Sheerness Town Council has splashed out £18,000 on new Christmas lights but there won’t be an official switch-on ceremony.

Instead, there will be a day of fun taking place on Saturday, December 4, from 10am to 5pm. This will include the return of the lantern parade organised by Big Fish Arts and the popular Santa Saunter from the Minster-on-Sea Rotary Club through the town.

In a change to previous years, there will be separate entertainment in Beachfields Park on the seafront.

Plans for one big town centre event were thrown into touch weeks ago after a behind-the-scenes mix-up when the event was put out to tender by the town council.

Meanwhile, the Sheerness Town Team has also steered clear of organising a “switch-on” as the new lights are all on automatic timers and there is no place for a stage where the clock tower once stood.

But there will be the Sheppey FM radio roadshow near the clock’s hoardings along with live entertainment with Mick Kenten’s 2AM duo, Beckie Breiner’s song-signing choir, veteran stuntman William Crawford’s unrideable Bonkers Bike Challenge and other Island musicians.

Swale council has stumped up £14,685 for Santa’s post train using the government’s Welcome Back fund. The train, which made its debut at Sittingbourne last Saturday, will collect children’s letters and take them to the North Pole.

It will be parked near McDonald’s where the town council has booked £3,000 of entertainers for the same day.

They will include Circo Rum Ba Ba, stilt-walker Allan Swan from Juggle It All, Mickey the Magician, carol singers, free face-painting and balloon modelling.

Sheppey Matters’ community chef is expected to be in Sheerness Broadway along with charity stalls and the Sheppey community support bus - a former red London double-decker now painted white and converted into a mobile supermarket.

The normal Saturday market will also move into the High Street.

The cost of renting the lights this year includes several one-off charges such as replacing nearly all the timers on lamppost timers and steel straps which hold the lights across the road.

More lights are planned next year when the clock tower returns after a major refurbishment.

Matt Brown, vice-chairman of the town council, said: "At the moment, there is nowhere to hang them."

Some have called for a Christmas tree to replace the clock tower this year. The town council is still investigating the possibility.

* Big Fish Arts has been holding free community workshops to make paper lanterns for next Saturday's parade. Two more sessions are being held at Sheerness library today (Saturday) at 11am and 1.30pm.

Organiser Chris Reed said: "All materials are supplied. But it is essential to book." To reserve a slot, call 07775 712306.