Around 8,000 are estimated to have attended Douglas town centre’s Christmas lights switch on, which took place on Thursday evening.

This year, different festive attractions were set up in six areas around the capital, such as Castle Street which was transformed into an outdoor cinema playing The Snowman on a loop, complete with deck chairs and blankets for viewers.

Douglas Mayor Jon Joughin addressed revellers throughout the town via a newly-installed speaker system.

This change to the usual format of holding the switch-on event from one central location (which was North Quay last year) was made because the fire service had previously raised safety concerns over overcrowding.

Shops along Strand Street stayed open late, and there was also a carol-singing choir, a pipe band and a lantern parade.

The event was covered by the UK press because of its significance as one of the few non-socially distanced celebrations to have been able to take place in the British Isles, with the Daily Mail calling it ’The only place in Britain where Christmas is going ahead as normal’.

Town centre manager Oliver Cheshire said: ’All in all it was fantastic, very well attended and we had great feedback from the retailers - we’re hoping to stick with the same format next year.’