Leigh may not get Christmas lights next year - as traders have moaned too much about this year's, the town council's chairman has warned.

The council has received hundreds of complaints from traders on the lights that it helped pay for at the last minute. Councillors agreed to put up £10,000 to light up the town - but some of the lights are more often off than on.

This has been blamed on the poor quality of light decorations and the rain which causes the lights themselves to fizzle out.

The contracted electrician then has to wait until the lights have dried out before he can fix them and light them up again.

But council chairman Mike Dolby is furious traders are complaining to individual councillors and to the council office.

He told the council at a meeting last night: "I consider these complaints unjustified as the alternative to what we have would be a dark Christmas in the central Leigh shopping area.

"Anything other than the provision of lights was to be the responsibility of Leigh Traders' Association.

"As far as next year is concerned, I would not be able to say what the town council's view might be. However, I would like to make two points.

"Firstly, criticism of the town council, which stepped in to save the lights at the 11th hour, is unlikely to encourage us to do the same again.

"Secondly, the condition of the set pieces is reported as being such that either a major overhaul, or replacement would be needed in order to have lights that the town council would consider supporting next year.

"We could give no assurances about the quality of the lights, which belong to the traders."

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