Crystal Palace Park: Abandoned festive lights to be removed

Crystal Palace Park Trust started removing some installations on Friday

Installations of a Christmas lights show are being removed from a park in south-east London after they were left abandoned for several weeks.

The art installation Lightopia ran in Crystal Palace Park from 19 November to 2 January.

But ripped decorations were strewn across the area for weeks after the company behind it went bust.

The park's trust said it started removing installations on Friday and expected to be finished by 12 February.

The Lightopia show was supposed to be cleared away more than three weeks ago

In a statement, Crystal Palace Park Trust said it shared the "disappointment and frustration at this unanticipated and unforeseen situation".

The trust added it had found itself the legal owners of the installations but said by law, it had to give Outreach Creative Ltd, the company behind Lightopia, an opportunity to collect the equipment before disposing of it.

Residents had described the area as looking like "an abandoned circus", while others spoke of their concerns about the dangers posed to young children and pets.

Dogs have been caught up among electrical wires

Residents previously said they were worried children and dogs could injure themselves on metal stakes

Lightopia, which was forced to shut over a weekend in November after cracks in floodlights were deemed unsafe, described itself as "London's finest festival of lights".

It said it had the aim of "bringing a culturally rich, highly entertaining and immersive experience to everyone, every Christmas".

Lightopia's festive lights were also put up in Manchester, Alton Towers and Brussels

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