WILLITON is to get new Christmas lights to replace those smashed by vandals last year.

Voting through expenditure of £500 at a meeting of Williton parish council, councillors pledged: "We can't let the vandals win."

But village shopkeepers may be asked to foot the bill for decorations next year.

Last year the village's Christmas tree at Bellamy's Corner was targeted and broken, and lights smashed.

Cllr Derek Howells said: "When the Christmas decorations were smashed last year, we all wondered what was the point of putting them up.

"But there is a point. We mustn't give in to the vandals."

Pointing to Porlock as an example to follow, Cllr Lawrence Gower said: "The shopkeepers provide the lights there.

"Williton shopkeepers should do the same.

Cllr Peter Cleere said there was £300 already in the budget for decorations, and councillors voted a further £200.