A Country park will be transformed into a winter wonderland for a Christmas event expected to draw in thousands.

Kicking off on December 1st at Sandwell Valley Country Park, it will run right up until to Christmas Eve and will be modelled on the hugely successful Winter Wonderland event that packs out London’s Hyde Park every year.

If this first event proves popular, bosses said there is scope to extend it next year with the addition of an ice rink. Councillor Richard Marshall, cabinet member for leisure, said:

“We’re looking for the event to almost become a regional attraction. We’ve visited Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park and we want to build our event on that and do something that kind of size.

“We’ve got lots of room down at Sandwell Valley and this will be the first year we’ll be looking at the bigger event. We’ve also got our own reindeer down there as well and they will be part of this – that’s one of the reasons we’ve got them.”

Among the activities on show at the festival will be a train ferrying passengers around the site, food and drinks stalls, Father Christmas in his grotto and a chance to meet the reindeer. Councillor Marshall added:

“It will really raise the level of what we’ve seen before around here. We’re also going to be encouraging school groups to come down to get involved."