Sheffield Christmas lights switch-on event will not take place

A two-day festival has been planned to mark the opening of the Christmas market on 18 November

Sheffield's Christmas lights switch-on event will not take place due to crowd safety fears, the city council said.

The festive celebration usually attracts up to 40,000 people but renovation work on Fargate and Pinstone Street means plans have been altered.

A two-day event featuring music and festive films will take place on 18 and 19 November to coincide with the opening of the Christmas market.

Councillor Minesh Parekh said the city would "celebrate Christmas in style".

Other locations including the Peace Gardens and Barkers Pool were considered as alternative locations for the switch-on, but were found to be too small to host large crowds, according to the council.

The works on Fargate will see new seating, lighting and an underground bin system installed in the area.

The Christmas market will open until 24 December, from 10:00 GMT to 20:00. The bars will be in place until 2 January and open until 23:00.