A ROW of beach huts are helping us get into the spirit of Christmas with a very special life-sized advent calendar.

Every night until Christmas Eve, the doors of one of the huts along Hove seafront will open to reveal specially decorated and festive creations.

The annual event regularly draws large crowds as hundreds come along to see what each hut will reveal, opening for an hour at 5.30pm each evening.

The popular celebration is now in in its ninth year and the brainchild of Reverend Martin Poole, priest in charge at St Luke’s Prestonville in Brighton.

The first hut, specially decorated by a team from King’s School in Hove, was revealed last night and tonight it will be the turn of Deepdene School to show what they can do with this year’s theme for the huts – angels.

The Grace Eyre Centre, local artists and other beach hut owners are taking part for the first time this year.

Reverend Poole said: “We are really looking forward to seeing what we have this year. I don’t look at the huts or designs myself because I like to have a surprise when I see the huts opened.

“I’ve had a couple of hints though and there are going to be some spectacular designs and surprises.

“One of the most memorable from last year was a woman who was a contemporary dancer, who performed a dance with her partner for the whole hour the hut was open.”

No money is raised from the advent calendar as Rev Poole says the whole idea is to draw the community together for a special art and spirituality event.

He said: “We are looking to get people to reconnect with the advent season and remember what it is all about.”

Traditional advent calendars always contain a small chocolate and for the first time this will be the case for the beach huts.

Divine Chocolate has donated 3,000 chocolate hearts and an advent calendar for each hut so visitors can have a treat when they arrive

Organisers are also partnering with the British Airways i360 to offer a chance to win a free flight for two adults and three children for the family that attends the most huts.

The full schedule detailing which hut is open on each day can be found at beyondchurch.co.uk.

The event is organised by BEYOND, a Diocese of Chichester initiative for the city which uses creativity and the arts to stimulate people to think about Christian spirituality.