RESIDENTS and businesses in two South Lakeland towns dug deep so that much-loved Christmas lights switch-on events could still take place this year.

Only two months ago, it appeared that Christmas in Kendal was cancelled, with the town council saying it had been unable to secure sufficient funding for a switch-on ceremony.

However, five Kendalians banded together to ensure that the event was still able to take place.

One of these, mayor of Kendal Cllr Alvin Finch, described the jovial atmosphere last weekend.

“We are in November. Santa Claus isn’t coming for another five or six weeks, yet children were there smiling,” he said.

Cllr Finch said Phil Walker, landlord of the New Union, provided mulled wine and juice on the night in exchange for a donation to charity.

Morrisons supplied mince pies, people from Stagecoach and the Riversiders Trust sang carols, and hot dogs were provided by the owners of The Globe Inn. All this was achieved in just five weeks.

And, despite fears that attendance would be poor and he would have “egg on his face”, Cllr Finch was both happy and relieved to see hundreds turn out.

“It started to rain near the end - it didn’t dampen any spirits,” he said.

“I didn’t expect as many there as there was which shows how popular it was and that we [Kendal] do need it.”

In the Lake District, another Christmas lights celebration that was facing uncertainty also took place.

According to Richard Attenborough, one of the directors of Ambleside Christmas Lights ltd, which helped organise last weekend's switch-on, the event was threatened by a reduced police presence this year. Organisers had to find an extra £2,000 for stewards to fill the gap.

They therefore wrote to businesses in the town “alerting them to the fact there was a possible shortfall.”

And, thanks to the generosity of local firms, as well as money raised through other means such as donations on the night, the event was able to go ahead.

Festivities on the day included a merry-go-round, food stalls, face painting and live reindeer.

Later on, to avoid traffic jams, Santa chose to arrive by boat along Windermere. Around 8,000 people gathered in the streets to welcome him, with St. Nick leading a procession of lanterns, costumes and musicians through the town.

Elsewhere in the Lake District, businesses in Windermere are preparing themselves for a bumper weekend beginning December 13, with an ice rink and more stalls than ever before featuring in the town’s Christmas plans

Hawkshead is also readying itself for its Christmas fair on December 7 and 8. There will be a lantern parade and a variety of food and craft stalls for visitors to peruse.