THE switch-on of Weymouth’s long-awaited laser lights has been delayed yet again.

It now looks like the lights – the only permanent and unmanned laser display in the UK – won’t be ready until at least the end of May.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council had earmarked the switch-on for early this month and even pencilled it in the mayor’s diary for Wednesday of this week with an evening ceremony in the Green Room of the Pavilion.

But bad weather and additional light testing has put the programme back Chairman of the council’s management committee Mike Goodman said: “Due to bad weather conditions it was not possible to fit all the internal lights in the columns last week.

“The internal lights have now been fitted and we will be carrying out further testing to ensure everything works well.

“It is important that testing is done on all aspects of the lighting system before we switch them on permanently.

“We are looking to officially switch on the lights around the end of May.”

The laser scheme, or Veils of Light, is an Arts Council-funded project where beams of light will form patterns over the seafront and beach projected from columns on the Promenade.

When the project was first unveiled it was hoped the lasers would be ready by summer 2011 but there were delays to the planning application.

When it cleared planning hurdles a switch-on date of February 14 this year was mentioned.

Work to install the seven 15-metre-high illuminated sculptural columns for the lasers finally started in early April and testing and programming has been going on over the last few weeks.

Mayor-elect for the coming year Margaret Leicester said: “A provisional booking for the switch-on was made in the mayor’s diary for Wednesday. I was down to attend as deputy mayor because I sat on the seafront regeneration committee.

“I had another function that evening so it would’ve have been a bit of a rush for me so in a way I’m glad it was cancelled.”

There has been criticism of the seafront laser show and a campaign has been launched in a bid to bring back the resort’s fairy lights.

Coun Leicester said: “The lasers are a new and innovative idea and I think we should wait until they’re in place before making a comment.

“There was an opportunity to introduce something totally modern to the seafront.

“It will help bring us into the 21st century without spoiling what we have on the seafront.”

•THERE is still time to sign a petition supporting Weymouth’s seafront fairy lights.

An e-petition on the Dorset for You website expires on May 31.

Park District resident Dave Burchill started the petition because he would like to see the return of the strings of coloured lights on The Esplanade.

Paper petitions have also been left in shops and at the Park Community Centre in Chelmsford Street. People signing the petition must live, work or study in the borough.

Petitions with over 600 valid signatures will be debated at full council.

You can view the petition at: epetitions.dorsetforyou.com