The skies will be well and truly lit up on New Year's Eve thanks to wacky electrician Peter White.

The famous Faringdon Folly, the town's most famous landmark, now has a revolving beacon on its summit, flashing its searchlight beam across the Vale of White Horse countryside to mark the new Millennium.

The 'landlocked lighthouse' scheme has been backed by generous subscriptions and donations from local businesses to create a focal point to celebrations marking the beginning of the new century.

The switch-on, which took place on Christmas Eve, is also seen as an important boost to the town's tourist trade. By a strange coincidence, Peter lives in part of Faringdon House, once the home of the famous eccentric, Lord Berners, who built the folly - the last of its kind in England - in 1935.

With tongue in cheek, Peter has informed Brize Norton airbase of the new lighthouse's existence, as well as Southampton coastguard service.

As he prepared to switch on the revolving beam, which should be visible for many miles around, Peter said: "It should be fairly spectacular.

"It will only operate for a month, which is why it hasn't needed planning permission, but if local people like it, we'll put in application to have it there for a year."

Story date: Tuesday 28 December

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