A former member of PetersfieldÕs disbanded Christmas lights committee has urged people to stand by town manager Steve Johnston and thank him for this yearÕs display.

The festive lights have been criticised this year but Chris Loversidge has said the town should join together and thank Mr Johnston for all the effort he has put in.

In a letter to The Herald, Mrs Loversidge said: ÒI have been surprised and disappointed to read the comments in the press about the Christmas lights. Without the efforts of Steve Johnston, Petersfield would not have had any Christmas lights this year.Ó

She added: ÒWe should be giving him support and being a little patient, as it should be remembered that, irrespective of any maintenance carried out on the displays before they are in place, many of the problems are not apparent until the lights are illuminated.Ó

Many Petersfield residents were left disappointed by the lights at the official switch on by town mayor Mary Vincent.

But Mr Johnston, who organised the display, hit back at the critics this week and said: ÒIf people do not want a switch on next year then there will not be one. They will be switched on as and when we get round to it.Ó

He added: ÒIf the community does not want to support an event there is not a lot of point in putting it on. That goes for everything.Ó

Mr Johnston has received a number of complaints about the lights this year, including one anonymous caller who was disgusted by the advertising banner around the tree.

Mr Johnston said: ÒI have done the best I could with whatÕs available to me.

Ò What people do not realise is that I am here two days a week. I have another town to work for. I had the job of doing all the lights for Havant borough. I have been in charge of putting up lights in five towns. Petersfield is the only one that did not work properly.Ó

He explained that because the townÕs lights were handmade and location specific it made the job much more difficult.

ÒIt is so different from any other town in the way that it is worked and powered,Ó he said.

Mr Johnston said that he was working with the help of Mrs Loversidge to ensure that all the lights were illuminated as soon as possible.