THE next steps for a community “Do It Yourself” Christmas have taken place with dozens of Christmas trees set to arrive.

Rishton will be putting up 42 trees as part of an attempt to bring back the winter magic after Hyndburn Council ran out of money to fund the Christmas festivities.

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Until 2013, the council provided 20 trees with lights in the town but then scrapped the practice.

Nick Haywood, 57, who has lived in Rishton for 25 years has got together with fellow residents and planned to reinstate the trees and create their own Christmas display.

Through hard work, the organisers and a committed 250 followers on Facebook have raised more than £3,000 to relaunch the trees and a Christmas market with 25 stalls, a Santa’s grotto and a raffle.

Driver trainer Mr Haywood said he was delighted with the progress that’s being made.

He said: “All the hard work in the background that has been undertaken by a lot of people with fundraising and collecting will all be displayed once the switch on begins.

“It’s been a really good exercise and we are already looking towards next year and see how we can make it better.

“We have a platform now we have bought the lights and trees, as we can reuse them and focus our fundraising else where, perhaps in a few years we could get lights to hang in the streets and much more.”

The Christmas trees will be erected next week on Tuesday, December 1 and the Christmas market will open at 5.30pm on Friday, December 4 with the lights then being switched on at 6.30pm.