IN THE end, they were a victim of their own success.

The generous folk of Greyhound Close in Hedge End have lit up our Christmases, literally, for many years and raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity into the bargain.

Now, as we report on page 3, they have pulled the plug amid a row with council chiefs about how to stop their event being a menace to neighbours and a drain on taxpayers.

The Daily Echo had warned a few weeks ago that this was coming.

The spectacular show has in recent years attracted so many visitors that it was becoming a festive traffic nightmare and costing serious money in repairs afterwards.

After some unseemly wrangling, the residents have now taken the matter into their own hands and cancelled it for good. It is such a pity a compromise could not be found to keep the Greyhound Close illuminations going.

What started as a bit of fun among neighbours brought pleasure to thousands of people and made a valuable contribution to some of Hampshire’s most worthy causes.

Yet one can also see the council’s point of view. Its resources are precious and dwindling year on year so it must take great care what it spends them on.

On the residents’ side, it seems it simply became more trouble than it was worth.