ABOUT £40,000 must be found in a bid to upgrade Dunbar’s Christmas lights.

The town’s festive lights have regularly won praise from both residents and visitors to High Street.

The announcement was made at the town’s recent community council meeting, where the new co-chairmen of the Christmas lights committee were unveiled.

Graham Adams and Mark Taylor will lead the committee and oversee the “enormous task” of upgrading and refurbishing the lights over the coming years.

Both men are fathers and admitted their children’s enjoyment of the lights encouraged them to step in last year when the previous committee called it a day.

Father-of-two Mr Adams, who has lived in the town for more than a decade and works at Torness Power Station, explained: “My vision for the lights is to have a sustainable event for the whole of Dunbar and keep them running for this and future generations.

“The comments that people make about the lights being the best in East Lothian helps drive us to make them better.” Co-chairman Mr Taylor, who has also lived in the town for more than 10 years, similarly acknowledged that there was plenty of work to be done.

He said a lot of the associated infrastructure was in the region of 30 years old and was needing replaced.

Now, an action plan covering the next three to four years is being drawn up in a bid to see the lights continue to impress.

LED rope lighting, which will give off a brighter light, as well as being more energy efficient, will also be introduced.

Mr Taylor said: “We work all-year round.

“We have a team, a very small team, that works in the Corn Exchange every Wednesday night from 7pm to 9pm repairing and maintaining the lights.

“We meet every Wednesday, although we take a month off in July, and we work tirelessly repairing the lights – that is why we are looking for more volunteers.” Sue Anderson, who has acted as a link between the community council and the Christmas lights committee, was delighted with the appointment.

The community council expressed their gratitude to departing Christmas lights committee chairwoman Tracy Gillespie for her help in steering the new committee through its first year.

She officially steps down on Monday, the day after the lights come down.

Volunteers are being urged to go along on Sunday from 8am to help dismantle the lights.

Mrs Anderson told the Courier: “It will be a challenging but very exciting year for the lights team.

“The upgrading of the lights requires financial investment in the region of £40,000, which they hope to raise through grants, sponsorship and community fundraising events.

“Just as importantly, the team need more folk able to help with the maintenance/technical side.

“Dunbar’s a town of about 4-5,000 adults; I’m sure there must be some more people living here with some electrical knowledge who could help out.

“I really hope the community give these guys their support.”