Great Yarmouth: Resort sees name in lights with Hollywood-style sign

Lit up by low energy LEDs, the sign could be one of three Hollywood-style names installed in the area

A seaside town is seeing its name in lights as it marks the start of two festivals coming to the borough.

Great Yarmouth in Norfolk is the first of the county's coastal resorts to have the Hollywood-style sign installed on the Golden Mile seafront.

The 27m-long (88ft) sign, powered by low-energy LED lights, was switched on by the Mayor of Great Yarmouth, Adrian Thompson.

The borough council hopes the sign will become an attraction in its own right.

The nearby resorts of Hemsby and Gorleston are also expected to have their own name signs installed.

The installations are part of the See Great Yarmouth In A Different Light project, which also brings two new festivals to the area this year.

Paint the Town will celebrate the arts with events across Great Yarmouth, and Flavours is a new food festival which will be focused around the town's King Street area.

The leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, Carl Smith, said: "Our sparkling new seafront sign and these two great new festivals are fun additions to the borough that will help residents and visitors alike see the area in a new light."

Lyndon Bevan, chairman of Visit Great Yarmouth, said he hoped the lighta would attract more visitors to the Norfolk resort.

"The name of Great Yarmouth in lights will now be across the world in selfies and other photography and videos on social media, which is a brilliant marketing tool to attract even more people to discover our destination and the surprises it offers," he said.