WEST Devon Borough Council is adding some Christmas cheer to residents planning festive shopping by offering free parking in local towns for Christmas shopping events.

Visitors to Tavistock, Okehampton and Chagford this holiday season can spend delightful evenings with family and friends, enjoying shopping, entertainment and tasty Christmas treats without having to worry about parking charges in West Devon Borough Council car parks.

The free parking events are to be held on:

• Friday, December 1 at Tavistock’s Dickensian Evening.

• Thursday, December 7 at Okehampton’s Edwardian Evening.

• Tuesday, December 12 at Chagford’s late night shopping event.

The free parking will apply from 4pm.

West Devon Borough Council’s lead member for commercial services, Cllr Robert Sampson said: ‘We encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to park for free.

‘With the festive season being an expensive time of the year, we’d like to ease the burden by making the late night shopping experience lighter on the purse and more enjoyable for all; not forgetting the wonderful entertainment that will be featured in this year’s Christmas shopping events.

‘It would be a shame to miss any of it.’