Hounslow brought a touch of Olympic glamour to its festive lights switch-on, which ended with a blazing bell of rings rising from the ground.
Thomas Heatherwick, creator of the London 2012 cauldron, would have been proud of the fiery finale to Saturday night's entertainment.
There was not a C-list celebrity in sight as the evening began outside Holy Trinity Church at 4.30pm, with Hounslow mayor Corinna Smart instead handing three young volunteers the honour of switching on the illuminations.
Children were then invited to pick up a lantern and join an illuminated parade up the High Street to Bell Square.
Bikes carrying sculpted lights led the way, with bhangra musicians and dancers setting the beat behind. The lanterns came in all shapes and sizes, from a giant Hindu elephant god Ganesha to peacocks and even Kenny from the animated comedy South Park.
At Bell Square, crowds enjoyed a display of Punjabi dancing before watching in amazement as the blazing eight-foot bell rose out of a fire pit, warming the chill air as it swayed in the night sky.
The evening's entertainment was composed and performed by a team of unemployed youths, who have been working with Watermans arts centre and outdoor arts experts Same Sky as part of the Creativity Works initiative to help them into employment, education or training.
The scheme is funded by the Mayor's Fund for London and the Berkeley Foundation, with additional financial support for the show itself coming from Hounslow Council and the Arts Council.
