Lights display leaves shoppers in dark

Still no lights...

The crowds gathered, the celebrities were ready, but a technical hitch meant the launch of Regent Street's Christmas light display did not go quite according to plan.

Up to 10,000 shoppers chanted the countdown, ticker tape filled the air and over a million viewers watched live on television - but the 8,000 bulbs refused to light up.

Blue Peter presenters and singer Daniel Bedingfield were among those left in the dark as the high-profile launch failed to go to plan at 1845 GMT on Thursday.

Twenty minutes and a few more false starts later, the famous display finally sprang to life.

"We have no idea what went wrong," said a spokesman for the Regent Street Association.

"They had been tested many times and had no previous problems. An investigation is under way."