Woodbridge Christmas tree light display almost scuppered by thief

Christmas trees will be added to the town's lights display this weekend

A town's Christmas tree display was almost scuppered when someone walked away with all the festive lights.

Sixty trees were due to be erected in Woodbridge, Suffolk, but when organisers went to collect the lights to hang, all 85 sets had gone.

Organisers said they could not find anywhere to supply replacements.

But a lucky shopkeeper managed to find 60 sets in London at the last minute, and thanks to the "knight in shining armour" the trees will now be lit.

Former mayor of Woodbridge and Christmas lights organiser, Clare Perkins, said: "Sadly, approximately 85 sets of tree lights went missing last week from their usual place they were kept and, despite a plea being put out on social media, they have not yet been returned.

"This meant that we, Choose Woodbridge [a business and tourism group], had no lights to put on our Christmas trees that the shops had ordered, when they are put up this weekend."

The trees proved a big hit in 2019 when they were last placed in the town

Trees will be added to streets including the Thoroughfare this weekend

Her efforts to find replacement lights had failed.

"However we had a knight in shining armour come to our rescue," Ms Perkins said.

Andy Wright, who owns discount store Wotsits, told Ms Perkins he could get 60 new sets of lights from London.

"What a star," she said. "Thanks to him, we now have lights which we can adorn our trees with, and make Woodbridge sparkle a bit brighter."

Ms Perkins helped to put the trees up in 2019, but they were not erected last year because of the pandemic

Ms Perkins admitted the loss of the lights had not been the only Christmas-related "trauma" to hit the town.

A public event on Thursday to switch on the lights draped across the streets was cancelled as road closures were not signed off in time.

However, the lights have been strung up, and the trees will be put up later, "all with warm, white twinkling lights on them", Ms Perkins said.

When the trees are up, the town will "sparkle a bit brighter", Ms Perkins said