WHEN Father Christmas paid his first visit to the now annual Liphook carol singing in The Square only 25 people turned up to gather around a piano and shared mince pies from a biscuit tin.

Since its launch in 1988, the event has grown and has attracted a record number of more than 350 carollers before Christmas, who donated £300 toward local organisations.

Cheque presentations of £100 each were made by Terry and Carol Burns – renamed “Mr and Mrs Christmas” – at the Peak Centre in Midhurst Road, to managers of the Liphook Day Centre, the Community Support Laundry and Haslemere Town Band, who have been part of the event since it was started under the leadership of Morris and June Wright.