by Rosie Clay
For blacksmith Xavier De Francesco the journey to the Christmas Market is longer than most. He has driven all the way from Spain and has made the same journey for the past 14 years to sell his handy work.
“I’m really happy when people appreciate my work,” he said.
“Nobody wants to work with their hands any more. In Spain, there are no more welders, plumbers, no more carpenters, so when somebody buys something I made, I’m really happy about it.”
The market is in its 31st year in the city centre. It features 70 stalls and more than 200 businesses selling a variety of hand crafted items as well as festive food and drinks.