A BRAND new Christmas event has been launched in Poole.

Poole kickstarted its Christmas celebrations on Saturday night with the arrival of its new Christmas Maritime Light Festival.

Residents flocked to see the town illuminated by dazzling lights and decorations and follow the festive trail that had been set out for them.

Dubbed as Poole’s answer to Bournemouth’s popular Christmas Tree Wonderland attraction, there was a lot of pressure on the festival to be a success.

Jacqui Rock, Poole BID lead, said: “I was at Christmas Tree Wonderland last year, and we could see the difference between Bournemouth and Poole.

Read more: Christmas Tree Wonderland returns to Bournemouth

“It’s important for us to have something here.

“When the attractions started going up, people started to believe. Before then they were wondering if it would really happen, or if it would be like how we’d marketed it.

"But we’ve had really good feedback."

The nautical-themed event starts at the 'gateways to Poole' before taking visitors on a journey through Poole town centre.

Towering Christmas trees, glistening baubles, and a giant illuminated anchor on the quay were just some of the decorations featured in the trail.

‘Tinsel the turtle’ can also be spotted on route- a large feature that doubles up as a recycling point to promote sustainability in the town.

Jacqui added: “What I love about here is the fact that it's actually on the high street.

"It means footfall for our businesses, which with the economy at the moment, is really important."

Jeanette Walsh, who owns Truly Scrumptious sweet shop on the High Street, agreed the new festival was creating “opportunities” for traders like herself.

She said: “I’ve been pushing traders to take the opportunity to stay open late. I’m staying open late myself on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. There are so many people walking around- the opportunity is on our door steps.”

Jeanette has also been heavily involved in organising Poole’s Christmas Maritime Light Festival.

She said: “Poole needed to have a Christmas, because we’ve been forgotten over the years.

“It’s amazing. There’s been a real buzz around it."