ST HELENS Council has secured sponsorship for Christmas trees and new tree lights for the borough's town centres this year.

The local authority - which, like many across the country, is faced with financial pressures, faced criticism in some quarters last year for the standard of its town centre Christmas trees, particularly the one in Church Square, St Helens.

Complaints over it were circulated on social media.

Announcing its plans for Christmas switch-ons, the local authority said key organisation and companies have "kindly sponsored the cost of town centre trees - as well as new tree lights".  

St Helens Star:

These are: English Cities Fund, the council’s regeneration partner for Earlestown and St Helens town centres 

•  Balfour Beatty, contractor of the Parkside Link Road scheme

•  City Fibre who are currently carrying out works as part of a £30m investment to bring full fibre connectivity within reach of almost every home and business in St Helens Borough 

Live Christmas lights switch-on events will be staged in St Helens and Earlestown town centres later this month (November) as the borough marks the countdown to the festive period.         

Both shows will be headlined once again by the band, Boomin, whose special blend of big covers and festive hits went down a treat last year. Popular singer-songwriter, Jack Bennett, will also playing at both events.

The St Helens town centre Christmas lights switch-on will be held in Church Square on Saturday, November 26, followed by the Earlestown switch-on the day after (Sunday, November 27), with both events getting underway at noon.