Lights switch-on cancelled after crash deaths

Shrewsbury Christmas lights switch-on was due to take place in The Square

The home town of four teenagers killed in a car crash in north Wales has cancelled its Christmas lights switch-on.

Shrewsbury Town Council made the decision after the deaths of Wilf Fitchett, Jevon Hirst, Harvey Owen and Hugo Morris, whose bodies were found in an overturned car on Tuesday.

The ceremony was due to take place later in the town square.

"Following the tragic news yesterday we have taken the respectful decision to cancel the lights switch-on, scheduled for this evening," the council said in a statement.

Town clerk Helen Ball said it was not a decision the council had taken lightly, and it had consulted with businesses and police. The start of the town's seasonal late-night shopping has also been delayed for a week.

"We think the most appropriate thing to do is just to cancel the celebration of the start of Christmas that we would ordinarily do at this time of year,” she told BBC Radio Shropshire.

“The lights will go on in the next couple of days, but we’ll just have them on a timer; there won’t be a big celebration,” Ms Ball added.

A number of churches in Shrewsbury have opened their doors for prayer and reflection in the wake of the deaths.