There’s doom and gloom in the local economy, writes blogger Andy Richardson.

Weathermen warn us about an impending Arctic chill. And the dream has died for the county’s premier football teams in the FA Cup.

Hell, even John Sergeant has quit Strictly Come Dancing.

We are, it seems, experiencing a bout of midwinter blues.

But closer to home there are reasons to be cheerful.

Across Shropshire and Mid Wales, hard-working volunteers are doing their best to brighten these
dark winter nights.

Yesterday in Shrewsbury, 4,000 revellers packed the Town Square to enjoy the annual Christmas Lights Switch On.

The faces of local residents were a picture as they gazed at the 80,000-bulb displays.

Thousands more gathered last Friday in Telford, when former England cricketer and Strictly Come Dancing winner Darren Gough performed the official switch-on.

And similar scenes are being enacted over coming days and weeks across the county.

With our economy in recession and High Streets suffering a slump in sales, the initiative of local lights committees will hopefully bring some much-needed seasonal cheer.

Attractive town centres, filled with bright lights and bonhomie, bring a shot in the arm to hard-pushed traders.

We ought to salute those who go to such lengths to put on displays.

Often, the people behind Christmas lights are hard-working businessmen or local residents motivated to do their bit for their town.

Many put in untold hours, generating funds to pay for lights and then taking time out to string them up.

A festive feelgood factor is good news for us all.

At a time when we’re feeling the effects of a turbulent world economy and we’re heading for the big winter freeze, we’re grateful to anyone who makes the effort to transcend the gloom.

The weather is so so and the economy is no no, but Christmas lights can give us all a bit of ho, ho….. ho.