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Tractors light up for Co Mayo Christmas parade

Over 130 tractors have travelled in convoy through Balla in Co Mayo for the village's annual Christmas light festival.

The event was the culmination of months of preparation by local farmers and agricultural contractors.

Drivers of all shapes and sizes were out in force, to showcase their vehicles and bring a splash of pre-Christmas colour to the area.

The parade through the Main Street began with more than 100 children hitting the road in their preferred modes of transport.

Gridlock was averted with a well organised traffic management plan, and the junior motorists were pleased with the way they were able to negotiate through the packed thoroughfare.

Matthew O'Sullivan, who travelled from Mayoabbey, described the experience as "wicked cool" and said the bumper-to-bumper flow of ride-ons and go-karts didn't cause him too much stress, as he navigated the parade route.

The main event featured all manner of farm vehicles bedecked in a dazzling array of lights.

Agricultural contractor Robert Duffy told how he had spent recent weeks preparing a replica of the Polar Express train, using a tractor and trailer. "You fall in and out of love with the process as the weeks go by, but when you see the end result tonight, it's all worth it," he said.

Mr Duffy said the initiative was an important way to bring people together and celebrate the area's farming tradition.

The display is part of a wider effort to foster community spirit and encourage people to back local businesses in the run up to Christmas.

Pat Boyle from the Balla Community Resource Group said the lights extravaganza was originally devised to ensure there was something to attract the wider hinterland into the village in the weeks prior to the festive season.

But he said it had grown beyond people's wildest expectations to the extent that almost 140 tractors now travelled from across the county to take part.

The event wrapped up with a fireworks display lighting up the sky over mid-Mayo, as locals digested the evening's activity and prepared to continue the build up to Christmas.