Storm Bert Forces Cancellation of Redcar’s Christmas Lights Switch-On

The official Christmas lights switch-on for a town has been called off because of the anticipated arrival of Storm Bert. Redcar’s Illumination Parade, which was scheduled for Sunday, has been cancelled due to the approaching severe weather conditions. Storm Bert is forecast to impact the UK over the weekend, with wind gusts reaching up to 45mph predicted for the Teesside area. According to a spokesperson for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, powerful winds would prevent the erection of stages, creating “unsafe” conditions for both attendees and participants. The council indicated that the official switch-on event cannot be rescheduled because the necessary stages will not be accessible until after the Christmas period. “Events like this take months and months of planning but sometimes they fall foul of elements outside our control.” “We appreciate many of our residents will be disappointed and we are so sad that we are unable to put on a great event for all the family.” Certain entertainment acts originally scheduled for Sunday’s event will be relocated to other local Christmas celebrations. The Illumination Parade is now scheduled to occur as part of Guisborough’s Christmas festivities on 3 December. Santa’s Grotto, Fat Cat Brass, the Fairy Godmother, and the Lumi Stilt Walkers are set to appear at Kirkleatham Museum on Sunday. Urban Kaos, a group of street entertainers, will perform at the museum’s yearly Christmas market on 30 November. “We know how hard all our artists and community groups have worked on their costumes and lanterns and we are looking for ways we can get them on display,” the council stated. For updates, follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.