Watford Market had a surprise visitor last week when pantomime character Mother Goose came to spread some holiday cheer.

Actor Terence Frisch volunteered to come to the market in full costume and character, and spent the afternoon talking to traders and shoppers alike.

Watford Market cafe owner Lynne Edwards prompted the visit, by lamenting how the market does not integrate enough with the Watford Palace Theatre. She said: "I just wanted to do something fun for the market - put the magic back. People get complacent about the market and I don’t want to go down without a fight.

She added: "It really created a buzz in the market, he was really lifting trader’s spirits. It was very kind of him."