TALKS are underway to bring a £15,000 Christmas festival to a former mining town.

Traders and councillors in Stanley want to encourage people in and around the town to support local businesses and create some community spirit for the forthcoming festive season.

Estate agent Stephen Bennett has been one of the driving forces behind the idea.

He said: “The concept is to make Stanley a more buoyant place over the Christmas period so it is enjoyable for people to come to.

“There has been long term economic decline in town centres as a whole and we would prefer to make Stanley one that is not in decline but going forward, to make it an exception to the rule.

“It is has got a history as a shopping centre and there is a good sense of community among people here. The town centre has a wide variety of locally owned shops and people have a lot of pride in that.”

The festival is being co-ordinated by Stanley Events, a non-profit organisation set up to bring major events to the town which also resurrected Stanley Blues Festival earlier this year.

The company is hoping to get the financial backing of Stanley Town Council, Durham County Council, Stanley Area Action Partnership, Stanley Traders Association and Derwentside Homes.

The proposals will be put to Stanley Town Council at its next meeting.

Organisers are confident the funding will be found and have earmarked Saturday December 1 as the festival’s launch day.

Live music and performances by local drama groups will be staged at the bottom end of front Street from 11am to 6pm before Emmerdale actor Ross Adams switches on the festive lights.

There will be a horse drawn visit from Santa Claus, snow machine and Christmas songs to get the winter carnival in full swing.

The following Saturdays will see the regular market expanded to include arts and crafts with a festive theme as well as carols performed by Craghead Colliery Band, yuletide animation around the former Co-op site, a town centre treasure hunt, a Santa’s grotto in a disused shop.

Durham County Councillor Carl Marshall, who is helping to organise the festival, said: “It should help increase footfall in the town centre, improves its image and encourage people to shop locally in the run up to Christmas.”