A campaign to renew Penryn's Christmas lights has got off to a good start in its first week, but the mayor has said there is still more "desperately needed."

A Crowdfunder initiative which launched on Friday has already collected £245 from public donations, with another £1,800 pledged from local businesses, but with a target of around £4,500 the campaign needs more people to dip into their pockets.

Having cast their warm, festive light through the streets of Penryn for many years the lights, funded by donations and maintained and installed each years by volunteers, are becoming worn and starting to dim, needing more maintenance each year.

The crowdfunder appeal is just one part of the appeal, which needs to fund not only lines of lights, but fittings and safety equipment.

Mark Snowdon, Penryn's mayor and the chair of the lights committee, said: "We are trying to think outside the box, obviously I'm pleased with the way it's going but we desperately need these funds.

"The old lights have been patched up for years and are way past their sell by date, so to speak."

He added that making up the new lines of lights will be a "mammoth task," although he has a few helpers at the ready and space available to work, and measurements have been taken around the town to draw up a master plan, making it easy to put them up in future years.

He said: "It's going to be a lot of work but if we manage to get these funds [the lights] will last for many years."

Donors to the project are offered a number of awards, ranging from a festive thank you email from the mayor, to a personalised bauble from Fannie & Fox or a chance to parade in the mayor’s car at the next Penryn Carnival.

One of the backers, Rachel Jeanne Monique Gerred-Hart, wrote on the page: "Well done on the Crowdfunder idea. Fingers crossed you hit your target."

The Crowdfunder closes on November 20, and the team will have just over two weeks to install the lights ahead of the big switch-on on December 5.

To pledge to the project, go to http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/light-up-penryn-for-christmas/