Truro’s Christmas lights will be switched on next week by the town crier, Lionel Knight, in an online event.

The event, hosted on Facebook, will feature a short, pre-recorded Christmas lights switch-on countdown film, which includes contributions from local dance companies and footage of past activities held in Truro.

The city centre Christmas lights are funded and installed by Truro Businesses Improvement District (BID) via the BID levy contributions from around 400 Truro businesses, along with donations from both Lionel and his wife Carol Knight.

Lionel contributed £11,000 this year towards additional angel lights for the City Centre Christmas Lights Scheme.

READ MORE: Truro's town crier makes another huge donation to Christmas lights

Alun Jones, Truro BID Manager said: “The Christmas Lights are even more important this year to bring some festive cheer to Truro so we’re delighted that people can enjoy watching them being switched-on by Lionel from their own homes.

"There’s plenty of time to enjoy the lights when Christmas shopping in Truro once it reopens on December 3, subject to the government’s second national lockdown ending.

"We look forward to welcoming you back to Truro’s illuminated High St next month.”

Once Truro reopens, which is planned from Thursday December 3, in addition to Wednesday late-night shopping days, the main streets will be traffic-free at key times. These are Monday to Friday from 11am until 3pm and on Saturdays from December 5 between 9am and 5pm giving people space to shop, eat and drink.

Truro’s first virtual Christmas lights switch-on will be streamed at 6.55pm on Wednesday, November 18, via Pirate FM’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/piratefm.

The Christmas lights will be illuminating Truro until Tuesday January 5, 2021.