Fantastical characters from the imagination of creative youngsters will light the way in the Tavistock Dickensian Evening parade.

The lantern parade is a highlight of the festive celebration and it all comes from community workshops where locals are given willow for the frames, coloured lantern tissue and silhouettes to decorate and design the lanterns of their imaginations.

The lanterns include traditional Santas, reindeer, a snowman and a lantern decorated with Brent Tor Church with Santa’s sleigh flying over the tower. Less typically, they also include a spider, bats, a chameleon and a flying horse.

Andy Cairns, of West Devon Art Workshops, led the sessions. He said: “There was no theme to the lanterns, just a lovely opportunity for families to enjoy getting creative and messy.

“They first build a frame from willow, then cover it in lantern tissue before decorating this with coloured tissue and silhouettes.

“They are lit by a battery-powered LED. A group have also built larger lanterns including Bambi, a cat, a decorated star, a chameleon and a giant spider.”