YOUNG people celebrated the festive season with local senior citizens.

Rivington and Blackrod High School pupils and sixth form students hosted a community Christmas party with all the trimmings, including homemade food and entertainment, as well as a personal appearance by Father Christmas.

Those invited included residents of local care homes and members of the senior citizen’s community groups, including Horwich Resource Centre, the Widows Club and the Luncheon Club from St. John’s Methodist Church.

Horwich Rotary Club donated a grant to fund the event, which has been run for a number of years.

Young people helped to prepare and serve food, decorated the hall as well as lead sing-a-long carols..

Each guest received a gift, donated by staff, and delivered by Father Christmas.

Paul Roach, headteacher said: "It has been a pleasure to host the Christmas Party.

"It provides an excellent opportunity for our school to reach out to our local community and we thoroughly enjoy having all of our guests come into school.

"We are very proud of our students who have worked to make this event and others a success and our staff who have supported them.

"Thank you to Horwich Rotary Club for helping us by funding this event, we are extremely thankful to them."

Young people at the Horwich high school have been involved in a host of festive community events, including the brass band playing at the local Christmas Lights switch on and the lighting of the Christmas tree in Blackrod.