THE organisers of Dunbar’s Christmas lights display have received a cash boost.

The lights were switched on last month on the town’s High Street by the town’s double European gold medallist, athlete Maria Lyle.

More than 1,000 people packed the busy street and now the organisers have received another boost, with Lafarge Tarmac choosing the group as the recipient of one of the its annual community awards.

Dunbar Christmas Lights Committee has received £480, which goes towards helping with the maintenance of the popular display.

Angie McDougall, one of the organisers of the annual event, was “extremely grateful” for the donation.

She said: “The lights are funded entirely by voluntary donation and it costs in the region of £5,000 to maintain, erect and take down the lights every year.

“Some of the lights are getting pretty old and we are starting to change from older rope lights to LED lights to bring us into line with new legislation – there will be significant expenditure over the next couple of years to upgrade our equipment.

“The LED rope light is more energy efficient than existing light ropes.” The lights will come down in the new year but the committee’s work is far from over.

Members work on the lights and fundraising for 48 weeks of the year and now the committee is calling for more people to come forward and help to ensure the lights remain a glowing success.

“Folk don’t have to be a qualified electrician to be able to help, although we would certainly welcome any electrician who is able to offer voluntary advice,” said Mrs McDougall.

“Overall, anyone who would like to help us is welcome – many hands make the Christmas lights work!” The group meets each Wednesday in the town’s Corn Exchange from 7pm to 9pm and anyone who is interested should call 01368 864794 or pop along.

Florin Stoiean, plant manager at Lafarge Tarmac Dunbar, added: “I am glad to announce the latest beneficiary of our community awards scheme and the Dunbar Christmas lights is a very worthy recipient.

“The community awards are decided by a committee made up of several members of the workforce here at the cement plant.

“The committee makes community awards to various organisations across East Lothian and the Christmas lights in Dunbar certainly bring a lot of pleasure to many people from across the area at this time of year.”