There were no tricks but plenty of treats on Hallowe’en when more than 1,000 people joined in Farnham’s first Lantern Festival.

The inaugural event was a dazzling sight as participants waved lanterns made from willow and tissue and decorated them with all manner of shapes.

The town council organised the event to mark the end of Farnham Craft Month and produced lantern templates for the occasion. But in-keeping with Farnham’s reputation for creativity, many had ignored these and created lanterns in the form of buildings, animals, and even a butterfly worn by the creator.

Oliver McCluskey, FTC events manager, said: “The event surpassed any expectations we had of the festival.

“We thought maybe 100 people would come but to have well over 1,000 was extraordinary.

“We counted over 800 going through St Andrew’s Church where 600 plus lanterns have been put on display until November 7.

“It represented so much – the end of Craft Month, Halloween, changing the clocks, Diwali, and it showed how creative people in Farnham are. We couldn’t have done it without the volunteers, including the Lions and Hedgehogs, and we will definitely do it next year.”

Pippa Hufton who leads the Craft Month programme, said: “October Craft Month is a wonderful time of creativity in Farnham, with workshops, exhibitions and open studios happening almost every day.

“Our first Lantern Festival was the perfect finale. We are very fortunate to have a town council that is so committed to community events and to craft, and I’d like to thank their events team and all the volunteers for bringing this idea to life.

”Those attending the festival were equally enthusiastic with comments such as: “Probably the most special event I’ve been to” and “a beautiful sight and a very special moment in the community”.