RUNTON Road’s big Christmas light extravaganza will be back this winter after a hiatus due to the pandemic.

The Dorset cul-de-sac dubbed Britain's most festive street in the national press has confirmed the spectacular Christmas lights will be back on this year, though there will not be a set-time for the switching on.

It’s annual dazzling display was put on hold for 2020 after neighbours decided it may be too much of a risk to the public if it went ahead.

The residents of Runton Road in Branksome have been lighting up the street for Christmas for approximately 20 years.

Each year residents involved raise thousands of pounds for charity with around 46 out of the 51 properties in the street transforming their homes.

Normally the lights are up in time for the second weekend in December. Each day the lights begin coming on at approximately 4.30pm and start to be turned off at 10.00pm so the children that live in the road can get to sleep.

Runton Road Christmas Lights Facebook page advises visitors to park at the end of the road, or on another road and walk to the cul-de-sac, otherwise it gets very busy with turning traffic.

The organisers said: “We are pleased to inform you all that our Christmas lights will return this year.

“Last year we had to cancel due to Covid 19 and we all missed our usual displays drawing all of you lovely people to our road and also not being able to collect for our chosen charities.

“This Christmas we will do our best as we always do, to brighten up the lives of our visitors and hopefully collect donations for the charities that lost out drastically last year.

“Covid is still an issue and we ask all visitors to our road to respect everyone and to allow people space as much as possible.”

More details will be released in November.

In 2015, Runton Road was featured on BBC’S The One Show when their big switch on was witnessed by millions of viewers.