A SPRINKLING of light was brought to an otherwise dark and wintry night as an installation created by talented volunteers was unveiled.

Greenfield Arts, in Newton Aycliffe, played host to the Winter Wonderland event which saw the launch of a light sculpture and inspired window display alongside its annual craft fair.

The 'Cree volunteers', who meet weekly at the centre to take part in creative and community based projects, showcased the work which they started designing two months ago.

Sophie Lewis, arts and community centre coordinator for Greenfield Arts, said: "It's a complete mixture of everything. The craft fair is all local artists and crafters with lots of different disciplines.

"We've got wood turners, painters and candlemakers and we have built everything else on top of it."

As well as the 20 artists exhibiting and selling their handmade wares, the 250 visitors to the event on Wednesday (November 25) got clapped eyes on the men's volunteering group's handiwork, on show until Christmas Eve.

The seven-strong team created an outdoor installation using scaffolding and lamp shades and transformed the entrance porch into a log cabin, named The Cree Lodge.

"The idea was to create a nice warm place with a positive wellbeing feeling," added Sophie. "It's about bringing light to the dark months."

The lodge is made from carpet rolls and opens out into a winter scene created using folded white paper with glowing miniature, lollipop-stick log cabins.

Volunteer Dan Roberts, of Newton Aycliffe, said: "None of us have any skills, we just learn as we go along.

"We wanted something for the outside which was a display and had an idea to dress the front of the building."