Candlelit ceremony

LIGHTING THE WAY . . . Amy Shirt, aged 10, at the Oldham Parish Church Christingle and Crib service

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CHILDREN and parents helped celebrate the advent season at Oldham Parish Church with a carols and Christingles service on Christmas Eve.

The traditional service was led by the vicar, Rev Derek Palmer, and included singing and candle-lit ceremonies around a model crib scene illustrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

Eleven-year-old youth bishop, Mckenzie West, was among the youngsters taking part and he is pictured laying a model of baby Jesus into the crib. Other children there included Alicia Heap (7) and Amy Shirt (10), both from Oldham.

Among the congregation were Susan Wilde, Maggie Vickers and Angela Cockcroft.

The tradition of Christingles is understood to have started in Germany during the 1700s, when children were given a lighted candle with a red ribbon tied around it.

The Christingle service is usually held across the world on the Sunday before Christmas or on Christmas Eve.

• Check out all our Christingle pictures on our picture sales page.