THE stars of Canterbury's Marlowe theatre pantomime Aladdin signalled the start of the festive shopping season by switching on the city's Christmas lights. Paul Hendy, of Don't Try This At Home, Gemma Harris who won the Search for a Star competiton to play the leading lady, and tiny panto veteran Phil Holden, from Wingham, flicked the switch outside Debenhams.

Paul, who appeared in the Marlowe panto Beauty and the Beast four years ago, said afterwards that he had just landed a job as the host of the Wheel of Fortune programme and had only completed filming five programmes a day the previous week. "It is a bit hectic for me at the moment, but hosting the programme is a big break and I am really pleased," he said.

Gemma, 19, of Charles Road, Deal, will play Princess Jasmine opposite Neighbours heart-throb Daniel MacPherson. She beat 200 other hopefuls in a shortlisting process lasting four weeks. "Rehearsals start on Monday and I am nervous but excited," she said.

Phil is now in his 10th year of pantos and has appeared all over the country. "When there have been things going on at the Marlowe that I could have been doing I have been doing other stuff," he said.

"I play PC Pong and I guard the princess. I am the only one allowed the manhandle her!"

The KM Group promotions unit and 106 CTFM roadshow members were outside Debenhams for most of the day entertaining shoppers.