MORE children are needed to take part in a lantern parade this weekend.

Organisers of the annual St Nicholas Lantern Parade, which takes place on Saturday during Durham City's Silver Christmas Festival, are hoping to recruit more children to take part.

Up to 300 youngsters can join in the spectacle, leaving three locations around the city centre at 3.30pm and converging on the Market Place, for a procession up to the cathedral for a short service.

Colin Wilkes, from organisers Marketing Durham, said: "It is a magical sight to see when 300 lights are swinging through the streets of Durham City.

"It's very much a family-orientated weekend and the parade ends at the cathedral, which must be one of the most historic locations to take part in a Christmas carol service."

The parade will start at Millennium Place, Prince Bishops Shopping Centre and The Gates Shopping Centre.

Children are asked to arrive, accompanied by an adult, at 3.15pm to be handed their lantern and the parade will start 15 minutes later.

Children taking part will be able to keep their lantern and will also be presented with an Advent calendar.

Anyone interested in joining the parade is asked to call 0191-386 3050.

* Clayport Library will stage a weekend of activities to coincide with the Silver Festival. On Saturday and Sunday, there will be storytelling on a medieval theme, at 11am, and drop-in craft sessions for children all day until 3pm. There will also be a storytelling session at 1pm on Saturday from members of Durham University's Faith, Arts, Culture, Environment group.