This year’s Mercury Music Prize winners and former Elliott School pupils, the xx, will switch on the Christmas lights in Putney on December 3.

The band, which formed at the school that produced other music stars such as Hot Chip and Burial, will turn on the lights at 6pm as part of several hours' of Christmas festivities in Putney town centre.

Putney Town Centre manager Stephen Wallace said: “It’s fantastic that we have a big name local band to come and officially start the Christmas celebrations in Putney.”

The trio, who met when studying at Elliott School, picked up a cheque for £20,000 after judges named them winners for their debut album “xx”, which was released last August.