ACTOR Martin Clunes will be among the guests carolling at a Christmas spectacular organised in aid of Julia’s House.

The Doc Martin star, who is a patron of the children’s hospice charity, will be one of the celebrity readers taking part in Carols by Candlelight at Wimborne Minster on Wednesday, December 9. Fashion designer Jasper Conran, a long-standing supporter of the charity, will also be doing a reading.

Organiser Jacqui Greenhaf, of Julia’s House, said it was due to be a "magical" evening.

“Christmas is a really busy time for families. Imagine how much harder it is to find the time to do your shopping, wrap presents or decorate the tree when you are providing round-the-clock care for a really poorly child," she said.

“Carols by Candelight promises to be a very special evening – but it will be made all the more magical knowing that every ticket sold will help us provide a desperately needed break for a family.”

The festive evening will involve poetry, prose, music and traditional carols, and there will also be performances from Rock Choir.

Guests are invited to stay on after the concert and continue the festivities with a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie.

Martin Clunes, who lives in Beaminster, has made numerous fundraising guest appearances on behalf of Julia’s House and also raises money for the charity through his popular annual Buckham Fair.

Tickets for Carols by Candelight cost £15 with under-12s free and are available online at juliashouse.org/carols or by calling the fundraising office on 01202 644220. The concert will help raise funds to support families with life-limited children across Dorset and Wiltshire.