Tickets for one of the highlights of the build-up to Christmas are now available – with an invitation to guests to add a special touch of colour to the occasion.

Our Concert of Carols will take place at Ipswich’s Civic Church, St Mary le Tower, on December 18 at 7pm.

Tickets cost £2 each – and we will be supporting Suffolk Family Carers’ fund-raising campaign to buy a mobile centre to support families across the county.

To bring an extra touch of colour to the event, we are urging all the congregation to wear their brightest Christmas sweaters.

Editor Terry Hunt said: “Our carol concert is always a highlight of the Christmas season, and we are very grateful to Canon Jenkin and everyone at St Mary le Tower for allowing us to use this magnificent church.

“Christmas is a time for families, so we are delighted to be able to support Suffolk Family Carers and its efforts to extend the work it does with a new mobile centre.

“I’d like to thank my good friend Mark Murphy for lending me his lovely Christmas jumper for the photo-call – very tasteful!

“Seriously, though, the carol service will be a great occasion and will raise money for a brilliant cause. We would like as many people to wear their seasonal sweaters as possible to add to the occasion.”

Jacqui Martin, from Suffolk Family Carers, said the concert was a great way for the whole community to get behind the charity.

She added: “I hope everyone will come along in their brightest Christmas sweaters like us. It’s a great cause and this is a wonderful way of supporting us.”

One of the lessons at the concert will be read by BBC Radio Suffolk’s Mark Murphy – the man responsible for the sweaters in our picture.

He said: “I’m thrilled to be involved again with the carol service and what a great venue St Mary le Tower Church is.

“I’ll be wearing my seasonal sweater and I hope as many people as possible will join us and do the same. I hope we can raise lots of money for the Suffolk Family Carers Eight Days a Week appeal.”

Tickets for the concert, costing £2 each, can be bought over the counter from our Ipswich office or by writing to: Promotions Department, Ipswich Star/EADT, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN including a cheque for and a stamped addressed envelope.