THERE are nearly 200 shopping days to Christmas but already Minehead Town Council is worried about the festive lights that decorate the central road islands along The Parade.
For 20 years, the Christmas lights have been powered from electrical boxes sited on the traffic island – but not any more.
Experts have condemned them as no longer fit for purpose and, unless a solution can be found, a winter wonderland of light could be blacked out this year.
But no-one knows who owns the faulty boxes: “They are not ours,” said Minehead town clerk Sue Sanders.
"We have been told they are not fit to be used this Christmas and you are looking at costs to replace them of around £7,000.
“We could have them repaired but it’s a lot of money for the council to find when they’re not its property.”