THOUSANDS of visitors streamed into Durham last weekend, for the city's annual Christmas festival.

The two-day event featured a range of family entertainment, live music and a traditional market on the Palace Green.

Local performers included Lanchester Choir, in the Market Place, and Spennymoor Brass Band at the Milburngate Shopping Centre.

On Saturday, 100 children took part in a lantern procession through the city, that finished with a carol service at the cathedral.

Lapland's Father Christmas dropped in for a visit and met children from St Margaret's Primary School and youngsters on the children's ward at Durham's University Hospital.

The weekend also saw Durham City Council open a controversial temporary car park on The Sands.

The 175-space car park is on common land near the River Wear. It has opened, along with another car park holding 105 cars on a nearby former Post Office depot, to replace the city's Walkergate car park, which is due for redevelopment.

Plans to use The Sands caused outcry from residents and led to a public inquiry, where the inspector restricted its use as a car park to two years.

Work on Walkergate, which will include a 500-space, multi-storey car park, flats and bars, has already been delayed several times.

A council spokesman said The Sands would remain in use until Walkergate was completed. "The opening date has been brought forward to provide additional parking during the busy Christmas Festival weekend," he said.

He added that work on Walkergate could start next week after being delayed for the Christmas Festival.

David Williams, of the Save Our Sands action group, said: "We are counting the two years that this car park has from now.

"The council's statement about it being open until Walkergate is open cannot be correct because the inspector said it must only stay open for two years and then there must be nine months of site restoration."