SISTERS caught up in the Boxing Day floods turned on a village’s lights in front of a chilly but cheerful crowd.

Isabelle Greenwood, aged three, and her sister Grace, aged eight, were the guests of honour at the Kearsley Christmas Tree and Light Festival.

Their family were among the households who had to move out after their properties in Riverside Drive, Prestolee, were flooded on December 26 last year following sustained heavy rain.

Almost 300 people watched the sisters turn on the lights on the tree outside Kearsley Mount Methodist Church in Manchester Road, Kearsley, and the star on top of St Stephen’s Church opposite.

Stephen Tonge, chairman of Churches On The Mount, whose festival committee organised Tuesday evening’s celebration, said: “It was an excellent turnout.

“We felt as though we needed to do something to keep the community spirit up.

“With the floods on Boxing Day in Stoneclough lots of young families on the estate were evacuated and had to take up other residences.

“We wanted to give them a little bit of the good feeling and let them know we are thinking of them still.

“We looked for people who made a contribution and deserved some good recognition — and to treat them as a VIP.”

The Reverend Kim Lafferty, the vicar at St Stephen’s Church, blessed the event while the Reverend Philip Brooks from Kearsley Mount Methodist Church gave the formal thanks and ward councillor Liam Irving gave a short speech. More than 150 youngsters received a chocolate selection box and seasonal entertainment was provided by Kearsley Youth Brass Band and St Stephen’s School Choir.