LIGHTING UP
Switch-on for Christmas
An X Factor girl group officially launched the festive season in Maidstone.
Alien Uncovered helped to switch on the lights in Fremlin Walk, alongside stars of the Hazlitt’s panto, Peter Pan, last Thursday.
Eastenders actor Ricky Groves, who’s starring as Hook, was there, with kmfm’s Garry Wilson and Emma Adam, who provided the Christmas soundtrack.
A special guest was also on stage.
Harvey Tyler, eight, helped flip the switch to reward his work as a young carer.
His mum Amanda Burfoot, 35, developed a disability two years ago and the Tiger Primary School pupil is a source of help and comfort to her.
She said: “I emailed asking if he could go up there and he was over the moon when we were told yes!
“He deserves it for everything he does for me.”
The countdown begun around 6pm but tunes rang out from 4.30pm onwards.
Alien Uncovered performed Jessie J’s Do It Like A Dude, Bootylicious by Destiny’s Child as well as their very own track Drop It Low.
The six-piece group made it through to the live shows of the ITV talent show before being voted out in the first week.
They were also joined by X-Factor’s Chloe Paige who narrowly missed out on a place in the final
12 this year.
Jackie Abbott has travelled from Chatham to the Maidstone switch on for the last four years.
The 46-year-old carer said: “These are the best ones yet, I loved every minute of it.”
Office worker Tara Trow from Maidstone had brought her family along, including her sevenyear-old daughter. She said: “It’s great they do it - it certainly gets you feeling a bit more festive.”
The evening also marked the start of the Fremlin Walk Christmas Market, featuring stalls selling festive food.
On Saturday traditional Christmas tunes and more modern ones filled the Royal Star Arcade centre.
Young dramatists from The-atretrain Maidstone Drama Group sung a medley including Sam Smith’s I’m Not the Only One as well as more traditional Christmas songs like Silent Night, plus a synchronised waltz.