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Wiltshire in pictures: Royal visit and mason's award

Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Wire Prince William with a circle of Fijian soldiers in uniform surrounding him in a large room with a Christmas tree in the backgroundRichard Pohle/The Times/PA Wire

The after effects of Storm Darragh continued to be felt this week across Wiltshire with power cuts still causing problems for some homes on Friday.

Seasonal festivities were really starting to hot up as Christmas rapidly approaches - with some royal fun to be had with soldiers in Bulford.

And Father Christmas has even made an appearance - in a supermarket.

Here are some of the best pictures from around the county.

Longleat A large structure, which looks like a children's adventure play house at Longleat toppled on its side with a play castle in the background.Longleat

Longleat: The wildlife and safari park had to be closed for two days after parts of its festive light display were damaged by high winds in Storm Darragh.

Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Wire Prince William sitting at a table with two young military men wearing Christmas jumpers and smiling, in a room with lots of other families Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Wire

Military welcome: The Prince of Wales, colonel-in-chief, could be seen sharing a laugh with Fijian soldiers of the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment, during a Christmas event for families at Picton Barracks.

Mike Boss Photography A drone shot of Salisbury Cathedral emerging from fog with the sun just rising on the horizonMike Boss Photography

Breathtaking: This drone shot of the 13th Century spire of Salisbury Cathedral emerging from the fog prompted one parishioner to say the building should be mentioned "in the same breath as the Great Pyramid or Angkor Wat or Macchu Picchu both as an object of beauty and as a feat of engineering. It is every bit their equal".

Salisbury Cathedral Six middle-aged men dressed smartly in suits, one holding an engraved award and another, a certificate, in front of a wall with 'Federation Stone, Great Britain' written on it. Salisbury Cathedral

Honour: Meanwhile, the cathedral has been given an award from The Stone Federation for its 37-year long restoration, recognising the skilled work of the stonemasons on the high east end gable.

Swindon Borough Council A group of pensioners round a festive table in a care home, all smiling with crackers on plates in front of them.Swindon Borough Council

Sing and Smile: These pensioners from Elizabeth House in Swindon were really in the spirit of Christmas enjoying some festive cheer with others at Coleview Community Centre.

Finnbarr Webster A dozen girls in the cathedral wearing chorister uniform of white undercoats with blue tunics on top, all smiling to camera and hugging Emmie Piper who is wearing vestments similar to a bishop and a mitreFinnbarr Webster

On Sunday, Salisbury Cathedral celebrated a long-standing tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages, where one of the choristers was chosen to be Chorister Bishop.

Senior chorister Emmie Piper delivered a sermon during Evensong, wearing replica robes and borrowing the Right Rev Stephen Lake, Bishop of Salisbury's staff and mitre for the ceremony.

Forestry England/Crown A close-up of a robin perched on a bare winter branch in a tree with a clear blue sky behindForestry England/Crown

Red breast: This robin was spotted in Nightingale Wood, South Marston. Despite common belief, a robin's chest colour is actually orange; a word that was only imported during Tudor times, along with the fruit, by which time he was already called the robin red breast.

St John's Church A close-up of a pane of the glass in a flower shape with several biblical figures depicted in hues of orange, turquoise and blueSt John's Church

Stained glass: A new window with the theme of "seeing", and fired by glaziers at Salisbury Cathedral, has been unveiled in St John's Church in Tisbury.

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