ABOUT £15,000 is being invested in Christmas lighting in Abingdon including a new tribute to the war dead.

A new red light in the shape of a poppy will be displayed for the first time in The Square, near the town’s war memorial.

The money is being spent by the town council on new lighting and on repairing existing lighting.

Christmas lights around the town centre will be switched on at 5.30pm on Saturday, November 29, as part of the town’s day-long extravaganza.

It is the third year running the extravaganza has taken place on a Saturday, after it was switched from Thursday night.

Our top stories

 

Entertainment in the Market Place will start at 10am and include live music, a circus workshop and a parade at noon.

Town clerk Nigel Warner said: “We thought the new poppy light in The Square would stand out as a tribute to the fallen. Lights will be displayed across Stratton Way for the first time and we try to put on one of the best lights displays in Oxfordshire.

“Some shops will also be displaying their own lights, and I think a Saturday is a better day for the extravaganza as it is a better opportunity to bring people into town and the countdown to Christmas can really begin.”

  • Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.