A CAROLS service and ceremony was saved after a massive community effort to replace stolen lights from a town’s Christmas tree.

Previously The Argus reported how thieves had taken thousands of lights from St John the Evangelist Church in Burgess Hill.

The lights had been paid for by the churchgoers and by funeral firm P&S Gallagher, to ensure the town had some festive cheer. But the lights from the tree were taken in November.

It sparked a huge fundraising campaign to replace the lights, and church vicar Father Kevin O’Brien said £2,800 was received in just one week.

He said: “Messages of support and donations flooded in. Clearly the people of Burgess Hill were determined not to be defeated by the theft and responded magnificently.”

The lights are now protected by CCTV, and will remain on until early January.