Vandals target Camelon community's Christmas tree lights

Vandals targeted Christmas tree lights that were paid for by the community in Camelon - for the second year in a row.

But much to the relief of organisers of Camelon’s Winter Festival, the broken lights were quickly spotted and repaired.

The vandals attacked the multi-coloured decorations on a tree beside the Beefeater restaurant on Camelon’s Main Street on Monday evening.

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The news was a huge worry for the volunteers on the committee who had fundraised to replace them after similar attacks last year.

The Christmas tree lights at the Beefeater, Alexanders and in Tamfourhill are part of Camelon’s Winter Festival which is organised by volunteers and paid for by the Big Lottery.

However, the lottery funds do not stretch to replacing vandalised lights and the committee had to fundraise for replacements last year, when all three sets of lights were destroyed.

Liz McKinley, the secretary of the Winter Festival, said: “This is just mindless people ruining it for everyone else.

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“I think a lot of people think the Beefeater pays for those lights, but it’s actually the community, through fundraising.

“The Winter Festival is fantastic and we do it because there are lots of families who are struggling, particularly at this time of year, and we are determined to keep it going!

“We’ve put too much into it to give up now!”

The lights are just part of the Winter Festival which includes a fun day in Camelon Community Centre and lantern parade.

The Big Lottery funded the festival for the first three years only but Liz says the success of the Winter Festival means they are determined to continue through fundraising and hope to find some sponsorship.