Sudeley Castle will once again play host to the Spectacle of Light this festive period, and the annual event is set to be more spectacular and immersive than ever before.

Nic Beeby, producer of the Spectacle of Light, has been designing the event for three years now and thinks this year will be their best yet.

He said: “This is our third year at Sudeley Castle and we’ve gone from strength to strength each year. It’s a very festive event without being over Christmassy and it’s proving to be increasingly popular.

“We try to plan a new route each year so it’s going to be quite different compared to last year.”

The running through this year’s Spectacle of Light is Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and visitors will be encouraged to follow the White Rabbit and keep an eye out for the Queen of Hearts and other characters.

Alongside the thousands of lights illuminating the grounds there’ll be all sorts of different installations dotted around the trail, as Nic explains.

He said: “We’re working with local light artists to create new installations. One is called ‘At the Going Down of the Sun’, which commemorates the end of WW1.

“We’ve also got a wishing tree, so people write their wishes on a shard of a recycled CD and then hang them in the branches of the tree to sparkle and hopefully come true!”

Sudeley Castle was built in the 15th century and is one of the county’s most popular tourist attractions.

It has played host to a number of monarchs throughout its almost 1000-year long history, and nowadays is both a tourist attraction and home to Lady Elizabeth Ashcombe and her family.

Nic continued: “Sudeley is a perfect place to hold the event as it is beautifully elegant and so full of history. The castle is the centrepiece of the Spectacle, and there’s a mile of trail around it to explore all its different parts.

“It’s a Tudor house with a large piece of the original castle ruins still standing. Then there’s the amazing gardens, the Tithe Barn and the majestic trees. The ruins are especially amazing for us to illuminate.”

The Spectacle of Light takes place on selected nights throughout December, and the event is quickly becoming a highlight of the Sudeley calendar.

Nic said: “It’s a lovely outdoor experience that we’re holding for 17 magical nights during December. We have five different entry times each evening from 5pm to 7pm to avoid people queuing as much as we can.

“I look forward to it because it’s what I love doing. Ever since I moved into the area I’ve wanted to create an event like this and Sudeley is the perfect location.”