EX-SAINTS star Pele Monteiro turned Totton into a blaze of festival colour.

The former midfielder was the guest of honour to turn on the town’s Christmas lights.

The footballer, who lives in the town, is now a coach at AFC Totton.

He was signed in 2006 for £1m by Saints from Belenenses and made 37 appearances before moving to West Brom for a similar fee in August 2007.

The lights switch-on was the the culmination of a night of festivities in Totton which included a winter lantern procession.

More than 530 children from schools, nurseries, brownies and scout groups across the district took part and lit up the streets from Salisbury Road to the memorial car park.

They’d been working on their creations for six weeks with a series of workshops run by experts from the Lantern Procession Committee.

Organiser Julie Motherwell said: “I think the parents were all really pleased with what they saw and Asda sponsored the event.

"It’s lovely to have something like this for the whole community during the winter.”

Councillor Neville Penman said: “It’s been absolutely fantastic. It’s the best one we’ve ever had.

"When you get a day like this it makes it all worthwhile, with everybody laughing, smiling and singing.”