Christmas trees will be put up in Havering town centres this year after a company stepped in to donate money.

Marlborough Highways has donated £20,000 to "ensure every town centre will now be able to celebrate Christmas", Havering Council said.

It comes after the authority announced that not only was it cancelling the Christmas lights switch-on in Romford Market Place, but there would also be no trees in town centres.

This was decided in the last council budget because of the "urgent need to make savings" - causing outrage amongst Romford residents.

Romford MP Andrew Rosindell even accused the council of "cancelling Christmas".

Some community groups and businesses have already stepped in and arranged Christmas events and other festivities.

But the £20,000 donation from Marlborough Highways, the council's highways contractor, means that "the areas which hadn’t managed to arrange anything will not go without this Christmas".

Cllr Ray Morgon, leader of Havering Council, said: "My sincere thanks goes first to Marlborough Highways who will be providing Christmas trees to a number of local areas and also to the other businesses and community groups who have worked so hard to ensure Havering can still celebrate Christmas.

"We have been very clear from the start that we were sadly unable to fund Christmas lights, trees and events this year because of the urgent need to make savings.

"We have no choice due to the year on year government reductions in funding and the escalating costs in social care and homelessness."

He added that the council was always planning to work with local businesses and community groups to "help them plan their own activities".

READ MORE: Romford Christmas lights switch-on cancellation sparks fury

Cllr Morgon said: "I am pleased that thanks to the generosity of local businesses, our highways contractor Marlborough Highways and other community groups that all our town centres will be able to uphold our festive traditions in Havering this Christmas."

When the Recorder asked Havering Council exactly what this money will go towards in each town centre, we were told: "We will release more information when we know what is going on in each town centre."

Romford Business Improvement District director Julie Frost previously told this paper that its plans for Christmas are yet to be finalised.

But she said: "To be clear, this will not be a like-for-like replacement of the town centre lights and event that the council have found it necessary to cancel."

Havering Council is still urging any businesses who are interested in supporting town centre activities to get in contact via advertising@havering.gov.uk.