A BIGGER and better Christmas has been promised for Leigh this year.

A 20 ft Christmas tree, climbing Santa Claus and late-night shopping are just some of the treats in store for the town centre.

And a £100,000 plethora of new lights will provide a display to remember.

"If we carry on at this rate," said Cllr Brian Jarvis, chairman of the Town Centre Management Group, "In a few years' time we'll be rivalling Blackpool Illuminations!"

Plans to ensure the first Christmas of the new millennium is a real "cracker" were devised by Town Centre Co-ordinator Laurie Barton and the Town Centre Management Initiative, supported by Wigan MBC and the Wigan and Leigh Business Partnership.

Miss Barton said they had been working hard to give Leigh people a really good Christmas.

"There'll be walkabout characters, give-aways, lots of goodies to be won, a £1,000 cash promotion, free face-painting and entertainment, Operation Christmas with Wish FM, and a fantastic free gift wrapping service."

Animated light crossings will be hung across eight town centre streets.

And - just for the children - a giant, spotlighted Santa Claus will climb along the roof of the Town Hall.

Cllr Jarvis added, "We've come a long way since the days when our Christmas tree was criticized as being a cross between Twiggy and a lavatory brush!

"This tree - which cost us the best part of £6,000 - will be the best tree in Leigh, ever."

Ken Dodd - who has performed the light switch-on for the last two years - said last year he'd like to make it a hat-trick.

Organisers are still awaiting confirmation that he will appear.

The switch-on will take place on Sunday, November 26, when the shops will open from 10am-4pm. These Sunday hours will be continued until December 31. The shops will also be open every Thursday until 8pm.

"Last year around 10,000 people came to the square for the switch-on," said Cllr Jarvis. "I can't see any reason to doubt it will be exceeded this year."