A GRANDMOTHER getting into the festive spirit has labelled the vandals who spoiled her Christmas light switch-on as "Scrooges".

Every year Mrs Elizabeth Sayers (62) hangs festive lights outside her home in Unsworth Street, Radcliffe, along with decorations and displays.

This year, she had them put up earlier than usual to ensure that the people who help her would have time to organise the decorations.

But as soon as the lights were placed in position at the weekend, the wires were cut before Mrs Sayers and her family - including grandchildren Lloyd (7) and Emily (4) - could perform the big switch-on.

Mrs Sayers said: "I put these lights up every year for the children.

"Radcliffe Primary School is around the corner from my house and the children love to see them when they are walking home with their mums and dads in the dark - it let's them know that Christmas is on its way. "I was going to have a big switch on with Lloyd and Emily and they were looking forward to the night so much.

"I am disabled so each year I get my son or a neighbour to help me, but we had to arrange it earlier this year, so they would have time to help out.

"It took four weeks to get everything up, and before we even had chance to turn them on, someone cut the wires in four places.

"There were a lot of tears that night, and I was so annoyed."

This is not the first year Mrs Sayers has experienced vandalism to her festive decorations.

She says that one year someone stole her Father Christmas display from the front of her house.

She added: "I just want to have something nice for the children and passers-by to look at.

"It's bad that you can't leave something on your own property. These people who spoil things are just Scrooges."