Paul's Fleetwood garden is all lit up for good cause

Paul Tilling has not gone for half measures when it comes to giving his front garden some illuminating festive cheer.
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At his home on Beach Road, Fleetwood, there are no less than 50 hand-made wooden features, each of which is bedecked with festive lights.

Paul, 44, an intensive care nurse at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, has been creating these Christmas displays for the past decade and they have been getting more ambitious each year.

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They have become something of a local attraction and in that time Paul has managed to raise a total of £11,000 for Brian House children's hospice, through the donations he receives.

Paul Tilling at his home with Christmas lights and boards on display in FleetwoodPaul Tilling at his home with Christmas lights and boards on display in Fleetwood
Paul Tilling at his home with Christmas lights and boards on display in Fleetwood

This year he even held an official launch, attended by Spiderman and Superman, and so far the display has raised more than £1,000 for the good cause.

The father-of-one, who lives at home with dad Brian, said: "The displays have just been getting bigger and people come along to see it and very kindly drop in donations.

"I've always been a big supporter of Brian House and this has become a great way of raising funds for them.

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"It's been a pretty grime time with Covid so I think it brings a bit of colour and brightness and cheers people up."

Some of the displays in Paul Tilling's gardenSome of the displays in Paul Tilling's garden
Some of the displays in Paul Tilling's garden

The displays include a memory tree in which people put messages up on the tree for a small donation, and there is a festive-themed picture postcard with holes for people's faces to appear, on the bodies of Mr and Mrs Christmas.

There is also a Christmas train and a cheery Santa, with the displays extending to the side of the house.

The pieces have been carved by Paul's mum, Elaine, who began making some of the new ones back in June.

Paul, a former councillor with Fleetwood Town Council, will keep the display up until after the New Year and is hoping to raise some extra funds for the hospice by then.

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