Children's voices, accompanied by the warm, mellow sounds of a euphonium, drifted across the beck and through the centre of the village as the ever popular Carols Around The Tree, organised annually as a community event, sent the message Christmas has well and truly arrived.

A large crowd of villagers, parents and grandparents attended the event, compèred by Angie Archbold, to give voice to well known and much loved Christmas carols, manfully kept in time by the euphonium player. Carol sheets were provided by the primary school.

The word euphonium is derived from the Greek for “sweet-voiced”, a perfect companion for the sweet sound of the school's pupils as they sang a couple of their own favourite Christmas compositions. How they loved ringing their bells for accompaniment.

Huge thanks are due to the euphonium player, David, a member of the Richmond Fine Arts Brass Band, 'off duty’ soldiers from Catterick who normally play with the army band. He was the only band member to make it to the event, his fellow musicians having been caught up in a major traffic diversion caused by a severe accident on the A61. This caused all vehicles to and from Ripon and the A1 to be routed through the village, causing chaos and long delays on the narrow roads.

Mayhem it might have been on Knaresborough Road, but mayhem it certainly wasn't on Main Street. There joy reigned, smiles abounded and Christmas lights twinkled, reflecting prettily in the beck, as everyone joined in with gusto with what, once again, was a wonderful festive occasion, shining a spotlight on life in our beautiful, rural village.

The hard work of everyone who put together this event was, as always, greatly appreciated.