Council 'sorry' for Logan's Christmas lights snub

Logan, 13, was supposed to turn on Stevenage's Christmas lights

A 13-year-old boy has received an apology after his mother said he was "excluded" from turning on a town's Christmas lights.

She said her son Logan, who has nearly half a million TikTok followers, had been "used for publicity" after a poster for the event in Stevenage stated he would be turning on the lights alongside Santa.

On the night, it was a different child who pressed the button while Logan was at the back of the stage and not even given a mention.

Coleen De Freitas, a cabinet member at Stevenage Borough Council, said: "It was not our intention to offend or ignore them, and for that I wholeheartedly apologise on behalf of the council."

Gemma, Logan's mother, said: "He was literally right at the back and he was going, 'Where's the button, Mummy?'... He was trying to understand and I didn't know what was going on.

"They started counting down and he was going, 'Where's Santa, Mummy?'"

Logan has 22q11 deletion syndrome, also known as DiGeorge syndrome, which can cause lifelong challenges, including heart defects and learning difficulties.

People gathered on the stage as Stevenage's town centre lights were switched on

Gemma founded The Abilities In Me Foundation, a charity promoting inclusivity and raising awareness through a series of children's books.

Despite the online apology, she wants a direct apology to her son.

"Someone to come forward, take accountability and apologise to Logan," she said.

"Nobody has taken accountability at the council. They need to step into Logan's world and see how amazing he actually is."

A council spokesperson confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the child who did switch on the lights was not a relative of the mayor or known to her, contrary to rumours on social media.

In an online statement, De Freitas said: "I will contact Gemma to listen to her views on yesterday's event and to say sorry for not taking time to ensure Gemma and her son were visible and able to carry out their role.

"Lots of people came to the event to support Gemma's work leading The Abilities In Me Foundation.

"As the cabinet member responsible for equalities and young people, I want to ensure the council takes the necessary steps to avoid experiences like this in the future."