A business has funded replacement Christmas lights following a spate of vandalism to help a picturesque Suffolk village “get its festive sparkle back”.
As reported in the EADT last week, the festive lights on Hall Street, Long Melford, were cut from trees a number of times in the last few weeks during a spate of “continued vandalism”.
It led to John Nunn, district and parish councillor for Long Melford, saying that the lights could not be replaced any further due to the parish council running £100 over its budget.
Many businesses and people in the Long Melford contributed to the cost of lighting up the village this year.
Speaking previously, Mr Nunn said that it “beggars belief” that vandals would deny people “the chance to see Long Melford so nicely lit this Christmas.”
But after hearing the news, the village’s East of England Co-op store decided to step in to help.
Mr Nunn paid tribute to the Co-op for its generosity.
He said: “I am pleased to say that having heard the news, the parish council was contacted by the East of England Co-op to say they would like to donate £100 towards the cost of replacement lights.
“I would like to add my thanks to the Co-op who, over the years, have contributed so much to our village by funding numerous organisations and projects.
“They truly are a wonderful organisation at the heart of our community.”
Mr Nunn and county councillor Richard Kemp accepted the cheque for £100 on behalf of the village at the store on Saturday morning.
Lynn Warner, from the East of England Co-op’s community team, said the company wanted to do something to help.
“The Christmas lights in Long Melford looked really spectacular,” she said.
“We were so sad when we found out that they had been damaged and just had to do something to help the village get its festive sparkle back.”
Anyone with any information about the vandalism can contact Suffolk police on 101, quoting reference SC-06122018-313, or online via its website at www.suffolk.police.uk
Alternatively, information can be reported to Crimestoppers anonymously, at 0800 555111 or online via the independent crime-fighting charity’s website at www.crimestoppers-uk.org
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