Damp night, missing lights, but they partied anyway ...

Folk flocked to the town centre in their thousands a full half-hour before the scheduled 6.15pm switch-on of the town's Christmas lights.

And even if Sackville Road and Sea Road missed the party and the switch-on was a trifle late, Town Mayor Cllr Deirdre Williams and Chamber of Commerce president Tony Mansi got a loud cheer from a crowd which packed the lower half of Devonshire Road from side to side.

This was the year when cruel circumstance contrived to take switch-on "brinkmanship" to the very limit.

As Southern FM's Danny and Nicki kept the waiting throng entertained, contractors were still frantically working to put up the last of the lights in Western Road, a process which ended when a hydraulic platform being used for the purpose spewed fluid over the road and ground to a halt.

There was just time for the chamber president to thank the Town Centre and Tourism Action Group for its efforts, Earls Bakery for its fireworks sponsorship and traders for their substantial contribution last year to the 93,000 light system before slipping in a reminder about the town's Christmas festival on December 6 and the De La Warr Pavilion ice rink on December 5 and 6.

"Whoever said it was all old people in Bexhill! Just look around you!" said the Town Mayor, looking out from the temporary stage over a sea of young families out to enjoy themselves.

To the president's word of thanks she added the names of Sue Spice and Brian Storkey - Bexhill Promotions Group - who had staged the event.

Bang! A decidedly damp evening was transformed by the first of a spectacular series of kaleidoscopic airbursts as Fireworks Connections launched into a seafront display which could be enjoyed from the length of Devonshire Road.

What the appreciative watchers did not realise was that the finale was a personal tribute by Stephen McCorry to his Channel ferry skipper brother Peter, who died earlier this year.

Traders kept the spirit of late-night shopping alive with a variety of offers and promotions.

At Dorothy Marchant's florists, girl Santas were handing out individually-wrapped red roses.

A lion figure was handing out gas-fillled balloons at Millennium.

Care Chemists thoughtfully combined late-night Christmas shopping with Children In Need - dispensing wine, hot sausages and snacks in exchange for donations.

And at Whole Healthy, Brian and Simon Bandy were introducing the public to the taste of organic wine.