An East End Christmas light show in the heart of St George is to go ahead despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

The annual Christmas Lights Wonderland will be held in Somers Garden, although other traditional festive events in the Olde Towne have been cancelled.

Courtney Trott, the town administrator of the Corporation of St George, said that it was important to hold the event to help keep the Christmas spirit alive.

He added: “It’s the Christmas season so it’ll be important to have some signs of normality.

“Christmas is a very festive time of the year and, as we have seen, a lot of the things that normally do take place won’t be taking place.”

The display, in its third year, was created by a light engineer based in St George’s.

He declined a request for comment and asked not to be named.

Mr Trott said that work on the installation started this week, but the final product was still a mystery.

He added: “I kind of look forward to what he sets up every year.

“Last year I know he had decorated it very nicely with a few added touches, so I will be waiting to see what it looks like with everyone else.”

He added: “It’s not a matter of us putting it on, we’re just allowing it to take place as per normal in the garden.”

The event was announced in the wake of the cancellation of the Christmas Walkabout cultural and shopping event because of the coronavirus crisis.

It is the first time the walkabout has been cancelled in its 45-year history.

Mr Trott said that the Christmas Lights Wonderland was easier to hold during the pandemic because it was outside and easy to control how many people were in the garden at one time.

He added that Government safety restrictions will be enforced for the light show and temperatures will be taken at the entrance.

Mr Trott added that no more than 50 people would be allowed inside the park at one time.

He said: “With the ability to restrict the amount of people coming in at any one time as well as it being outside, it lends to the event being able to go on as normal.”

Mr Trott encouraged the public to visit the Christmas light exhibition.

He said: “It’s normally very beautiful how it’s decorated so it should be a wonderful sight again this year.”

The light show will open on December 4 and also run the next day.

The show will be open afterwards on Thursdays to Saturdays from 6pm to 9pm and every day from December 17 until the end of the year.