Christmas is even earlier as shops set up lights

Christmas lights and decorations have been installed across central London in the earliest start to the festive season on record.

Less than a fortnight after the highest ever October temperature and with 73 shopping days left, staff in the West End and Westfield shopping centre are putting up thousands of lights before switch-ons early next month.

At John Lewis's Oxford Street store a team of abseilers has been installing decorations in its 107ft-high atrium, which runs through all six floors.

They have put up more than 4,600 snowballs and 1,000 stars, working through the night to transform the store.

Work on the Oxford Street lights is also under way with the switching on ceremony expected to be earlier than ever. Last year the Oxford Street lights were illuminated on November 4 and Regent Street's on November 9, but both are expected to be brought forward this year.

At Westfield in Shepherd's Bush cherry pickers are lifting workers to the roof to install "winter wonderland" lights. They are due to be switched on early next month.

Retail chiefs want an early start to Christmas to counter the mood of pessimism that has stopped many consumers shopping. They hope that half-term and the spending associated with Halloween and Bonfire Night will kick-start the present-buying.

Harrods and Selfridges started selling Christmas decorations in July for the first time.