Incredible opportunity for one lucky youngster to switch on Burnley's Christmas lights

The annual illuminations are the centrepiece of Burnley town centre's festive decorations and Petty Real and Burnley Borough Council have joined forces to offer the top job of switching them all on to a local primary school child.

More 7,000 children from 27 participating primary schools in the area are to receive the Petty Real Burnley Christmas lights flyer at school in the next few days.

To enter the competition, children will need to collect Santa stamps from five of these organisations and then drop off the completed form at the Petty Real office in Manchester Road.

The participating businesses are: Petty Real Estate Agents; Real Financial Advice, Grimshaw Street; Marks and Spencer, St James' Street; Quick Crêpes, St James' Street; Marsden Building Society, St James' Street; Pure Massage; Country House Gallery, St James' Street; Pennine Community Credit Union, St James' Street; Skipton Building Society, St James' Street; Virgin Media Store, Charter Walk Shopping Centre.

The Burnley Christmas Light Switch-on takes places on Saturday, November 16th, and will run from 10am until 5pm.

The day will include music, song and dance, fireworks, markets, fun fair rides, birds of prey display, festive characters and of course, the spectacular finale.

A spokesperson for the three main organisations behind the event, Petty Real, Burnley Council and Charter Walk shopping centre, said: "This is a chance for someone to be a real Christmas star and perform the most important duty of the day by lighting up the whole of the town centre."

Completed forms will then be entered into a prize draw from which one winner will be chosen to switch on the Christmas lights as well as also receiving £50 worth of Love to Shop vouchers just in time for Christmas.

The closing date for the competition is Wednesday, November 13th, with the prize draw the day after. The winner will be notified soon after.