A Chester schoolboy has been given a special star reward after writing to the council asking them to switch the lights off.
Alex Wood, nine, wrote to Chester West and Chester Council asking for the borough’s street lights to be turned off for one day a year to allow people to see the stars.
The youngster loves stargazing, but was finding it difficult to see the stars from his home in Chester due to all the lights.
After writing his letter, he was invited to the council’s headquarters by councillor Lynn Riley, executive member for community and environment, to talk about his request. She told Alex it would be unsafe for pedestrians and traffic if the street lights were switched off, but instead gave him tickets to visit the University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics in Macclesfield and see the stars through their telescopes.
Alex said: “Last summer I visited Abersoch in Wales and we lay down, watched the stars and located the Milky Way. This was the start of my interest in stars but when I came home I sometimes couldn’t see any at all.
“Mum said maybe it’s all the lights that we all have on and I decided to write to the council to see if for one night a year we could switch all the lights off and look at the stars.
“Councillor Riley has explained to me though that many people and vehicles need the lights at night to prevent accidents on the roads and they help to stop people misbehaving. She said that I should try to get out into the countryside where there is less traffic and hopefully the stars will be clear to see.
“I’m really happy and excited to get vouchers to Jodrell Bank, I’m really looking forward to the tour and I know they have a huge telescope.”