Residents and businesses are being urged to light up Wigton - so the town can shine despite its traditional Christmas lights being out of action.

Storms last winter wreaked havoc in the town and hit the annual switch-on festival.

The horrendous weather also caused severe damage to the cables and anchors that secure the overhead lights, which usually run across the streets in the town centre.

Tests have found they require specialist work.

It means the lights would not be safe to put up this time around and work to fix them cannot take place until next year.

The situation arose after the volunteers who usually put the lights up retired, forcing the town council to seek outside help this year.

With the lights being out of action for this year the council and the town's festival committee is hoping that residents and business owners in the centre will work extra hard to make their properties as bright as possible.

Clare Stabler, who sits on the town's festival committee, said the group had been working tirelessly to resolve the problem but it just hadn't been possible.

"I really want to get across that we are as disappointed as everybody else.

"There's rumours that we don't want to put them up because of money but we have spent the last five or six years building up the festival, it's one of our main events and we have always been trying to improve it," she said.

"We want them up but we have to make sure they go up properly and there are no issues to members of the public.

"We know that the businesses already do a fantastic job and do put together some fantastic windows.

"Because we don't have lights across the street we want them to go that extra mile, if they are able to that would be fantastic."

A Christmas tree will still be put up at the fountain and it will be lit. A huge tree will also be placed in front of St Mary's Church.

Mrs Stabler also promised that the absence of Christmas lights over the streets would just be for one year and they would be back for 2017.

Richard Mattinson, who runs Stitch and Print on High Street, said: "From a business point of view it is a major disappointment because anything which gives the impression that something is going on is greatly received.

"The footfall in the town at the moment is appalling, we've got empty shops and businesses struggling to make a living.

"But we have had 30 years use out of some of that stuff and great support from a number of volunteers.

"It's great if it could've been looked at earlier but it wasn't.

"Without knowing the full story it's hard to criticise the council."

The festival usually marking the lights' switch-on will still be going ahead and will take place on Sunday, November 27.

It will be headlined by former X-Factor finalist Andrea Faustini.

The Italian singer appeared on the show in 2014 and last year he released his debut studio album called Kelly, which peaked at number 14 on the UK albums chart.

He'll be joined on the main stage by a number of local artists, a feature which has become a fixture at the festival over the last few years.

As well as the entertainment on the main stage organisers have a full day of activities on offer for all the family.

In the works so far is an elf parade, a mini mobile zoo, a craft fair in the Market Hall and Professor Pumpernickel will be making an appearance.

Santa will be in Wigton Youth Station and there'll also be a face painter caricaturist, stalls in High Street - and it is hoped a fun fair can run on Water Street car park.

Sandra Keaveney, a town councillor, has been helping to organise the festival again this year.

She said: "The committee of volunteers has been working hard on this year’s event and have organised a day packed full of family entertainment and are excited about once again delivering a day for everyone to enjoy."