HELMSLEY is to host a new event this Christmas – and it promises to be a heavenly one.

The Angel Festival, which is being organised by Helmsley in Business, will launch on December 3 to coincide with Small Business Saturday, and run until Twelfth Night.

The town will be taken over by a host of angels of all shapes and sizes – with businesses, residents and local organisations all getting involved.

The festival will also involve a family-friendly hunt for one missing angel. People finding Rory the Angel will be encouraged to pose for a selfie for the chance to win prizes.

Helmsley will also continue its long-standing support of Small Business Saturday, the grassroots campaign which encourages people to support local businesses.

The town will be hosting a day of activities, special offers and competitions on December 3. The town’s Duncombe Sawmill has been chosen as one of the Small Biz 100 – 100 businesses around the country who represent the campaign.

Helmsley in Business committee member Jacky Pickering, from The Stick Man, has been running willow workshops, alongside Helen Teasdale from RED Taxis and Rhian Crusher at Celebrate Country Cake Design.

Jacky said: “We’re very excited to be introducing the Angel Festival for the first time this year. It should be something very special and will make an amazing sight for visitors to the town this December.

"We really hope everyone gets behind it, and would love all businesses and residents to join in and bring their own take to the angel theme. We’ve had to put on a second willow workshop due to the demand, so that shows how keen people are to get involved.

“We’re so lucky in Helmsley, the town is full of independent businesses which offer many things that a typical high street wouldn’t. It’s the perfect place to do a spot of Christmas shopping, and to get in the festive spirit."

Small Business Saturday is already the UK's most successful small business campaign. Now in its fourth year, last year it saw £623m spent with small businesses across the UK on Small Business Saturday, an increase of £119m (24 per cent) on the previous year.

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