Covered with 10,000 LED lights, this elaborately decorated home is bringing smiles and festive cheer to the local community.
Andrew Walters has been decorating the outside of his home in Stillington, on the border of County Durham and Stockton, for over five years to 'bring back the magic' of Christmas. And this year he has covered his house top to bottom with over 10,000 LED lights to help raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust after his neighbour's teenage daughter was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
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The 32-year-old has raised hundreds of pounds for vital charities over the years, including Cash for Kids. But while people may be considering toning down elaborate decorations this year due to the impact on energy bills, Andrew has revealed the thousands of lights outside his home will only cost £4.50 a night thanks to the energy-saving bulbs.
And he has also saved money on decorations thanks to the help of North East businesses.
Andrew, who works as a tree surgeon, told TeessideLive : "Jewson's has sponsored us this year, and Glenwood's Paints down in Darlington, I even contacted a lovely company down in Leeds called the Plastic People who donated the Persplex I needed for the toy shop window for free.
"All the toys in the window are brand new as well, and apart from the odd couple that I'm keeping for next year's display, all the others will be going to the Women's Refuge in Stockton after Christmas as well. I couldn't believe the generosity of businesses and stuff like that."
Since the grand switch-on last Saturday, Andrew has already smashed last year's target, raising more than £600 for the charity - with all the money going to specialist nurses to help young people fight cancer. To make launch night more magical, he also hired Santa Claus, who came all the way from Lapland, via Peterlee, in Andrew's bedazzled car.
He added: "It's all commercialised and there's not enough magic for the kids these days, and there are so many Santas and stuff like that which is why I wanted a decent one, so he came all that way for the kids. My friend had come along with her children and she said that the kids were absolutely amazed by it, it's just about bringing back the magic for the kids - with the added bonus of raising money for charity too.
"On the switch-on night, as soon as we mentioned the girl over the road, the donation buckets started filling up quicker, her dad was live streaming it to her and she was crying because she loves Christmas but at the moment she's stuck in the hospital getting treatment. So hopefully she'll be able to come out at some point before Christmas."
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