SNOW is falling in Bournemouth Square as the Christmas Tree Wonderland and market return.

Crowds gathered in the town centre to watch the lights switch on, marking the start of the festive season.

Illuminations lit up the gardens, and visitors enjoyed strolling along the trail, which features Christmas trees, snowmen, and reindeer sculptures.

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Lucy Deadman, who visited with her family, said: “It’s really lovely.

"My favourite display is the light-up waterfall because it’s different and looks artistic.”

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The Christmas market was bustling, with visitors exploring traders’ stalls and sampling food.

A firm favourite, the Yorkshire pudding wrap stall, returned with long queues of eager customers.

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Jasmine Stockwell, who works at the stall, said: “It feels amazing to be back in Bournemouth. The atmosphere is so festive.”

For the second year, snow fell from the Alpine Bar, delighting children as they tried to catch snowflakes.

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Hettie Fairhall, the Christmas Market manager, said: “From the second we take the market down, we’re planning for the following year.

"It’s the best feeling watching it come together and seeing happy faces.”

A new addition this year is a repurposed gondola from the East Cliff lift, now available for private hire at the Alpine Bar. The gondola costs £120 for 12 people and includes 24 drinks.

Hettie added: “It’s lovely to see so many people here already. We have new illuminated trees with a walkway through them, and from the moment we opened, people were taking pictures.”

This year’s market features 40 stalls from various businesses.

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Debbie Craig, who runs Charms4u, said: “It’s great to be back in Bournemouth. We’ve opened earlier than ever, and the response has been fantastic.”