EXPECTATIONS are high that Tenbury Wells churches followed a national trend by celebrating a particularly busy Christmas.

And the 2004 festive celebrations are already under way, with St Mary's Church, Burford, boasting packed pews for a recording of the service which coincides with the annual mistletoe auctions for a special edition of Gardeners' World, due to be broadcast by the BBC next December.

Church officials are hoping for a higher number of Christmas churchgoers than last year in the Tenbury Wells area.

While the totals are not yet available, team rector, the Prebendary Rev Alan Jevons confirmed that there was a "particularly good feel to the town this year".

If higher, they would match those forecast in a national opinion poll, taken in October, which showed that 39% of adults worshipped in church during Christmas 2002, six per cent up on the previous year.

Mr Jevons said: "It's too early to comment on our final figures, but it was certainly a far bigger than expected congregation for the Christingle service.

"While I can't confirm any increase in attendance at the regular Christmas services, they were certainly not down.

"It is fair to say that numbers attending services in the rural villages are not easy to calculate because families often go away at Christmas and visitors staying in the area often join local services."