Suffolk man uses 10,000 Christmas lights to raise money for EACH
John Cornwall started decorating his house with Christmas lights as a hobby - which has grown every year.
A Suffolk man has fixed 10,000 Christmas lights to his home near Sudbury, as part of a bid to raise money for East Anglian Children's Hospices.
John Cornwall has spent a year planning out the spectacle, which is now live outside of his home in Great Cornard.
The lights show follows a pre-programmed sequence and people visiting can use a card reader placed outside of the home to donate to EACH if they want to.
"By day, I'm just a technical service engineer, but I've got a hobby which all involves Christmas lights" John said.
"It started off small years ago and it was just normal household lights you get from DIY sheds.
"And then from there, it's progressed. And obviously, as technology developed, it's now turned into LEDs, which you can tell exactly what to do when to do it and what colours to be. And you can synchronize it to music. "
The inspiration for his bright display came after visiting the Osborne Family Christmas at Disney.
"I was fortunate to say to go to Disney to see the lights and I thought that was good. They're all kind of like synchronized all doing different flashy things.
"So I thought let's see how it's done. So got back home, investigated it on the Internet and here we are today."
John joined the European Lighting Fanatics (ELF'S) Facebook group where they helped him to find all the information, he needed to create this display.
He told us the construction of the spectacle usually takes 2 weeks; however, planning will begin a year in advance, and he is already thinking about what to do next year.
"It's just magical, isn't it" John added.
"I've always had that ever since I was young, I've always liked some form of lights, whether they are flashing or coloured light and so on.
"And when you actually get to the point where I am, where I'm synchronizing lights to music it's a totally different aspect to it all. To the regular flashy lights, you get from DIY sheds.
"You can stand out there for hours and just watch the sequences. Now, I've seen the sequences on a computer, all throughout the year, but it's nothing better to actually see it in person.
"When you're out there, you get families coming along. Young kids standing there and (they) dance to the music and they're enjoying it as well.
"I get enjoyment out of doing the hobby as well as seeing the end result. Then obviously I'm letting other people enjoy it as well.
" I guess you get a fuzzy warm feeling that obviously, you're enjoying it but they're enjoying it and I am just glad that they're enjoying it as much as I am."
John was in two minds as to whether to go ahead with the display this year, with rocketing energy bills and a cost of living crisis.
However he decided to press ahead in order to bring some Christmas cheer to the village.
"I did discuss it with the wife and think should we put the display on? Should we cut back on the amount of light?"
"But it only runs for a few hours a night in the evening and doesn't add a terrific amount to the energy bill.
"You're looking for my display. 30P upwards, you know, potentially maybe 50p 60p a night, somewhere around about that.
"And I think over the course of a few nights leading up to Christmas, it's not only enjoyable for us as a family, but it's giving other people something to look at and enjoy and hopefully bring a smile to their face."
"It's also something fun and free for a family to do...it was pros and cons, but the pros won."
The lights run from 5pm til 8:30pm and can be found at CO10 0FL - parking is available next to the rugby club at the end of Windmill Close.