Christmas: Croxley Green residents rally to honour fundraiser Dave Edwards

A community has rallied together to honour a man who has raised thousands for charity with Christmas light displays ahead of what is expected to be his final festive period.

Dave Edwards is known as Mr Christmas for his extravagant displays at his home in Croxley Green, Hertfordshire, over the past 42 years.

His family said due to ill health, this year's event would likely be the last.

In response, residents have erected a banner to thank the 86-year-old.

Locals have also been putting up their own festive displays in honour of the fundraiser.

Mr Edwards started his light display as a competition with a house across the street, his daughter Sharon Markham said.

Over the years, the display grew in size and in recent years has seen celebrities attend to switch on the lights in front of thousands of spectators.

He was invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace for his fundraising efforts but the event did not go ahead due to coronavirus restrictions.

Mrs Markham said her father was very unwell with cancer which meant this year could be the last-ever display.

The switch-on event is due to take place this weekend and Mrs Markham said she believed her father was holding on for it.

"He is struggling," she said.

"He keeps asking me what day it is as he's trying to get to Saturday."

Mrs Markham said it was "ironic" she was going to lose her father at Christmas, three years after her mother died at a similar time, as the couple were known as Mr and Mrs Christmas.

"As a teenager, I was really embarrassed by all this," she said.

"I used to pull up outside and the driveway would be full of people and I would cover my face and run in the door.

"But since 2000 my husband and I got involved and started coming up with ideas and having celebrities do the switch-on.

"So many people know about it, we have thousands of people on our Facebook page - I can't keep up with it all."

Mrs Markham said her father had previously been told people had seen the lights from the air as their planes came in to land at Heathrow Airport.

Mr Edwards' neighbour Marie said it was "absolutely amazing" living next door to the local legend.

"You should see the absolute amazement in the children's eyes," she said.

"There is sheer delight to see the lights come on and every night people come by, and Dave comes out and hands out sweets.

"You can see both Dave and the children absolutely love it."

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