Christmas lights to return to town's lamp-posts
Ferryhill Town CouncilA town's lamp-posts will be festooned with festive lights once again after the decorations were "too heavy" last year.
Durham County Council inspects its street lights every year to make sure they are able to safely hold the size and weight of Christmas lights and last year Ferryhill's lamps failed the test.
But lighting wraps have been found and approved to go up this Christmas.
Ferryhill mayor Curtis Bihari said last year "was a real disappointment" so the town council did everything it could "to make sure it didn't happen again".
He said: "By working closely with Durham County Council, we've found a safe solution that means festive lighting will return to Ferryhill town centre this Christmas."
Durham County Council's strategic highways manager Paul Anderson said the lamp-posts had been tested to "make sure the columns can accommodate these new lights".
"We have worked closely with Ferryhill Town Council and agreed that lighting wraps will be installed on the town's lighting columns from this year," he said.
"Structural assessments have already been carried out to make sure the columns can accommodate these new lights, ensuring the town has festive decorations for this Christmas and in years to come."