Hard times… but we’ll keep the lights on! Brothers set up dazzling Christmas lights display

Hard times… but we’ll keep the lights on! Brothers brighten up their mother’s house with Christmas lights in dazzling display to raise money for children’s hospital

  • Two brothers turned a house into a bright Christmas tree light display  
  • Lee and Paul Brailsford have been decorating their mother’s house since 1994
  • It includes elves and a life-size nativity from America with thousands of lights 

Two brothers have turned a family home into one of Britain’s brightest Christmas lights displays.

Lee and Paul Brailsford have been decorating their mother Rosemary’s house in Brentry, Bristol, since 1994 to raise money for charity.

They have already raised more than £92,000 for The Grand Appeal, the charity for Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, and hope the total will reach £100,000 this year.

It takes six weeks for Lee, a carpenter, and Paul, a bricklayer, to erect the display which features dozens of figures including Santas, reindeer, snowmen and 50 rope-light shapes.

There are trains, elves and a life-size nativity from America, powered by thousands of LED lights in the dazzling display 

Lee and Paul Brailsford have been decorating their mother Rosemary’s house in Brentry, Bristol, since 1994 to raise money for charity

Lee and Paul Brailsford have been decorating their mother Rosemary’s house in Brentry, Bristol, since 1994 to raise money for charity

There are trains, elves and a life-size nativity from America, powered by thousands of LED lights.

The display is usually illuminated for five hours a day but will run for four hours this year, from 5pm until 9pm, due to rising energy costs.

Local councils and other charity fundraisers have been forced to axe or scale back their dazzling festive light displays in the face of eye-watering energy bills.

Wholesale prices for European gas and electricity have surged mainly due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and pent-up demand after the pandemic.

And just at the time of year when people should be celebrating, it is hitting both private and public Christmas displays.