They worked for three days, went off and never came back on again.

A MALFUNCTION with solar lights cast a shadow over Honiton’s Christmas illuminations.

“They came on for a couple of days and then didn’t come on again,” members of Honiton and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry heard at their first meeting of 2011.

“I was a little disappointed,” Colin Wright, the chamber’s chairman, said.

Sue Bewsey suggested the malfunction could have been caused by the extreme weather.

Solar lights were used to illuminate trees on empty buildings in High Street.

The meeting heard that the lights, on almost 100 Christmas trees, were not all on at the same time – because some businesses switched them off outside of trading hours.

“We have got to go for it this year,” said Mr Wright.

Every participating business is to be given a free timer switch – so there can be no mistake over what times the lights should be on.

The new lighting arrangement, a partnership between the chamber and Honiton Town Council, is set to continue for another three years.