YOUNG competition winners have seen their designs transformed into full-size Christmas decorations.

Jasmine Charlton, seven, and Rachel Slattery, ten, of Finchale Primary School, and Katie Hughes, eight, of Ushaw Moor Infants School, both in the Durham area, beat off competition from throughout the county to have their ideas adopted.

They were presented with certificates and framed copies of their designs from the mayor of Durham, Councillor Ray Gibbon, and Durham City Forum chairman Richard Toynbee.

Their designs will be incorporated into Durham's Christmas lights display and the children will be VIPs at the switch-on Sunday.

The event will begin at 1.30pm with a performance by Pittington Primary School Brass Band followed by Gala Stage School performing excerpts from its production of Wiz.

This will be followed by an appearance from members of the Gala Theatre pantomime cast of Cinderella.

At 4.30pm, the lights will be switched on by actor Jeff Hordley, who plays Cain Dingle in the television soap Emmerdale, and will be accompanied by the mayor.

Also helping the event along will be Paul Goff, from Century Radio.

On the weekend of December 6 and 7, Durham will host its Christmas Festival.

The event will be staged throughout the city with an ice rink and mobile climbing wall in Millennium Place, Santa's Grotto in the Prince Bishops Shopping Centre and a marquee with more than 100 stalls on Palace Green.

Master chocolatier Lucas Story will be with Eurocrafts in the town hall.