I’m really over the moon to be asked to do this completely out of the blue. It’s the first time it’s been done in Westbourne in such a big way.”

Despite the wintry theme of the event, Ray said he would be singing In The Summertime, the song that became one of the best-selling singles ever.

He said the song’s lyrics – with the lines “Have a drink, have a drive, go out and see what you can find” – were “politically incorrect” if taken out of context.

“But it depends how you see it. Because of the lyric now it’s more controversial than when it was out originally, but you can’t put a stop to it because it’s run away with itself worldwide,” he said.

“In the English speaking countries they understand the lyric, or think they do, but every country knows the song.”

Ray was working at a Timex research laboratory when he wrote the song. “I asked my boss for the afternoon off so I could do Top of the Pops,” he said.

He added: “It’s a celebration of life and it means a lot to a lot of people. There’s something about the recording of the song that’s original.”

The singer said he had recently returned to songwriting. “I had written three number ones. I stopped writing about eight years ago because I was doing a lot of legal stuff.

“That’s behind me and I’m writing lots of stuff for people,” he said.

The 68-year-old singer is still regularly recognised and enjoys speaking to fans.

Full day of entertainment on offer

WESTBOURNE Christmas Festival runs all day on Saturday, December 6.

There will be entertainment at various locations including the Victorian arcade and outside So Furniture, with the main stage in front of Marks and Spencer offering entertainment from 10am-4.30pm plus goodies from Jack FM.

Performers will include the Jimmy Hill Billies, Bournemouth University Big Band, The Ageas Retail Choir, SBLAS Performing Arts School, Swing Unlimited Community Band, Buckholme Towers School Choir and more, plus dancing from Westbourne dance school Salsa Explosion.

Ray Dorset will switch on the lights at around 4.15pm at the main stage.

Traders will be putting on special events and promotions, including Christmas films at Colosseum cinema; food tasting at M&S; chocolate tasting at Chocol8; free croissants with coffee and tea purchases at Cuisina Tapas Restaurant; crafts at Westbourne Library; free beach bags with each purchase at Beach and Body swimwear; and a 12-inch sausage-eating competition at Peter Treble Butchers.