FESTIVE feelings and acts of charity brought a town's community together in a weekend of Christmas activities.

As part of Stockton Sparkles Christmas festival, Saturday December 14 saw the high street alive with music as shoppers took part in a Sparkles Sing-A-Long.

Passers-by had the chance to sing Christmas classics in a festive 'bandeoke', fronted by Mike McGrother and featuring community choirs.

For the third year running, Saturday also played host The Gift initiative.

The community project asks Stockton's residents to donate gifts from toiletry sets to hats, scarves and gloves or give their time to help people in need.

With crafts for volunteers to get involved in, such as gift wrapping, making hampers, writing Christmas cards and creating decorations, people of all ages gathered to help sort donations and prepare them to be given to families in the area who are less fortunate at Christmastime.