Appleby will mark the end of the lockdown with a virtual switch-on of the town centre’s Christmas tree lights.

The event will be broadcast live on the town’s Christmas Facebook page on December 2, at 5pm.

Residents are reminded not to attend in person.

The tree in the market square will be lit up in an online switch-on by mayor Councillor Gareth Hayes.

He said: “It has been a challenging time for our retailers in the town, many of whom are independent and family businesses.

“The council is keen to support our businesses in any way we can. We’ve published a Christmas guide and created a Facebook page to promote the ‘shop local’ message.

“We want to let people know how they can order and either collect or have items delivered to their doors to provide a safe shopping experience.

For information on the event go to Facebook @applebycouncil