People in Worcester Park have had their Christmas spirit dented after another December of light failures.

Richard Johnson, who runs a community Facebook page, said only four of the 21 Christmas lights on lampposts in Central Road were working on December 1.

The following night this rose to 11 but then decreased to nine on December 3, according to Mr Johnson.

He told Sutton Guardian: “It has been a disaster every single year. Every year I send unpleasant emails to councillors saying it is not good enough.

“All the lights appeared to be on last night. For how long for we don’t know. It has always been a joke.

"I cannot wait for the local elections."

Nonsuch Ward councillor Samantha Bourne told Sutton Guardian that the light displays cost over £24,000 a year for the three Worcester Park centres.

Speaking about another year of faults, she said: “I am seething. I had asked that the timers were removed and the lights left on 24/7.

“They are new LED bulbs so the cost to do this was minimal and a lot cheaper than having engineers being called out on a regular basis to reset the timers.”

Worcester Park councillor Arthur Hookway appeared to deflect blame from the councillors themselves.

He said: “In a time when the council is under unprecedented financial pressures every penny spent counts and when basic instructions to minimise faults are ignored or overlooked we will demand answers."

However, council Facebook page Nonsuch Ward has reported some good news today for residents.

They wrote: “Central Road last night looked amazing with all of the lights on and the tree lights flickering in the breeze.

“Engineers were on site yesterday fixing them, following our calls to get them working immediately and we were not taking no for an answer.”