THOUSANDS braved the cold tonight to watch Coronation Street star Samia Ghadie switch on the Christmas lights in Brynmawr town centre to really get the festive season under way.

The actress, who plays Maria Connor in the popular ITV soap, arrived in a white Mercedes with the number plate ‘MARIA’, which drove down Beaufort Street and then through the Market Square, behind a precession of singers, dancers and the ATC marching band. Father Christmas led the parade in an illuminated sleigh.

The Coronation Street star then took to the stage to greet the people of Brynmawr who had lined the streets awaiting her arrival, before beginning the big countdown and pushing the huge switch which lit up the town.

The impressive lights lined the town centre and covered nearby trees and the famous Market Hall Cinema. A huge Christmas tree covered in multicoloured fairy lights was also lit up.

Miss Ghadie told the Argus that she loved attending Christmas events, she said: “I always love switching on Christmas lights it really gets people in that festive mood.

“It is always such a lovely thing to do before Christmas and nice to spread some festive spirit.

“I’ve been to Wales many times but this is my first time visiting Brynmawr and everyone here has been really friendly!”

Throughout the Market Square, stalls selling novelty Christmas gifts, sweets and refreshments were set up and there were also fairground rides making the evening a family festive must.

David Timmins, 58, from Brynmawr has been coming to the Christmas light event for several years. He said: “The event has seemed to grow in popularity over the years and is a really great thing to come to with all the family and I love bringing my grandchildren to it.

“It has been lovely for the town to have Samia here, I am a big Coronation Street fan myself as well as all my family and we have been looking forward to coming tonight to see her.”

Sarah Baggley, who set up the ‘Sweetalicious’ stall, a mobile sweet shop that caters for all occasions, at the event said: “There has been a lovely festive atmosphere her tonight and I’ve done quite well selling a lot of sweets to the locals!”

16-year-old Tylar Harrison Jones was part of the street dance group, Monstar Rebels, who performed in the precession. He said: “I’ve been super excited to perform tonight, we have been practicing for this event for a while and it makes everything feel very Christmassy.”

The annual event, organised by Brynmawr Town Centre Partnership has always proved to be a popular festive tradition. In recent years the small valleys town has seen the likes of Sam Aston, who plays Chesney Brown in Coronation Street, Justin Davies, from Sky 1’s Stella and Oliver Wood and Steve Mayo from the cast of BBC’s Belonging switch on the lights.

The partnership and its chairman Wayne Hodgins have been fundraising all year round with notable efforts from charity shop contributions and local traders. The town council along with the three borough members as well the partnership also contributed to fundraising events.