KNIGHTS in shining armour will be coming to the rescue of Wallingford traders tomorrow in a bid to give them a big boost in the run-up to Christmas.

They will ride through the town on horses and take part in mock combats. Accompanying them will be jugglers, fire-eaters, dancers and other street theatre entertainment.

The event will include the switch-on of the Christmas lights by mayor Betty Atkins at 6pm.

The Medieval Night, the successor to the Victorian Evening, was first staged last year and hailed a huge success.

Wallingford Business Partnership chairman Elaine Hornsby said: "We have all had a difficult trading year, especially over the last two months while Shillingford Bridge has been closed to traffic.

"That caused a big build-up of traffic inside the town and people have been reluctant to come into the centre.

"Now it is open again we are hoping for a more positive trading pattern as we approach Christmas."

Antiques dealer and president of the partnership, Pat Hayward, said: "Many shops rely so much on the Christmas period to give them a cushion for the rest of the year.

"Without a successful Christmas shopping bonanza many businesses will have a very lean time in 2008."

At the Wallingford Tea and Coffee Co Ltd in St Martin's Street, there will be the added attraction of a book signing.

Director Stephen Kitching specialises in selling books about tea and coffee and tonight will have John Griffiths signing first editions of his book Tea - The Drink That Changed the World.