Christmas lights in Crumlin are still on

Christmas might be a long distant memory for many but residents of the village, are reminded of the festive season, every single night.

One month on from Christmas and residents have been given a bumper dose of festive cheer to banish the January blues, with illuminated lights still left blazing on lampposts despite it being more than half way to Valentine’s Day and far beyond Twelfth Night, January 6.

The delay for the switching off of the lights has bewildered and amused some but angered others.

Councillor Thomas Burns said he received complaints from residents about the oversight.

“I can understand residents frustration,” he said. “People are now asking who is paying for this. They are worried this will affect their rates bill.

“They don’t mind the lights are on during the festive season but this is a month after Christmas and they are still on. It just seems a great waste of money.

“Even if the lights were switched off but not taken down that would be one thing.

“The tree was only taken down on Monday so why could the lights not be taken down at the same time.”

A spokesperson for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough said, “The switching off and removal of Christmas lighting within the Council area began with the switch off of lighting on the 6 of January 2016.

“In some cases time clocks had to be adjusted so this prolonged the works but all lights are due to be off by January 20, 2016. We hope that the removal of the lighting and features will be completed by February 5 2016.”