Oldest Christmas lights fail to shine for first time

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS FINALLY BLOW AFTER 54 YEARS OF USE

- NEIL SHAW

BRITAIN'S oldest Christmas lights have failed to shine for the first time in more than 50 years after the bulbs finally blew.

The tree fairy lights - bought for just £3 from Woolworths by Vina Shaddick in 1969 - had been lit for 54 consecutive years without a single bulb ever being replaced.

But her son Ross Farr-Semmens, 45, who inherited the lights after his mum died six years ago, says they have finally given up and won't be on display for the first time.

Ross said the first bulb went at the end of last Christmas and he replaced it but now fears he 'disrupted' the circuit and another six have now blown. Ross, a music teacher from Plymouth, said he hasn't dared touch them again since and they are now carefully wrapped up in a box.

He said: "It is very, very sad they are not up this year and it is the first year they haven't been on display. It just felt they would be going on forever and it feels like the end of an era. Towards the end of last Christmas one bulb went out.