A dad loves Christmas so much that he has decorated his home with 30,000 festive lights - despite energy bills shooting up. Paul Bibby adores the festive season, and it's his tradition to go all out with the decorations.
Paul, who is a carer, has made a name for himself in his local area and has been putting on his magical display for the last 17 years. This year, as well as masses of lights, the dad also installed an eight-foot tall Santa, penguin and nutcracker.
Paul, from Chelmsford, Essex, says that due to a 25% increase in electricity the extravagant display will set him back £8 per day. But he "doesn't care" and will carry on with his annual tradition with "a smile".
He explained: "It's a lot of work putting them up and taking them down, but I love doing them. People walk past and tell me they have never seen anything like it.
"It's always worth doing because I ask for donations for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance, and because they make people so happy. I knew it would be more expensive this year, but I don't care about the cost.
"Nothing would have stopped me doing my lights. Each year he aimed to make his display bigger than the last - and it now draws spectators from up to 20 miles away.
While the house is totally free to visit, he asks people to consider donating to his local ambulance service - which he says is a "fantastic cause" and makes it worth it. Each year he aims to make his display bigger than the last - and it now draws spectators from up to 20 miles away. While the house is totally free to visit, he asks people to consider donating to his local ambulance service - which he says is a "fantastic cause" and makes it worth it.
Last year he raised £850 for Essex & Herts Air Ambulance - because the display brought in up to £60 per day in donations. He said: "I know everything has gone up in price - I never saw myself paying £4.50 for a pack of butter!
"But I'll do my lights every year and I don't even care about the cost because people love it and it's a good cause. People around here probably think I'm crazy - but I love doing it because just want to make people happy.
"I'll carry on until I'm too old to get up the ladder!"
