WHEN there is no room at the inn a Market Place can be just as good.

The team behind Passion for Bolton have created a Christmas Nativity with a difference for shoppers in the town centre to enjoy in December.

Around 20 actors and support staff have been donning robes or wearing crowns to act out the Nativity in The Market Place.

The performance began yesterday, with Donna Clare and Shaun Crossley taking the lead roles of Mary and Joseph.

As well as acting out the Nativity the actors took a stroll around The Market Place, with the happy couple even shopping for their newborn.

Shopping families even got the chance to take their places around the manger dressing as angels, Mary, Joseph and shepherds.

Organiser, Geoff Millard, who played in innkeeper, said: "The idea is you build a nativity scene and you let the public some and dress up as the characters and have their picture taken.

"A lot of people came along to do that and enjoyed getting into the spirit of it.

"It's very satisfying to see people want to see themselves in the picture and it's a nice feeling when you see all kinds of people join in, we've have all ages. Parents getting dressed up with their children, we have three men from Serbia all in their 30s all wanting to get involved. It was very humbling in a way.

"And to see everyone's faces when they see the story is just lovely.

"People take the time to stop and watch the 15 minutes, they are there with you singing the carols."

In between performances the actors can be seen around the shops looking for an inn and on the look out for a certain star.

The Nativity is set up in a unit in The Market Place off Market Place in Bolton and the Christmas fun continues today from 1pm to 5pm.

Next weekend the group is alternating performing in The Market Place and in Victoria Square every half hour.

Saturday the fun begins at 11am continuing until 5pm and from 1pm again on Sunday until 5pm.

It is completely free to take part and dress up, the idea was coined by the Baptist Union of Great Britain.