Leicester will be shining bright this festive season after additional funding was allocated to the city’s Christmas lights.
For the fifth year running the city council has spent an extra £50,000 updating its stock of decorations.
The additional funding means there will be a brand new look for Silver Street, High Street and Cank Street this year.
All three streets will have new decorative spans featuring multi-coloured LED bulbs.
New displays have also been commissioned for the Town Hall facade, while hundreds of colourful new baubles will decorate the giant Christmas tree at the Clock Tower.
Across the rest of the city there will be festive lights in the Cultural Quarter for the first time.
New lamp column decorations will line the route between Curve Theatre and the Phoenix cinema.
Santa and his grotto will return to New Market Square, where illuminated garlands will be strung between lamp-columns, and trees will be lit up with pea-lights. The trees in Jubilee Square will also be lit up to create a sparkling backdrop for the Wheel of Light and the real ice rink that opens to the public on Thursday, 5 December.
Council contractors are about to begin the mammoth task of installing the lights in 20 city centre streets.
The four week operation will start in Church Gate on Sunday 20th October, with work taking place early in the morning and at weekends to minimise the inconvenience to road users.
The Christmas lights will then be switched on as part of a packed evening of entertainment on Thursday, 21st November.