Town left cash-strapped after huge influx of migrants tells residents it has no money for Christmas lights

A TOWN left cash-strapped after a huge influx of migrants has been blasted for scrapping its Christmas lights display.

Previous ones featured clusters of illuminations and miniature trees alongside shops in Boston, Lincs.

But this year just one road and three alleys have been decked out after the council claimed it could no longer afford the annual £40,000 bill.

It follows complaints by the authority that the arrival of 20,000 European migrants had put a massive strain on public services and finances.

Retired nurse Frank Slater blasted: “Boston won’t be thinking about cuts when they put council tax up. Bunch of miserable Scrooges.”

Cafe worker Jill Wright said: “Boston looks abysmal. The council should be ashamed.”

One mum added: “My four-year-old daughter cried her eyes out because there was nothing to look at.

“My own Christmas tree has as many lights as the town centre display.”

Business owner Andrea Maude, of Maude’s Jewellers, said: “It’s very sad.” Boston Borough Council said its decision was an “austerity measure” driven by the need to save £2million.

Councillor Paul Skinner said it had asked traders to help fund lights, to no avail.

The town’s few lights were paid for by the Boston Town Area Committee.

Chairman Nigel Welton said: “BTAC is a parish and can’t afford to do the stuff big councils can.”