TALENTED singers, dancers and poets are being urged to lend a helping hand to ensure Dunbar is sparkling this Christmas.

Work is already under way for the town’s Christmas lights switch-on, which is provisionally planned for November 29.

Graham Adams, from the town’s Christmas lights committee, said that plans were pushing ahead, although it had been a challenging year for the committee due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He said: “We have got to think of different ways of fundraising, which is the reason we are doing Dunbar’s Got Talent to see if that can help out.

“We are also looking at the possibility of doing a sponsored cycle, with the committee trying to get from Dunbar to Lapland, which is 2,400 miles. We are looking to launch that probably towards the end of the month.

“The coronavirus has impacted on us and we cannot use the standard fundraising ways of getting money in.

“If we cannot get the money in, we cannot do the Christmas lights.”

The annual Christmas lights programme costs about £8,000, with money being collected through fundraisers, grants and sponsorship of signs in the town.

Volunteers work in the town’s Corn Exchange throughout the year to ensure that the Christmas lights display is looking its best.

Mr Adams, who is also vice-chairman of Dunbar Community Council, added: “There are still probably at least 50 per cent of people in Dunbar that think East Lothian Council fund it and pay for everything that happens, which is far from the truth.”

Dunbar’s Got Talent is encouraging people to show off their talents while helping to raise much-needed funds for the festive display.

Performances – such as music, poetry and dance – can be up to four minutes long, with a donation of £5 for adults and £2.50 for under-16s to take part.

Entries should be posted to the Dunbar Christmas Lights Facebook page under visitor posts by tomorrow (Friday).

The winning adult will receive £75, with the top under-16 being awarded £25.

Plans are also being drawn up to encourage youngsters at the town’s primary school to design a Christmas light, which could then be created for the display.

To back the Christmas lights team, go to justgiving.com/crowdfunding/dunbarchristmas-lights