Town searches for Christmas lights button pressers

Chris Savill said the committee had tracked down about 25 of the 39 people who had previously turned on the lights

A town that is well known for its impressive Christmas lights display had a huge celebration for its 40th anniversary switch-on at the weekend.

The Christmas lights committee in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, was founded in 1985 and this year appealed to anyone who had either switched on displays or helped with them to attend the event, which took place on Saturday.

The festive switch-on attracted thousands of visitors to the town centre.

Chairman of the committee, Chris Savill, said they "explored all avenues to track down 39 people", and ended up making contact with about 25, with 10 attending.

Organisers say thousands of people packed the streets for the annual switch on event in Chatteris

Mr Savill, who has been involved with the lights for 26 years and has been committee chairman for 13 years, says the team of seven thought it would be nice to have a "special celebration to mark our 40th anniversary".

"We select a local primary school and they find a suitable youngster to press the plunger. Some of these youngsters will be approaching 50 now and might be married with children of their own," he said.

At the event, Mr Savill announced he was standing down as the committee chairman.

"I'm 72, and it is time to introduce some new blood and fresh enthusiasm for the role," he said.

Mary Donger (nee Smith) turned on the Chatteris Christmas lights on in 1990, aged five

Mary Donger, now 40, said she was "honoured to be invited back for the annual switch-on... it brought back great memories"

Mary Donger, 40, was five years old when she switched on the lights in 1990.

"It was a really exciting moment; my name was pulled out of a hat to get the job and I was attending King Edward School [now part of Kingsfield Primary] in the town at the time," she said.

"I can remember meeting Father Christmas and will never forget him giving me a chocolate Santa.

"I had to push a red button and all the lights came on; it was just magical."

Devon Mandley, 32, said she was privileged to be asked to be part of the 40th anniversary celebrations

Devon Mandley, 32, said turned on the light display in 1996 when she was three years old and and "would never forget being centre of attention".

She did it to honour her father, who died that year aged just 27 and had been part of the lights committee.

"We have a tree with lights dedicated to my father at the other end of the town, so we always remember him at this time of year," she said.

Now living in Peterborough and a mum of two young children, Ms Mandley believed she was the youngest ever person to activate the lights, something she would "never, ever forget".

The lights display will be illuminated every day from 15:00 GMT until midnight until 5 January.

Chris Savill says that the Christmas lights committee is currently seven strong, but they do have around 15 volunteers to help with the massive job of erecting all the displays