THE biggest and brightest Christmas light display is promised for a Worcestershire town this year in a bid to attract shoppers.

Visitors to Droitwich are being told they will see the best festive display the town has ever seen after the purchase of new lights. Wychavon District Council contributed £1,000 towards the cost of the decorations, with £3,000 donated by the town council and £10,000 from Salters shopping centre.

But Alison Alsbury, centre manager at Salters, said details of the light display would not be released prior to the official switch-on on Friday, November 24. "That would ruin a great surprise," she said.

"It is going to be a great display. This is a very positive step involving both the public and private sector which will benefit the town."

The lights have been purchased after talks with town's Christmas light consortium.

Wychavon District Council's town centre manager, Lew Hammond, said the lights should improve trade in Droitwich in the run-up to Christmas.

"These lights should do the trick, they are going to be the best the town has ever seen" he said.

But the decorations are just one of the initiatives which it is hoped will improve the fortunes of the town.

Shopkeepers have reported a marked increase in trade when farmer's market are held and are calling for them to be held more regularly. The markets are currently held once every three months.

"Everyone wins with farmers markets," said Jane Dobson, of Wychavon's economic development team.

"Customers get good quality locally-grown produce, the producers get to keep more profit and other traders benefit from the busier town centre."