A large orange bounced into St John’s Church, Hale, on Tuesday, December 16, much to the delight of William Cobbett School pupils at their annual Christingle service.

The orange, who wore a candle on her head, red tinsel round her waist and was carrying four sticks with large sweets attached, answered to the name Mrs Christingle. She was there demonstrate the different elements of a Christingle service and the children were keen to show their knowledge of what each part symbolises about the story of Jesus.

The pupils had made their own Christingles which they brought up to the front to be lit. They sang carols and told the story of the birth of Jesus in a series of readings.