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Ipswich couple light up home in memory of daughter

Jamie Niblock/BBC Stout family Christmas lights in 2023Jamie Niblock/BBC
Money is being raised for St Elizabeth Hospice, where Jessica Mai Walden's grandparents were cared for

A couple are lighting up their home with more lights than ever before to honour their Christmas-loving daughter, who died following childbirth.

Jessica Mai Walden, 28, from Bramford, Suffolk, died on 9 May 2021 after her second daughter was born.

Her parents Julie and Neil Stout are covering their house in 41,000 lights to continue her "love for Christmas".

For the third year running, they will donate funds from the display to St Elizabeth Hospice.

Stout Family Jessica Mai Walden on her wedding dayStout Family
Jessica Mai Walden, from Bramford in Suffolk, died in May 2021 aged 28 after giving birth at Ipswich Hospital

The couple said Ms Walden died 48 hours after giving birth to her second daughter due to placental complications and severe blood loss, which led to cardiac arrest.

She left behind her husband Jack and daughters Orla and Elsie.

In her memory, Mr and Mrs Stout cover their house, in Purdis Farm near Ipswich, in Christmas lights each December, and are adding to the display each year.

"In the January sales I bought another 8,000 lights and I've been buying more since," said Mr Stout.

Jamie Niblock/BBC Stout family Christmas lights in 2023Jamie Niblock/BBC
Jessica Mai Walden's parents, Julie and Neil Stout, are covering their house in 41,000 lights

He estimated there were up to 41,000 lights in this year's display, including those that light the way to a surprise.

"There is something special for children this year," he said. "I've put some turf by the side of the house and I've put 5,000 lights going down to a Santa's grotto, which I've built myself."

The couple have also prepared bags of toys for children visiting the grotto and are handing them out with the help of granddaughter Kenzie, 11.

Mr Stout said Jessica had participated in the hospice's Midnight Walks and Christmas Day Dip, and stated the charity was "close to her heart".

Stout Family Stout family Christmas lights in 2021Stout Family
The Stouts, photographed here in 2021, said the lights continued Ms Walden's "love of Christmas"

The light display raised about £1,600 last year and the couple hope to get more funds this time around, through on-the-night donations and via their JustGiving page.

"We've had about 200 people say they're going to turn up," said Mr Stout.

Celia Joseph, the charity's community and projects fundraising manager, said: "We all enjoy seeing the brilliant displays people create and every penny raised makes such a difference to our hospice services, which we provide throughout East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney."

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