THE ISLAND has triumphed in a competition to bring an early Christmas wonderland to Newport.
Phone giant Nokia confirmed today (Thursday) the Isle of Wight was top of a poll to win a Wight Christmas party.
A company spokesman said the ticket-only event would take place at Seaclose Park on Wednesday, December 16.
After the company’s about-turn last week, allowing the Island to enter the competition at the last minute when other areas had three weeks to accumulate votes, the Island quickly climbed to the top of the poll.
The Nokia Christmas party will feature reindeer, food, elves, star chef Marco Pierre White’s Christmas food and drink and eight tonnes of real snow in a Finnish market setting.
Those who voted for Wight Snow at Christmas stand a chance of getting tickets. They will be notified by email or text if they have a pair of tickets in the next few days.
An avalanche of votes hit the County Press website and Isle of Wight Radio as the joint campaign snowballed, gathering pace on Friday and over the weekend.
There was a tally of nearly 2,400 votes for the Island from the joint campaign by the closing time of 9am on Monday, but a Nokia spokesman confirmed there was also a voting rally in Worthing, West Sussex and Newbury in Berkshire, which were spurred into late voting by the strength of the Island campaign.
The County Press had contacted Nokia’s director of communications in Finland after Isle of Wight Radio presenter Paul Topping broke the news on Wednesday the Island had been branded an offshore island by the phone company because of the difficult logistics of bringing the party to the Island.
But, after being urged to review its decision and examining the costs, Nokia quickly changed its mind.
Island MP Andrew Turner, who backed the campaign, said: "We are fortunate on the Island to have media, that, although in competition with each other, put the interests of the Island first."
And Isle of Wight Council leader Cllr David Pugh said: "This is great news — testament to the great community spirit there is on the Island.
"We are already working with Nokia to make this a great family event to remember."
A Nokia spokesman said: "Considering the Island had so little time we were amazed at your total. It showed real community spirit. Well done!"
Reporter: richardw@iwcpmail.co.uk