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A much-missed Christmas tradition has returned to Pontllanfraith this festive season, as the lights at St Augustine’s Church were switched back on following years of darkness.

The tree in the grounds of the church had for decades been regularly lit up for Christmas until vandals damaged the lights just before the pandemic struck.

Thanks to fundraising efforts led by church treasurer Phillip Williams and donations from residents and local firms, the tree was illuminated once again for a community event held on December 11.

The lights were switched on by members of 2nd Pontllanfraith Girl Guides – Cara Hart (Rainbows), Brooke Yen (Guides), and Robyn Healey (Brownies).

Speaking to Caerphilly Observer last month, Rev Heulwen Rees, focal minister at St Augustine’s, said: “We were just at a loss really. People kept on asking us why aren’t the lights on at Christmas, but the community and the congregation were willing to take the challenge on.”

Phillip explained: “This year we decided that this would be the year it was going to happen.”

Health and safety rules has meant ladders and cherry pickers couldn’t be used to install the lights – leading to an ingenious solution from Michael Rackham and his son Andrew from MAR Electronics.

They designed a system of electrical conduit piping to place lights without the need to scale the tree and worked with a fellow father and son team, Ian and Dan Chivers, of IDC Contract Services.

Contributions to help fund the lights came from Blackwood Rotary Club, Inner Wheel, Bryntirion Dentist, and many others, including Caerphilly County Borough Council.

A special contribution was also made by Cheryl Fox, the widow of local businessman Derek Fox, who had previously helped get the lights back on in 2007, after a previous outage.