ALIENS will play an unusual role in the Trafford Centre's festive scene as a giant advent calendar reveals children's futuristic visions of the Year 3000'.

The space-age' days of Advent were selected from children's drawings, after the Trafford Centre challenged 200 schools to design a picture for each of the calendar's windows.

Gordon McKinnon, director of operations at the Centre, said: "We wanted to involve local schools in something creative and see what the future has in store for December 25th, so we asked them what they thought Christmas would be like in the Year 3000.

"The entries have been both heart-warming and funnythe predominant theme is aliens, scarily enough, but every entry is deserving of a prize and it seems a great pity there are not a few more days of Advent!"

Amelia Sandbach, who is in Year 8, at Altrincham Girls Grammar, unveiled her winning entry hidden behind the first day of Advent, on December 1st. Amelia and her whole class will be treated to a game of Laser Quest, bowling and a preview of a new film, Night at the Museum', on Boxing Day, as the competition's grand-prize.

Pupils from other Trafford schools: St Hugh of Lincoln, Holy Family RC, St Anne's RC, Moss Park Primary and St Margaret's Ward RC School, also made the grade and were awarded prizes donated by retailers.

The mammoth calendar is on display on the upper level of the Orient - each window will be revealed at midday in the run up to Christmas Day.

Amelia Sanbach aged 12 a pupil at Altrincham Grammar for Girls is the overall winner of Advent in Style art competion where local schools were invited to paint a picture with the final 24 to be included in the calaender at the Trafford Centre.