Traders are being urged to pay up for Worthing's Christmas lights, even though the festive season is still eight months away.

About 500 town centre businesses which did not contribute to last year's lights are being asked to dig deep for this year's appeal.

Worthing Town Centre Initiative, which is trying to raise £18,000 to turn the town into a winter wonderland, says if every business contributed, it would make a difference.

The appeal was made in the latest edition of the initiative's newsletter.

It said: "Our goal is to raise £18,000 for Christmas lights. This would enable us to extend the lighting throughout the centre.

"Last year we raised £8,000 from 75 businesses. However there are 500 businesses out there who did not contribute so please talk to your head offices now to make provision for a donation."

Initiative project co-ordinator Anne Blunsden said it was very difficult to ask businesses for money.

She said: "Obviously we can't go round cap in hand asking them for money but, if everybody contributed, imagine what we could achieve."

Mrs Blunsden said the initiative was looking at ways to create a spectacular Christmas display along with a Christmas Victorian festival starting in mid-November.

She said: "We need to start asking traders early so, even if they say they don't have the money now, we can get a promise from them they will contribute later in the year.

"We don't need the money up front now - promises will do."

Mrs Blunsden said people would complain if the town was not lit up properly at Christmas.

She said: "It would be wonderful if we could double last year's amount."

The initiative can be contacted on 01903 203252.