HUNDREDS gathered at Castlepoint Shopping Park in Bournemouth to witness this year’s Christmas lights switch-on.

Celebrity guests from the festive pantomime performance of Jack and the Beanstalk were on hand to help with the switch-on ceremony on Friday evening.

Star trio Rachel Stevens, Derek Moran and Mark Moraghan were greeted by the crowd who were ready and waiting to kick off the festive season in style.

The performers took time out of their busy rehearsing schedule to attend the event, with the curtain coming up for opening night of the panto at the Pavilion next Saturday.

Through the wonders of technology there was no big red button or giant lever at the switch-on.

Instead, Castlepoint centre manager David Pickett used a mobile phone application to turn the shopping park into a glowing wonder of festive lights.

In the build up to the switch-on, shoppers reported traffic problems around the centre, with many spending long periods waiting to leave the car park.