BARROW'S festive lights switch-on spectacular has been cancelled.

The annual event, which attracts thousands of people to the town will not go ahead after town halls chiefs pulled the plug on funding.

It had been hoped the newly form Barrow Business Improvement District (BID) group would step in to save the day.

But its board voted seven to five against supporting a switch-on event, leading to the resignation of one of its members, who claimed: "Christmas in Barrow has been cancelled."

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Phil Huck, Executive Director at Barrow Borough Council, said: "This is down to the fact that we have got to save £2.37 million off our budget by 2020 - and that comes after us having saved £5m between 2010 and 2016.

"We still have money in the budget to pay for lights across the borough along with the installation and testing of them, but there will be no support event this year.

"It is clearly something that we would like to do, but in difficult times, we have to make difficult decisions."

The annual switch-on bash is organised and hosted by The Bay radio station.

Last year a crowd of 7,000 enjoyed performances from the likes of Brit Award nominees Stooshe and former X-Factor favourites Tom Mann and Barclay Beales, of the band Stereo Kicks. A host of local stars also took to the stage. This year the radio station was in talks with a band which has racked up more than 20 million record sales.

Bill Johnston, Managing Director of The Bay was also on the BID committee. He said: "Thousands of people attend and enjoy the event including hundreds of young families. With Santa and other festive characters on stage, kids are completely captivated.

"A highlight for me at last year's switch-on was when the whole crowd was chanting "we love Barrow" just before the lights went on. The event signals to the local community and beyond that Barrow is vibrant, "happening", and open for Xmas.

"I was shocked that the council withdrew their support for the event but I'm also very disappointed that some members of Barrow BID didn't step up to the mark and decided to cancel it, even though a funding solution was on the table.

"I believe the decision is damaging to Barrow and for that reason I've decided to step down from the board. You can't put a value on the wider community benefits of the event.

"Bringing a community together, in hard pressed times, to enjoy vibrant and free seasonal entertainment is something I feel should always be supported. Instead, Christmas has been cancelled."

Simon Craig, Chairman of the Barrow BID board, said: "Barrow BID have taken the decision not to fund this year's Christmas lights switch-on.

"We have deliberated long and hard over this difficult subject as we truly appreciate that there will be a lot of disappointed families, teenagers and children who look forward to this annual event.

"However, we feel as a newly formed company, with a huge responsibility to our members and levy payers, that we use all funds appropriately.

"The Christmas Lights switch on has been running in its current format for the last ten years and does not, in our view, deliver benefits to the BID area that warrant the not inconsiderable cost.

"This does not on any way suggest that the BID are abandoning Barrow and future events, we just feel that we do not have the time or capabilities at this early stage to deliver an alternative to what has gone before.

"It is a disappointing fact, that due to budget cuts and constraints, Barrow Borough Council are also unable to financially support the event this year but they have been extremely supportive of the BID so far and we expect this to continue into 2017 and the future.

"Really disappointing for 2016 but 2017 will be great!"