Paddington Bear will join Sleeping Beauty and Scrooge at Leeds Castle this Christmas.

Michael Bond's marmalade-loving bear will join a selection of festive stories told through illustration as part of the castle's Once Upon a Time at Christmas, which runs from Saturday, November 24 and Tuesday, January 1.

The castle will be filled with displays of decorations and fragrant pine trees styled around traditional winter tales.

To celebrate 60 years since Michael Bond’s first book was published, the story of Paddington - Paddington and the Christmas Surprise - will be in the Seminar Room.

Visitors will recognise characters from The Nutcracker and The Snow Queen, spot Scrooge from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and must try not to wake Sleeping Beauty.

The 20ft Christmas tree in the Inner Hall will have a chill over it as Jack Frost has visited.

The annual Christmas Market will take place from 10am to 5pm on selected dates in November and December with an array of gifts, toys, festive decorations, specialist food and drink and a chance to meet the reindeer and birds of prey.

In the centre of the market, visitors can enjoy nostalgic fairground rides on the Victorian carousel or take a trip on the big wheel.

Tickets to see Father Christmas in his grotto at the castle have already sold out, having gone on sale last week. For tickets to Leeds Castle - which last a year - at £25.50 and £17.50 for children, with under fours free, go to leeds-castle.com