LONDON, November 22 /PRNewswire/ -- DEFRA have banned Bond Street's much loved reindeer from travelling to London for the annual Bond Noël Christmas extravaganza in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity. Alongside British model and author Sophie Dahl 'flicking the switch' on the Bond Street Christmas lights, live reindeer on the street are one of the most anticipated and exciting elements of Bond Street's Bond Noël event. Yet at the last minute DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) have refused to issue the permit allowing the usual Bond Street reindeer to travel to London.

Distressed to hear that there would be no reindeer, local London primary, Abercorn School volunteered to take to the stage with their 20 strong choir of girls and boys aged between 9 and 13 years to entertain the crowds, wearing their reindeer antlers.

Bond Noël takes place on Thursday 22nd November 2007 from 5.00pm to 8.00pm when Bond Street is transformed into a winter wonderland with snow falling along the entire length of the street. British author and model Sophie Dahl will switch on the Christmas lights at 6.00pm on the corner of Burlington Gardens and Old Bond Street. At 6.30pm the children from the Abercorn School Choir will perform.

http: http://www.bondstreet.co.uk

Notes to Editors

London falls within one of the DEFRA surveillance areas for Bluetongue and no animals from a restricted area are allowed to travel into the surveillance area.

For further information on Bond Noël please contact Katie Thomas at Identity PR: Tel: +44(0)207-388-9988, M: +44(0)795-746-4927, E: katiet@idpr.co.uk