BRIDGWATER'S Christmas Lights will be switched on at tonight's Shopping & Snowflakes event - but the planned fireworks and squibbing display will not go ahead.

Shopping & Snowflakes began at 10am with a Christmas market featuring over 40 stalls in High Street and the town hall and fairground rides. 

Father Christmas will pay the town a visit at around 4.30pm to meet children and families, and there will also be a Punch and Judy show at The Cornhill.

However, the weather forecast has forced the town council to cancel the planned fireworks and squibbing displays to mark the start of the festive season. 

The Met Office's forecast for Bridgwater has warned of gusts of up to 36mph this evening, and it estimates the chance of rain at 50-60 per cent. 

The town's Christmas lights will now be switched on the mayor, councillor Liz Leavy, at 5pm rather than 6pm as initially planned. 

A Bridgwater Town Council spokesperson said: "The forecasted winds may have scuppered the Snowflakes & Shopping fireworks and squibbing but there is still plenty to come and enjoy today in the town centre today.

"There are over 40 stalls throughout the High Street and in the town hall offering a large selection of food and craft stalls courtesy of Bridgwater Food & Drink Christmas Festival.

"Punch and Judy will be on the Cornhill, there are rides for the kids and Santa will be arriving in the afternoon.

"The lovely Bridgwater Town Mayor will be turning the lights on at the slightly earlier time of 5pm.

"Lots of local shops will be open and many have extended their opening times until 7pm so come down and celebrate the beginning of the festive season with us today."

The changes to the schedule was announced yesterday afternoon (November 25).

In a separate social media post, the council attributed the changes to its "obligations with event insurance and risk management".

It added: "The fireworks and squibbing have been cancelled by each company as modelling with the proposed wind speeds have widened the fall-out zone, which will affect members of the public."

Sedgemoor District Council is waiving car parking charges in its Bridgwater and Burnham-on-Sea car parks from 4pm to help people attend the switch-ons in both towns.