VILLAGERS are hoping that Christmas will come early this year - courtesy of an electricity distribution company.

New regulations had forced Bidford's Christmas lights committee to blow all their funds on upgrading the electricity system.

More than £5,000 raised over the past three years was to be spent on new lights for the village, but the kitty has been drained by the essential work.

But now the parish council has applied for a grant from Central Networks, which has put up £20,000 to be split between eight local authorities.

Council clerk Elizabeth Uggerloese said the application has been forwarded to the company and they expected to hear the outcome before the end of the month.

Peter Batacanin told the Journal that without the upgrade they would not have been able to switch the lights on at all this year.

"It has wiped out all our funds. We are still going ahead with the switch on but it won't be quite as much as usual.

"We had a very good year to start with, but it's just been upset in the past few weeks or so. We hope to turn that around. We want to light up Bidford for Christmas."

New fund-raising initiatives include a 200 club, which will start in the new year, and requests for donations from local companies.

The Christmas lights will be switched on by RSC actor David Troughton, who is currently appearing in ITV's new serial Jericho, on November 27.

As well as the lights there will be a host of activities to mark the start of the festive season.