Resident have voiced their anger after the Christmas lights failed to turn on as planned at a ceremony held in their village. Around 2,000 people turned up for the planned lights switch-on event in Calverton on Saturday, November 26.
Mince pies and almost 200 selection boxes were given out in St Wilfred’s Square as families awaited the Christmas lights switch-on which was due to take place at 4.20pm. A brass band was also present at the event.
But the crowds were left in the dark as the lights around St Wilfred’s Square failed to switch on as promised. Anne-Marie Partridge, born and bred in Calverton, said around 2,000 people "were stood in cold and dark like idiots".
The leader of Gedling Borough Council has apologised and said there will be an investigation into what went wrong.
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Anne-Marie, 43, added: "People gave out selection boxes to children, and mince pies to anybody who wanted them. We have had children from the Manor Park Infant School singing Christmas carols.
"And of course, we were just stood there in cold and dark like idiots. The next thing is that the place just dispersed, the band left and it was quite obvious that no light was being turned on.
"There were official posters posted by our local council all over Facebook, and all around the village. There were a lot of children, it was quite cold as well.
"We were waiting for the switch-on. And then it never happened."
She added: "It is frustrating, it feels like Calverton has been left behind. We have seen photos from Arnold, everyone praising their switch-on event and we could not event have a decorated Christmas tree."
Councillor Andy Meads, the Calverton parish council chairman, said they have paid around £4,000 to Gedling Borough Council this year to light all the trees and lamp posts in the village at a set time. He spoke of his frustration, adding: "Just like every other year, we never thought anything different, we thought it will come to 4.20pm and the lights will turn on because that is what was booked.
"When we realised that they are not going to come on, me and other caretakers ran around all those trees to understand how the lights work."
He added: "Everything else was great. The only thing we relied on the Gedling Borough Council was for the lights to come on. And they did not come on."
Councillor John Clarke, the leader of Gedling Borough Council, has apologised following complaints from members of the community. He said: "It is embarrassing. I apologise on behalf of the council."
He said that the matter will be investigated further. He added: "They normally run quite smoothly - so for the lights not to be switched on as scheduled, that is really strange."
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