TRADERS in Worle High Street have been given another four months to pay back their Christmas lights debt to Weston Town Council.

The Mercury reported how Worle High Street Traders Association was still trying to raise cash for last year’s illuminations when the council put-up the lights for this year’s festivities.

Committee members said they would try to raise �1,000 of the �1,500 they had agreed to pay the council annually in a three-year deal – but could not afford to raise cash for another year’s lights and had not expected them to go up this season.

The town council’s Community Services committee agreed on Monday to defer any decision about Worle High Street’s lights until March to give the traders more time to fund-raise.

Malcolm Nicholson, town clerk, told the committee: “We want to show our commitment to Worle as part of the town.

“Traders have had difficulty in the recession raising the money that had been agreed.”

Councillor Pauline Priestman added: “They are arranging events in January to start raising money and are conscious of their responsibility.”