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Kids 'mesmerised' by road's magical festive lights

BBC A lawn in front of a property covered in Christmas lights and decorations, including a train filled with presents, a large snowman holding a candy cane, a Father Christmas figure and lots of other Christmas adornments. BBC
The lights on Warwick Drive have turned into an annual festive attraction

A neighbourhood tradition in which residents compete to deck their homes with the most "mesmerising" array of Christmas illuminations has snowballed in popularity over nearly 30 years.

Festive light displays on Warwick Drive in Hazel Grove, Stockport, have grown ever more extravagant since Bryan McAndrew began decorating his home in 1995.

The 79-year-old said he and his late wife had wanted to brighten up their area at Christmas, and neighbours decided to follow suit.

Warwick Drive's displays now draw big festive crowds, with one resident, Sonya Lyons saying "the children absolutely love it".

A front garden of a home on Warwick Street, filled with illuminated Christmas figures, including a unicorn, fox, snowmen, penguin and reindeer. Each is lit up white, red, blue, and green.
Homeowners go out of their way to create a dazzling spectacle each year

Sonya said nearly 100 homes now get involved in the annual displays, and together more than £20,000 has been raised for a local charity, St Ann's Hospice, through donations from visitors.

"It's now a Christmas tradition, so we can't stop now," she explained.

"It's just magical, absolutely magical - the children are mesmerised."

The choice of St Ann's Hospice was made in memory of Christian Boswell, a resident who died aged 39 of cancer, while funds have also gone to another local charity, Space4Autism.

Bryan McAndrew, who has black glasses, smiles on the drive of his home, which is covered in brightly lit Christmas figures. He is wearing a red-and-white Santa hat.
Bryan McAndrew, 79, said he bought his lights in the January sales to help keep costs down

Bryan explained how it the traditional began 29 years ago.

"I just moved in before Christmas," he told BBC Radio Manchester. "And it was dull.

"So I said to my late wife 'What about putting a few lights up'?"

"The following year we put up more, and it then snowballed as others started to copy."

A nativity display showing Mary and Joseph with the baby Jesus inside a makeshift stable. The figurines are looking over a cradle.
One of the displays even includes a nativity scene

Bryan's neighbour Darren Ingam said his display took three days to set up, adding that the level of ambition "keeps escalating" each year.

"I've got to plan where everything is going to go," he said. "But it's well worth it - thousands of people come here on a Saturday evening.

"You can hear the kids going 'wow'!"

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