Christmas decoration falls foul of elf and safety (From Gazette)

Christmas decoration falls foul of elf and safety

1:16pm Wednesday 28th November 2012 in News By Will Lodge

A CHRISTMAS decoration in Brightlingsea has fallen foul of elf and safety.

Brightlingsea Business Association installed lights around the town to help raise festive cheer ahead of a late night shopping event next week.

But one of the decorations was ordered down by an Essex County Council health and safety official after the street light it was attached to was deemed unsafe.

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “A street light column in Station Road, Brightlingsea, has been identified during routine structural and electrical testing as being structurally unsafe. The column will be replaced in due course.

“During a pre-construction inspection we noticed festive lighting had been attached to this column and due to the nature of the defect identified and in the interest of public safety we asked for the festive lighting to be removed.”

• Late night shopping takes place in Brightlingsea on Friday December 7 from 6pm to 9pm, with former Eastenders and Clacton panto star Dean Gaffney turning on the Christmas tree decorations during the Light up a Life service at St James’ Church from 7-7.30pm.