A BUSY Christmas and New Year programme of services has started at St Laurence Church in Ludlow.

It is the most hectic time of the year for the Rev Kelvin Price and the team at St Laurence.

The season started with services involving local school children and a concert from the Ludlow Choral Society.

Tomorrow there will be a showing of the family film The Muppet Christmas Carol at 2pm with carols in the chapel at Ludlow Castle at 7.30pm.

On Saturday, December 23 there will be a major feature of the season with the atmospheric Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight.

Then on Christmas Eve as night falls there will be a Christingle Services starting at 4pm.

Then at 11.15pm the Church is expected to be full for the midnight mass and Mozart Missa Brevis Service that will take the congregation into Christmas Day.

Clergy and choir will get little rest because there is a Holy Communion Service at 8pm followed by the Parish Eucharist service at 9.30am. This will be followed at 11.15pm by a Carol Service.