It started with a string of lanterns hanging over a window and has grown into a festive lights spectacular that draws crowds from miles away to a house in Wolverhampton.

Jackie Durnall has always loved Christmas and seven years ago decided to brighten up life for those living around her during the run-up to the big day. The 54-year-old grandmother from First Avenue, Low Hill, explained: “I put up the lanterns and people thought they looked nice. Then a friend gave me a red rope light tree and the project quickly grew.

“After a couple of years I decided to try to put the display to a good use and came up with a plan to use it to raise money. I selected the veterinary charity the PDSA after seeing the work they did in helping people who might not otherwise be able to afford a pet.”

A polar bear, carousel and blue Christmas tree have been added this year to the rocking horse, train, see-saw, ladder, bell and other illuminated pieces that adorn the front garden and cover the house both inside and out.

It takes Mrs Durnall a month to put up the 80,000 bulb display that spends the rest of the year filling two spare bedrooms and the loft at her home. 

“I put it up myself although my husband Tony, who is 72, does hold the ladder while I hang the icicles from the guttering,” she said. “I always buy the bulbs and figures during the January sales to keep down costs and have saved since the summer to make sure this show did not become another casualty of the soaring cost of electricity.”

Mrs Durnall has paid £10-a-week extra since June and is now £138 in credit with the power company but will probably still have to find extra cash to pay the electricity bill this year. 

She always settles this herself because she insists that every penny donated to the lights from visitors goes to the PDSA. Weather permitting the lights will be switched on every evening from 5pm to 8.30pm.