St James' Park packed for Christmas carols

This Monday (9th December) saw a wonderfully festive celebration in St James' Park.

It promised to be one of the UK’s biggest carol services, transforming the home of Exeter’s football club into a hub of festive cheer.

The stadium filled up in a matter of minutes, as more than 3,500 locals and students flocked to sing a selection of traditional carols and hear about the meaning of Christmas. It was a real joy to see so many people, of all ages, wrapped up and enjoying themselves (and the free mince pies)!

The concert marked the 10th anniversary of the Evangelical Christian Union's Exeter Carol Service, with guest speaker Graham Daniels, an ex-professional footballer, telling the crowd that the birth of Jesus was the “greatest revolution in the history of the world”.

Before 2003, the service had previously been held on the University's Streatham campus, with turnouts of only around 500 students or less. Since it moved to the football stadium, however, the crowd continues to grow every year.

The service included performances by Exeter University's soul choir, a couple of the University's A-Cappella groups and a local primary school (very heartily applauded), with carols being accompanied by an excellent Salvation Army wind band.