AS superstitions go, it is probably one of the most famous, and most feared.

Leaving Christmas trimmings up after Twelfth Night is, according to legend, guaranteed to bring bad luck.

If that is the case, the residents and traders of St John's have a lot to dread in the coming year. For a week after Tuesday, January 6, the area's decorations are still on show - and still being lit.

And while some residents and shop owners see this as harmless, others are less sure.

"I have always been superstitious and while I may take most of my decorations down before the Twelfth Night, I always leave one thing up until then," said Sarah Richardson, assistant at Richardson's newsagents in St John's, Worcester.

"I have always been taught it brings bad luck to have them up after that, and I think it is stupid these lights are still up and on."

Mandy Martin, the manager of Lewis Butchers, also in St John's, is superstitious too.

"They should be down by January 6," she said.

"The city council should make the effort to take them all down by that date. I know some people think it is silly, but I do believe that it brings bad luck.

"I've always had my decorations down in time, and the council should do the same."

For Mark Milgin, the manager of Angel Fruits, the lights didn't pose any worries.

"I don't really think St John's is going to be cursed because a few lights are still up," he said.

"It would be nice if they did take them down, so it was felt a bit more festive this Christmas when they put them back up, but there aren't that many anyway."

Alan Hinett, shopowner of Stuff and Nonsense, agreed. "I'm not really superstitious and to be honest, I hadn't noticed they were still there."

Georgia Smith, city centre manager, said the city council was working its way around Worcester taking the lights down.

"We can't do it all in one day," she said. "I don't believe in all the superstition surrounding decorations."