HUNDREDS of people attended the first hour of today's Christmas Shopping event at the Orsett Hall Hotel and by the close this evening (Wednesday, 16 November -7pm) it is expected several thousand people will have passed through the doors.

There are stalls offering a huge variety of Christmas-related items in the hotel's function rooms - and visitors are greeted at the hotel entrance by Father Christmas and his sleigh - provided by the Rotary Club of Grays Thurrock.

Event organiser Leon Rwland said: "It's been a great start. we have been blessed with the bright, sunny wetaher and it's a delight to see the smiles on the faces of the visitors as they are embraced by the Christmas spirit within our rooms. It's a really loveley event and I hope to see many more people before we close this evening."

Entry to the event is free. Refreshments are available.