Express & Star

Stafford Christmas lights switch-on 2016: Olympic gold medallist Joe Clarke lights up town - pictures

[gallery] Stafford's Market Square lit up as the town's Christmas lights were turned on by Olympic gold medal hero Joe Clarke.

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Clarke had the honour of pressing the big red button which lit up the 50ft Christmas tree and the surrounding streets.

Olympic Gold medallist Joe Clarke enters the stage

As the lights came on there was also a firework display from the tip of the Guildhall shopping centre as - fittingly - Gold by Spandau Ballet rang out.

Clarke was Britain's second gold medal winner at this year's Rio Olympics. As well as switching on Stafford's Christmas lights on Saturday night he was also granted freedom of the borough.

He told the Express & Star: "To receive the Freedom of the Borough is such an honour. It is something that cannot be put into words. It is a huge huge honour and to be recognised in Staffordshire for my achievement is just fantastic. I am so proud to be from here.

"To get to switch the lights on as well is another honour. I watched it many times when I was younger and obviously you see celebrities or heroes from the area doing really well and to think I was that person pressing the button and turning the lights on it just crazy. It was great to share my medal with the county."

Clarke, from Stone, was appearing in Stafford just a night after appearing on national television taking part in Children in Need's Strictly Come Dancing special.

He said: "Strictly was a lot harder than it looks. I had so so so much fun, and to know I was doing it for charity as well made it that bit sweeter for me. Obviously we smashed the amount of money we raised and to think I played a part in that to raise the record amount of money is just out of this world.

"Strictly was much harder to train for Rio as it was out of my comfort zone. It is something I am not used to at all and something completely different. I really had to think about things and I remember sweating so much. Jeanette my partner was looking at me like 'I thought you were the athlete' but I was having to concentrate so hard and I was getting so tired after long days of filming. It was all worth it in the end though."

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