A CHRISTMAS lights extravaganza in Tavistock was cancelled last Friday because of the severe weather conditions. More than 200 people who had turned out to see the grand switch-on ceremony and lantern procession were left disappointed ? but organisers said they had little choice. Heavy snow meant ?behind the scene? engineers who are a crucial part of the switch-on ceremony were unable to travel to Tavistock. Chairman of Tavistock Chamber of Commerce David Scrivener apologised to all the people who turned out to see the event. ?We had to make a decision in the morning and at that time there was a blizzard and the town was white,? he said. ?It so happened that by the evening most of the snow was gone.? A team of engineers normally ?switch on? the lights simultaneously at different points in the town on the night. Mr Scrivener said most of the engineers were from the Okehampton area and could not come because of the weather. ?We had one engineer available from Tavistock so he went around the town and switched the lights on at 3pm,? he said. ?We are sorry it did not happen in the evening but we hope people will still enjoy the lights in the run up to Christmas and over the festive period.? One of the main festive focal points is the Trees of Light, organised by Tavistock Lions Club. The trees (pictured left), on the town hall, are festooned with bulbs sponsored by people in memory of a loved one. The money raised from the Trees of Light goes to two charities, the Children?s Hospice South West and the local Macmillan Nurses. This is the seventh year the Lions Club has organised the trees, and to date more than £15,500 has been raised for charities. Bulbs on the trees can still be sponsored. Pick up a coupon at the Times office in Brook Street or contact Lion member Roger Lethbridge at 2 Courtland Road, Tavistock, PL19 OEF. The lantern procession, which is part of the market charter anniversary celebrations, has been rescheduled for tomorrow?s Dickensian Evening (Friday.) Three hundred children from Tavistock College and local primary schools will start their parade from the town hall at 6.30pm led by the Stannary Brass Band. Moira Andrews from the charter group said it was a shame the procession could not happen last week: ?It would have looked very pretty with the snow but we could not risk the children falling over,? she said. ?Most of the schools had closed anyway and the pupils had all gone home to the villages. Hopefully people will turn out on Friday ? same time, same place.? l The heavy fall of snow across West Devon brought disruption to the weekly refuse and recycling services for many residents on Friday. Some collecting took place in Tavistock until mid-day but there were no lorries operating in the Okehampton area all day. West Devon Borough Council press officer Alison Stoneham said there would be double collections this week. ?People are going to have to keep their refuse. We apologise for the inconvenience ? but the weather made it unsafe for the vehicles and crews to go out on health and safety grounds,? she said.
