Christmas came to Abergavenny on Saturday evening, as the Christmas lights were switched on and Santa Claus came to town. But there was a slightly different feeling to the festivities this year.

Earlier that day, residents and business owners in the town centre saw the full extent of the damage brought by Storm Claudia for the first time as daylight revealed the makeshift river that had become of Frogmore Street.

As uncertainty swept up the high street, the decision was made. This was always going to be the day Aber was flooded with festive cheer, so in typical fashion the good folk stood defiantly against the chaos to bring Christmas to town for another year.

Ahead of the event the organisers, Abergavenny Town Council, paid tribute online.

“A huge thank you to all emergency services firefighters, police, and local authority teams who have been working tirelessly to keep our community safe,” a spokesperson said.

“Our thoughts are with all residents and businesses affected by the flooding.”

Santa Claus set up camp in a new position this year, as he made his way through the market the Brewery Yard, before heading up Nevill Street to St John’s Square to meet the Borough Band. Afterwards, it was back to the Town Hall for the big switch-on as the streets which laid cold and wet a mere 24 hours earlier shone brightly for all to see.

The Mayor of Abergavenny, Cllr Phillip Bowyer, paraded around town on the sleigh on the one night a year Mr Claus is forced to get out and walk while hundreds more braved the weather when their town needed them most.

Not even Claudia could steal Christmas from this determined old town. The festive season has officially begun in Abergavenny.