SO the bright sparks at Northallerton Business Improvement District are going all out for a bumper Christmas for the town. You can understand after being targeted nationally last year for having Britain's worst Christmas tree we have to appreciate this may well be a matter of principle.

Working on the theory that no publicity is bad publicity Spectator tends to think it wasn't the end of the world. It may well be many of the readers of those national newspapers would not have thought about coming to the town, and possibly turned up to have a gander at the alleged offending monster tree cone.

Or the locals were keen to defend the town once it was being attacked from elsewhere, and the 23 foot high cone grew on them. Either way all eyes are on the town square where there's no love it or hate it artificial tree but a mysterious bump has appeared in the ground instead.

BID and the town council are saying nothing, but they're making the most of the season with the Christmas lights switch on tonight and then Santa Sunday on December 1 when the surprise event will be unveiled, watch that space.

HOW FITTING that a home has been found for the memorial in honour of Northallerton soldier Lance Corporal Ben Hyde who died while serving in Iraq in 2003. Friends and colleagues at B and Q had raised the money for the stone plaque and after years of looking for a suitable resting place it's now been put on the Castlegate housing development in Northallerton where they already have a street named after the corporal. For parents John and Sandra Hyde who have raised thousands for charity through the Ben Hyde Trust it was obviously a proud moment.