A SPECIAL appeal to provide York with a unique Christmas lights show was launched today.

Citizens are being urged to back the campaign to provide the historic centre with an exclusive display not seen anywhere else in Britain.

Today, we ask sponsors and individuals to make donations towards a £21,000 feature called a Children's Magic Christmas Tree which will be put up in Parliament Street.

The seven-metre high tree will be erected over the fountain there and covered in ever-changing coloured lights.

It is set to make a spectacular display both during the days and nights of the Christmas period.

City of York Council is hoping to build on the success of the illumination of York Minster last year by having this original lighting feature created.

Council leader Steve Galloway, pictured, said: "What we are doing is looking towards the future. Many people believe that York, because of its historic status, doesn't need a Blackpool-type set of illuminations.

"But people are interested in different ways of lighting York and providing a central attraction for the city.

"The lighting of the Minster in November last year was generally regarded as being successful and this led us to think something similar for Christmas would also attract people's attention."

He said: "We hope people might like to subscribe to this unique feature for York which has never been seen before in other cities.

"There has been a lighted tree display before - but this will be the first ever to have constantly changing coloured lights.

"It will be something special for York and for the children of the city in particular."

Today, the appeal is being launched with the promotional slogan: "Somewhere every second in our city a child makes a wish. Our Christmas tree changes colour every second."

Businesses across the city are being asked to sponsor the tree and any individuals willing to make a modest contribution are also welcome.

Coun Galloway said: "We are hoping that principle sponsors will come forward to support the tree, which will bring people to the city centre, and we hope that retailers will see the advantage of that."

Management, electricity and insurance costs for the tree will be paid by the city council.

Gillian Cruddas, chief executive of York Tourism Bureau, today backed the appeal saying: "We welcome the news that York is doing something different and would encourage traders to support this new venture.

"If individual businesses can also assist by decorating their shop fronts this could be a way forward in ensuring that the city is attractive to visitors during the Christmas period.

"There are many different ways to create a Christmassy atmosphere and we're confident this idea will help to achieve this."

Other lighting options had been looked at by council officers, including providing cross-street lighting and other large Christmas displays, but were ruled out as too expensive.

Coun Galloway said: "Setting up lights over lots and lots of streets is no longer something that everybody wants. It costs a lot of money putting up the lights, testing them, taking them down and storing them after Christmas.

"But this will be one central attraction, which will benefit the whole city, and will be more cost effective."

The council will continue to provide its usual Christmas tree in St Helen's Square and small tree lights in Parliament Street, which are thought to add to the city's historic atmosphere.

Many shops and businesses such as those in Stonebow currently pay for their own cross-street lighting displays.

Any other streets where traders want to club together to organise their own displays are also welcome to do so.

Businesses wanting to sponsor the tree are asked to contact the council and individuals can make small donations at the city treasury, just off Library Square.

A look back at York's Christmas lights

A FESTIVE blackout was predicted by The Press earlier this month after key traders warned their streets were unlikely to be decorated this year.

City of York Council confirmed it would not be organising citywide fundraising for Christmas lights.

It followed Nestl Rowntree's announcement it would not be the main sponsor of the cross-street decorations, as it had been in 2004 and 2005. No other organisation came forward to replace the chocolate giant's funding and individual streets were told they must make their own arrangements directly with lighting company Lumalite.

Fossgate Trader's Association warned all its members must contribute towards the lights or they would not go ahead this year.

Goodramgate traders also warned they are unlikely to organise their own lights. In February this year, York Christmas Lights Committee revealed it had nothing set aside for this year's festivities and said it needed to find at least £60,000 to fund them.

Last Christmas, the festive display was also in jeopardy until the company in charge, Lumalite, which had put up the city's illuminations since 1999, stumped up £6,000 at the 11th hour, and York Conservation Trust also came up with £1,000.

A City of York Council executive meeting on September 12 will finalise the decision over the Children's Magic Christmas Tree.

Members will be told the display will cost £21,000, as opposed to £50,000 for cross-street lighting, and up to £40,000 for alternative single lighting features.