THE shopping countdown to Christmas starts tonight when Cabot Circus and Broadmead will be lit up with 127,000 lights.

Master of ceremonies is circus ringleader Giovanni Caboto, who will switch on the lights under Cabot Circus's glass roof at 6pm.

The event will include glowing angel stilt walkers and singing by a gospel choir.

A procession of children from Christchurch Primary School, all bearing lanterns, will lead the way through Broadmead to Cabot Circus.

There will be entertainment throughout Broadmead, Quakers Friars and Cabot Circus.

Fireworks will light up the sky as the lights go on.

Centre director Richard Belt said: "The Christmas lights will provide a spectacular display for the people of Bristol. Cabot Circus has performed beyond our expectations and the retailers have been delighted with the response from shoppers."

On Saturday a special recruitment event was held in the shopping centre. Hundreds of jobs are expected to be advertised at Cabot Circus in the next few months.