Romford Business Improvement District (BID) has revealed its plans to bring Christmas events to the town, following the cancellation of the council's lights switch-on.

Havering Council confirmed in October that there will be no Christmas lights switch-on in Market Place this year, and not even any Christmas trees in the borough's town centres.

Council leader Ray Morgon had previously told this paper that the council had "no choice" but to cancel the lights switch-on and trees due to "urgent" budget cuts.

Subsequent funding from Marlborough Highways ensured a number of areas would be able to have a Christmas tree.

Romford BID has now announced its Christmas events offer, bringing an eclectic mix of festive entertainment to the town this year.

This will include light-up installations, Christmas trees, snow machines, and character performances, all free for the public to enjoy.

For the first time, Romford BID has arranged for a "spectacular ginormous" light-up reindeer to be installed in South Street from early November.

The BID has also arranged for a Christmas tree to be positioned outside the Golden Lion pub and sparkling lights on the living wall at Romford train station.

Then on Saturday, December 7, and Saturday, December 14, Elsa and Anna characters from the Frozen film will be waltzing into the town for visitors to meet, and stilt walkers will be roaming the town centre from 12pm to 4pm on both days.

SingTok will also be performing at the Mercury Mall at 12.30pm and the Brewery shopping centre at 2pm on Saturday, December 7.

Julie Frost, Romford BID director, said: "The Romford BID has put together a fantastic free line-up of Christmas entertainment throughout the town which families, couples and individuals can look forward to.

"I personally can’t wait to see our reindeer, which I promise you will be huge and will really bring the wow factor to the town - our snow machines will also bring that extra special festive touch to the town."

Romford BID will also be supporting Time FM’s annual Give a Child a Christmas campaign, which provides underprivileged children across Havering, Barking and Dagenham, and Redbridge with donated toys and presents.