Hundreds of pounds worth of damage has been caused to Melksham’s Christmas lights just days before the switch-on.

Volunteers have put in months of hard work ahead the event on Saturday but a drunken brawl in the early hours of Sunday morning has left them facing extra work and having to dip into their own pockets to pay for repairs.

Electrics, fencing and the Christmas tree in Market Place were all damaged in the scuffle which is thought to have involved more than 30 people who had been drinking at The Tavern, with damage also being caused to a phone box, other street furniture and plants.

Thousands of pounds are raised every year for the Christmas lights in Melksham which attract people from far and wide to see them. Many of the volunteers who put up the lights are retired and give up their time to help make the lights the biggest event in Melksham.

Melksham Christmas light organisers are now urging people to get in contact with the police with any information to help identify those involved and already have some names they are passing on to the police.

Organiser Paul Weymouth and his team spent all of Sunday repairing the tree and trying to replace what has been broken.

He said his team have been left frustrated and are now going to have to work harder but he is determined it will not ruin this year’s lights.

He added: “It will take a lot more than this to ruin Melksham Christmas lights, the town has got such community spirit and support.

“If it had happened in another town there might have been a couple of people talking about it but I can’t keep up with the shares, likes and comments on Facebook, there is so much support.”

The light-switch on will go ahead as normal this Saturday and will take place outside the Town Hall at 5pm. As usual a festive fair will be held beforehand from 2pm at the Market Place with stalls and a grotto inside the Assembly Hall.