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THE bright lights of Fratton Road were joined by hundreds more as an annual lantern parade returned, coinciding with the We Shine Portsmouth festival of light.

Home-made lanterns – many bearing the Pompey logo, some in the shape of foxes or whales – were held aloft by residents as they set off from the Royal British Legion club towards St Mary’s Church in Fratton.

The church is hosting a light installation as part of the We Shine Portsmouth light festival, which has seen the lantern parade – organised by community group Fratton Big Local since 2014 - brought forward to coincide with the city-wide light show.

Led by the Batala Samba Band, Deputy Lord Mayor Rob Wood, and Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan, this year’s parade turned heads along the busy road as it made its way to the now illuminated church grounds.

Fratton Big Local's seventh community lantern parade
Picture: Sam Stephenson — Fratton Big Local's seventh community lantern parade Picture: Sam Stephenson

Reverend Canon Bob White of St Mary’s said he ‘very much hopes’ that the We Shine festival will return and coincide with the parade again next year.

Fratton lantern parade returns to coincide with We Shine Portsmouth festival of light