An Old Coulsdon councillor admits it is becoming increasingly unlikely that a nine-year-old's dream of Christmas lights will come true.

Councillor Christopher Wright is urging residents to donate money to a campaign to ensure Old Coulsdon does not go another year without Christmas lights.

Christmas 2005 was the second consecutive year that Old Coulsdon was without lights after Croydon Council axed funding for the borough's festive lights in 2004.

But after recieving a letter from former Keston Primary School pupil Madison Seabrook, 9, asking why Old Coulsdon was without Christmas lights, the Coulsdon West councillor has launched the campaign to ensure a brighter Christmas 2006.

Despite Madison since moving from the Old Coulsdon area, Coun Wright is as determined as ever to make sure the district has a brighter festive period and fulfil the schoolgirl's dream.

The Old Coulsdon Christmas lights fund is desperate for money after only managing to raise around £800 of the £6,000 needed to to bring some festive cheer to the area this December.

Coun Wright said: "The lack of money is a big problem at the moment but we are still hopeful that we can get some kind of light display up for this Christmas.

"At the moment we've not raised enough money and the council can't put in any more so it doesn't look too hopeful but we are clinging on to a little bit of hope."

The Coulsdon West councillor says he still harbours aspirations of having some sort of light display, he said: "We've had this campaign for the last six or seven months but we simply haven't got enough money to have a complete display throughout the whole of Old Coulsdon."

"But hopefully with the small amount of money we've got we can get something up."

Coun Wright has says he has seen the Christmas lights campaign as his own personal crusade after recieving the letter from Madison last year and he will do all he can to make sure Old Coulsdon enjoys a bright Christmas.

He added: "She wrote to me on Boxing Day last year and from then we've tried to see what we can do to make her wish come true.

"The campaign has created a tremendous amount of interest and we've done well to raise the money we have and Ism very grateful, but we need more."

To support the campaign, send a cheque made payable to Old Coulsdon Christmas Lights to: Madison, Christmas Lights in Old Coulsdon, c/o 44 Homefield Road, Old Coulsdon CR5 1ES.