Council offers help over 'unsafe' Dorset Christmas tree lights

The Wyke Regis Christmas tree lights were disconnected by contractors

A village Christmas tree which had its lights unplugged over safety fears, was illegally connected to the electricity supply, Dorset Council has said.

Contractors disconnected the lights on the tree in Wyke Regis near Weymouth after when they were found to be wired into a lamp-post.

Residents insisted the installation was "safe" and had worked for 20 years.

The council said it was "extremely dangerous" and offered to facilitate arranging a safer electricity supply.

The lights in Wyke Regis Square were disconnected after a routine inspection by council street lighting contractor Enervo.

A council statement said: "It was discovered that the lights were illegally connected to the electrical supply from the streetlight.

"This is extremely dangerous and constitutes theft from the unmetered supply to the streetlight and as such has been reported to the local electrical company."

It added it would "happy to facilitate" local residents to obtain quotations for a permanent feeder pillar with a safe electricity supply for future Christmases.

Local councillor Kate Wheller previously said the lights had always been professionally installed and successive electricity contractors had not flagged any issues.

"We absolutely realise the importance of safety and risk assessments and follow the safety guidelines to the letter," she added.

The tree was the centrepiece for the Wyke Regis Christmas street fayre earlier this month