HUNDREDS of people watched steam trains, Father Christmas and zombies take part in a parade through Boscombe.

Children and their families stood on the pavements in Christchurch Road, residents watched out of windows as the rain came down and shoppers stopped to enjoy the fun of the Boscombe Christmas Parade featuring participants from this year's Shelley Frankenstein Festival, which finished yesterday.

It aimed to celebrate the work of Mary Shelley and her connections to the area.

Among the many floats which travelled from The Bell pub by Pokesdown train station to Boscombe shopping precinct included Father Christmas on a train carriage, large papier mache figures and a group of dancers who moved to Michael Jackson's Thriller.

The Mayor of Bournemouth, Cllr Eddie Coope, was joined by Boscombe West ward councillors, Jane Kelly and Chris Wakefield, also took part in the parade, which was supported by Creative Kids and the Bournemouth Coastal BID.

Mark Evans, the landlord of The Bell pub, who organised the event, said: "Despite the weather, I am really impressed with how it went.

"We got rained on but the event itself was just perfect. I think that everybody enjoyed it.

"I have never helped to organise a carnival before and it has worked very well.

"Cindy Jermon has been organising the event for years now and she wants to step down, so her to hand it over to me is a huge honour."

He said that he hopes to have even more traders from Pokesdown and Boscombe taking part in next year's event, which he and Cary Lightfoot from Creative Kids will start arranging in January.

Following the parade, families could enjoy a children's disco in the pub and face painting, while outside some festive lights were switched on to brighten up Pokesdown green.

In Boscombe precinct, the weather took a turn for the worse and rained poured down over the staged area for the lights switch-on further along the pedestrianised area near McDonald's.