THE ANNUAL Giant Christmas Market in Petersfield has been hailed as one of the best, with more than £2,700 raised for local charities.

Held at Petersfield Festival Hall on Saturday, with 70 stalls in the main hall and Rose Room, the event boosted by £1,000 the Portsmouth Hospital’s Rocky Appeal for precision keyhole surgery machinery.

Other causes to benefit from the generosity of festive shoppers were the Petersfield Open Air Swimming Pool which made £249, the Help Palestine Community Co-op (£200), Petersfield Musical Festival (£180), The Rosemary Foundation (£125), Petersfield Diabetes Group (£114), and Sheet Women’s Institute (£120).

The newly formed Broadway Park residents’ association benefitted to the tune of £250 with their home-made goodies. Market organisers Martin and Jeremy Holmes thanked all supporters and volunteers.