A teenage girl, who designed a Christmas light for Ardrossan 10 years ago, has raised over £1,000 for the town’s Christmas Decorations Committee.

Isla Gilchrist, 17, won a competition to draw a Christmas light when she was a P7 pupil at Stanley Primary. Isla’s drawing was subsequently made into a light and displayed alongside the town’s official Christmas illuminations.

But Isla’s light deteriorated over the years and the committee did not have the funds to continue the schools competition.

Isla, a sixth-year Ardrossan Academy student has spent the last few months fundraising to have her light repaired and to enable the committee to run the competition again in local primary schools.

The lucky winner this year will get the chance to switch on the Christmas Lights on Saturday, November 25.

All the other entries will be displayed at the Civic Centre on the night for everyone to see.

Isla’s mum, Margaret Gilchrist, said: “We really wanted to give another child the opportunity to have a Christmas light at the switch-on.

“We want to thank all the people that have raised the money.

“Thank you to Pat Breen from Winton Rovers who has donated, and all Isla’s friends and family who have donated or helped with raising money.”