SOHAM will not face a blackout this Christmas after funding was found to put festive lights along part of the High Street.
Earlier this year, the future of the town's annual display was in doubt following the introduction of new national health and safety guidelines, which said that all Christmas street lights needed to be hung at 5.8 metres off the ground.
Soham Asso
ciation of Commerce and Trade (SACT), organisers of the display, were told the current system of stringing the lights from buildings posed a potential health and safety risk because they were too low.
Members immediately launched a campaign to raise £20,000 so they could buy new poles to hang the lights.
Although they have not managed to drum up the whole amount, around £3,000 has been raised to ensure the town is not in darkness over the festive period.
"We are hoping next week to have holes dug in the road to put poles in and light up a piece of the High Street," said chairman Robert Peacock.
"At least there will be some lights rather than none at all."
In past years, the lights have been on display along Churchgate Street, the whole of the High Street to the Honda Crown garage and around the war memorial.
But this year they will only be put up between The Fountain pub and the post office.
Mr Peacock said SACT wanted to include lights on another section next Christmas but needed to raise another £3,000 to £4,000 to afford it.
For the whole area to be lit up once again, members would need to find the full £20,000.
"We have enough money to do this piece if everything goes through but to do any more, we need some more funding," he said.
"If people would like to support us and give some money we can extend the lights."
The issue was first raised by Cambridgeshire County Council last December, after it wrote to parish councils throughout the county explaining the new guidelines.
A council spokesman said lights tended to sag when hung across roads from buildings, which could be dangerous if hit by buses or lorries.
Mr Peacock is looking for volunteers to help with the lights one weekend at the end of this month.
Anyone who can help should contact him on 01353 723804 or 07816351555.
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