A generous firm has stumped up cash to buy a new set of Christmas lights for Braintree.

Kind-hearted bosses at Electronic Packaging Systems (UK) chose to buy the yuletide decorations for the town's Christmas tree after reading an article in This Is Essex sister paper the Gazette.

The Gazette reported the tree would only be decorated with garlands after the last set of lights were destroyed by vandals.

But EPS, based on the town's Springwood Industrial Estate, stepped into the breach by paying £700 to sponsor the lights.

Commercial director Stuart White said: "We are a rapidly expanding company and the majority of our employees are local people. We are absolutely delighted to be able to put something back into the community."

The story also prompted Weber Hydrauliks (UK) to offer their support by sponsoring £200 of extra lights in the town centre.

News of the donations has come as a boost for the town's festive display. Lights in the town centre will be noticeably reduced in number this year because Braintree Chamber of Trade was unable to raise enough cash to provide for the display.

Only 53 traders and businesses from the town centre have contributed from the town centre. In 1998, 108 traders, representing 90 per cent, lent their support.

Derek Salmon, manager of George Yard Shopping Centre, was delighted at the firms' donations, describing both gestures as an investment in the town centre for the future.

And Brian Cutmore, chairman of Braintree Town Centre Strategy Group, added: "We were in a state of despair so we are grateful to these companies for coming to our rescue."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.