YORK city centre WILL sparkle this Christmas - thanks to a huge donation from one of the city's biggest employers.

In a generous gesture to the people of York, Nestl Rowntree has agreed to stump up the full £30,000 needed to illuminate the city centre over the six-week festive period after being approached by the Evening Press.

The cash is urgently needed to cover the testing, installation and maintenance of existing lights

The company's managing director, Chris White, said he was "proud" to make the pledge to the Evening Press-backed York Business Pride Christmas Lights Appeal, which has now raised £47,000.

The organisers, who were meeting today to decide how best to use the cash, can now get the lights installed for the shopping run-up to Christmas. The festive period attracts more than 500,000 extra shoppers to York, and they spend an estimated £37 million.

Adam Sinclair, chairman of York Business Pride, said: "This is a magnificent gesture by Nestl Rowntree and their managing director, Chris White.

"They have been excellent long-term partners for this city and we're enormously fortunate to have them."

Mr Sinclair also praised the other main fundraisers, City of York Council, GNER and First.

He said the Evening Press Make York Sparkle campaign had "stirred the business community into action".

Mr White, who took over the reins at Nestl last year, said he was "delighted" to support the appeal.

"Nestl Rowntree has been an integral part of York for many years, so we always try and do what we can to help the local community," he said.

Evening Press editor Kevin Booth said: "We're absolutely delighted that Nestl have stepped in to help. The appeal was going extremely well thanks to the support of other sponsors, but this gesture has not only secured the lights for this year, but given us a platform for 2005."

Updated: 10:05 Wednesday, October 06, 2004