FOUR townships are to get new Christmas light displays at a cost of £39,000 to council taxpayers.

Hyndburn Borough's Cabinet authorised the spending on Wednesday.

The new ropes of LED lights, manufactured by a local company, will be placed on 50 street lamp columns over the coming festive season in Altham, Clayton, Rishton and Huncoat.

It follows the purchase in 2020 of 110 strings of multi-coloured lights for Great Harwood, Oswaldtwistle, Baxenden and Accrington.

Both purchases were the idea of Hyndburn Council leader Miles Parkinson.

A report to the authority's Cabinet by regeneration boss Cllr Loraine Cox recommended: "That we approve the enhanced Christmas light offering for street 50 lighting columns for 2021 at a cost of £39,000.

"At the request of the leader in 2020, 110 new Christmas lights were purchased to replace the existing street lighting column features across the borough for the 2020 switch within the townships of Great Harwood, Oswaldtwistle, Baxenden and Accrington.

"The leader has now requested additional Christmas lights in order to enhance the new displays across the whole borough.

"It is therefore proposed to purchase an additional 50 new lights, as this will provide the greatest impact to the remaining townships of Altham, Clayton, Rishton and Huncoat, all of which currently do not have any street lighting column displays.

"This will ensure these remaining townships feel more included."

Conservative group leader Cllr Marlene Haworth said: "This is a good idea if it is done properly. We have all had a bad time in the last two years and need something to cheer us up."