A TRADERS' organisation hopes that Durham's Christmas decorations will be especially impressive this December.

The Durham City Forum wants to give shoppers and visitors a colourful experience when they visit the city centre during the festive season.

It has plans to expand the lighting in and around Market Place, double the size of the Christmas tree, and extend decorations to Saddler Street and Elvet Bridge.

The forum is seeking quotes for the extra lighting and hopes to win funding from traders and the city council.

Forum chairman Richard Toynbee, manager of the Prince Bishops Shopping Centre, said: "I think generally, over the last couple of years, the improvement to the lights has been well received - but it is without the 'wow factor' in the Market Place."

The forum hopes to install lights on bank buildings around Market Place and the Boots store on the opposite side of the road.

The Christmas tree, previously four metres tall, will be eight metres and traders in Saddler Street and Elvet Bridge will be encouraged to install lighted Christmas trees on brackets.

Mr Toynbee said: "I presented this to the Chamber of Trade and the support was pretty good.

"They are endorsing it and taking it to the next stage. We want Durham to have lights that people talk about in the positive.''

He said there had been enthusiasm for trees on shops and for reindeer figures on the Leazes Road roundabout.

The forum hopes to finalise its orders by early September. The lights are to be switched on on November 21.