STORM Arwen caused mayhem with planned Christmas lights switch-ons throughout East Lothian over the weekend.

Haddington’s virtual switch-on on Sunday evening was cancelled as the team of volunteers had to carry out repairs and checks to ensure the lights had not been damaged by the 90mph winds.

Meanwhile, Dunbar’s switch-on is yet to take place after the town’s High Street was closed on Friday after reports of building damage and fallen chimney pots and slates due to the strong winds.

Chris McEwan, chairman of Haddington’s community council, said volunteers ended up working for 13 hours on Saturday to ensure all of the lights were in a suitable condition to be switched on.

Further lights are to go up before the end of the week after spare parts were ordered.

A video has since been posted online showing the town lit up, including new lights on Whittingehame Drive.

Mr McEwan said: “They look fantastic. All the money we saved doing it ourselves was reinvested.

“We did not do anything extra last year because we did not think we could. Two years of saving up and what we saved doing it ourselves was put into Whittingehame Drive.

“There are £6,500 worth of lights up on Whittingehame Drive and it is looking great. I am so pleased with it but we just ran out of time to do a proper switch-on.”

The winds threatened to cause substantial damage to Dunbar’s lights display, which is always one of the most popular in the county.

The lights were not switched on over the weekend, with East Lothian Council confirming a rearranged switch-on could take place from 3pm this Sunday.

Graham Adams, who heads up the team of volunteers responsible for the Christmas lights, was pleased to say that “99.9 per cent” of the display would still go ahead.

He said: “We have got new signs up, we have got lights down to the harbour and new lights round the one-way system. It is the biggest display we have had and it is just unfortunate the storm has affected it but there is nothing we can do.”