MARKS and Spencer has avoided becoming the 'Scrooge' of Teddington with a last minute decision to say with "99 per cent certainty" it will donate to the town's Christmas lights fund.

Despite the glowing images portrayed in the company's latest fairy tale Christmas TV adverts, the multi-million pound retailer originally told town organisers it could not afford to donate even £50 towards Teddington's Christmas festivities.

However, yesterday Marks and Spencer said it was 99 per cent sure it would pledge an amount towards the holiday scheme.

Teddington Business Community organises the Christmas lights each year and this year the group will put on a late night shopping event on November 30 to kick off the Christmas season. Its co-ordinator, Kim Jones, revealed this would have been the second year Marks and Spencer refused to donate to the Christmas lights fund and said the community has had to go into overdrive to make up the loss created by the large retailer's Scrooge-like behaviour.

She said: "Before the store was built there were smaller shops on its building footprint, which all donated money straight away. Last year we lost over £500 in donations because Marks and Spencer came to Teddington."

A spokesperson for Marks and Spencer said yesterday (Thursday): "We will be donating this year to the Teddington Christmas lights fund, but we cannot give a complete confirmation as the money has not gone over yet."

This year the cost of putting up lights throughout High Street and Broad Street is £12,500. Richmond upon Thames Council Civic Pride grant of £3,000 covered part of the expense. Haymarket donated £1,000 and a generous benefactor gave £500, revealed Mrs Jones.

"Even the smallest business gives £50. Some of the large businesses have given £500," she said. "Obviously all the traders benefit from Teddington looking wonderful for five weeks and the whole community comes together for carol singing and various events around the town.

"The aim of the event is to provide a framework for all the sectors of the community. All the events are free and organisers take no remuneration to make this event happen."

Mrs Jones contrasted Marks and Spencer's eleventh hour statement with Tesco in Teddington, which stored the community Christmas trees and lights and will be broadcasting the event in their store and helping to set up Teddington's shop radio scheme.