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Sark: Christmas lights switched on after blackout fear

BBC Santa and girlBBC
The lights were switched on by Father Christmas and Miss Sark Princess Mia Craik-Knight

An island that came within hours of a blackout has celebrated the switching on of its Christmas lights.

Sark Electricity threatened to shut the power off in November when it was forced to lower its prices.

But the power stayed on after the island's government made a last-minute deal to buy the company out.

Now, in a festive twist of fate, islanders are enjoying the Christmas lights display - with free power from the electricity company.

The lights were switched on by Father Christmas and Miss Sark Princess Mia Craik-Knight.

Sark, which has a population of 500, has no cars or street lights, and is also an officially designated dark-sky island in recognition of its lack of light pollution.

Christmas lights
Sark, which has a population of about 500, has no cars or streetlights
Christmas lights
Residents of Sark avoided a blackout when the government stepped in at the last minute
Christmas lights
Sark is an officially designated "dark-sky island" because of its lack of light pollution

Tony Le Lievre, president of Sark Chamber of Commerce, said Sark Electricity had been "nothing but generous especially in the light of what has been going on in the last few weeks".

"It's a measure of how much community spirit there is," he said.