THE Ghost Of Christmas Past visited York's Shambles and helped the city's tourism chief, Gillian Cruddas, launch the seasonal festivities.

The pair met to kick-off the York Yuletide celebrations which, they claim, will be the best yet.

Festivities will include a dramatic change in the Minster, which will change colour for the first time in its history for the occasion.

As the switch is thrown on the city's Christmas lights at a ceremony in Duncombe Place next Thursday, the Minster will be covered in multicoloured light for one night only.

The radical alteration to York's most famous tourist attraction has been supported by protectors of the city's heritage. Alison Sinclair, of the York Georgian Society, said: "I certainly don't have any objection to it for one night. In fact, I think it would be quite exciting."

Dr Robert Richards, an authority on church buildings in York, said: "Christmas is a Christian festival and this will put the church right at the centre of it. I would be surprised if anybody has a problem with it."

The switch-on show, from 6pm, will star panto favourites Berwick Kaler and Martin Barrass, snooker player Ronnie O'Sullivan, and local schoolgirl and up-and-coming pop singer Stacey Ace.

The city's lights, sponsored by York-based IT company Agilisys, will bring a seasonal feel to Coney Street, Spurriergate, Micklegate, Petergate, Colliergate and Fossgate.

The opening of the annual St Nicholas Fayre coincides with the lights being turned on, while the Festival of Angels offers ice sculptures and real snow in York's Quarter, off Swinegate, on December 14 and 15.

The York Early Music Christmas Festival will be held from December 12 to 15, at venues around the city.

- In our Enjoy Christmas supplement yesterday we incorrectly stated the date of York's Christmas lights switch-on. This was due to information originally supplied to us by First Stop York.

The switch-on will take place in Duncombe Place, close to York Minster, next Thursday, November 28, and will mark the start of the city's late-night Christmas shopping evenings.

Updated: 11:58 Thursday, November 21, 2002