ONE of the faces of UK TV sport Clare Balding will be bringing some Christmas cheer to a Hampshire town.

Clare Balding will turn on Stockbridge Christmas Tree lights on Friday December 4.

The broadcaster is well known for fronting horse-racing coverage on BBC and Channel 4 and this year Stockbridge will be celebrating its historic links with the turf which go back to 1775.

The first racing at Stockbridge took place on Houghton Down and in the 1830s a new course opened on Danebury Hill.

The track’s heyday was in the 18060s when the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) was a regular visitor and one of his horses, Counterpane, famously came last in the Stockbridge Cup before dropping down dead.

The course closed in 1898 and is now the site of Danebury Vineyard.

Clare has links with the area as her father Ian and brother Andrew have both trained racehorses at Kingsclere.

She said: “I'm delighted to have been asked to turn on the Christmas lights in Stockbridge. I have many friends in the area and as my father has always thought Stockbridge the perfect small town, he is particularly pleased. I look forward to seeing lots of familiar faces and hope as many people as possible come to enjoy the festivities.”

On the night of the big switch-on shops will be open until 8 pm serving complimentary refreshments and many will be running special season offers.

There will be street entertainment including bell ringing, face-painters and carol singers.

Santa Claus will arrive at the Primary School fair at 2.30pm following which he will visit residents and traders along the High Street.

The Country Market will be open at the Town Hall and the evening will be rounded off with carol singing at Old St Peter’s Church from 8pm.