Thornton family 'heartbroken' to cancel annual charity Christmas lights switch-on

Crystal King, 34 and Tim Holloway, 35 have hosted a huge Christmas switch-on from their Devonshire Avenue home in Thornton since 2017.

"Christmas-mad" Tim buys decorations in the Boxing Day sales ready for the next year, in a bid to raise as much money as possible for Trinity Hospice and Brian House Children's Hospice in Bispham.

But this year, the family decided not to go ahead with their Christmas fundraiser due to the implications of social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.

Crystal, an admin worker at North Shore surgery, said: "It is heartbreaking because we love doing it so much, especially Tim.

"But last year over 200 people turned up to look at the lights, meet Santa, have food and make donations to Brian House and this year we can't encourage crowds.

"In three years we've raised over £3,000 for the charity and I know they're struggling so it is a huge shame."

Last year, Crystal, Tim and Crystal's daughter Ella, nine, raised £1,426.27 for Brian House.

Crystal said the family will still adorn their house in decorations and lights, but will not make an event of it.

The family also have their hands full with their "miracle baby," as Crystal recently entered her third trimester of pregnancy with a baby conceived through IVF treatment after six years.

"We are really disappointed, but our baby is due on December 2, so I think we will have our hands full," she continued.

"But Tim is determined to come back bigger and better next year, when hopefully this will all be over."