Christmas has started early in Leigh.

Business leaders have begun handing out advanced presents to make sure the town centre is a star attraction in the festive season.

State-of-the-art illuminations - at a cost of around £40,000 - will be a focal point for Christmas shoppers.

Now traders are chipping in to buy them - and Wigan Metro has agreed to install and maintain them.

Some £9,150 of the £15,000 needed to buy the lights has so far been donated to the Leigh Christmas Lights Campaign.

Dream lights co-ordinator and Leigh town centre manager John Ayres said: "It's brilliant how quickly people have responded and backed the scheme.

"We need others to follow their lead so we can order the lights by the end of August."

Major donations include £5,650 from Coalfield Challenge and £2,000 from Leigh Business Partnership, the money coming from last year's cancelled canal rally fund.

The campaign, spearheaded by Ayres, has been boosted by welcome backing from councillors from Leigh Central, Leigh East, Hope Carr and Bedford Astley ward.

Leigh Town Centre Management Group vice-chairman Cllr Brian Jarvis said: "We have agreed to fund any shortfall through the Brighter Borough Initiative because the lights have been selected and need to be ordered now for a November switch-on.

"Once we have them we can build on it for the future."

Millennium Quest of Kent will now manufacture animated lights with a swinging bells central image to string across the streets at 15 locations.

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