Dad, 70, spends 12 hours decorating house for show-stopping Christmas lights show

Every December visitors from miles around descend on one housing estate in Rochdale for its epic Christmas lights switch on.

This year was no different with families queuing up to see the extravaganza on Wrenbury Drive in Burnedge which raises thousands of pounds for the nearby Springhill Hospice.

Among the residents taking part in the display is Peter Marr, 70, who this year pulled out all the stops, spending 12 hours transforming his house into a winter wonderland.

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Peter is one of the first home owners on the estate and started decorating his house along with a few other residents 25 years ago.

Now around 60 homes are lit up from the first Saturday of December each year when the estate’s spectacular Christmas light switch-one event is held.

“It’s just got bigger and bigger and some people even get professional people in to do it, with it being for charity people are really pushing the boat out and making a big effort,” Peter said.

This year’s Christmas light show saw residents team up with the Spring Inn on Broad Lane, which held a Christmas sing-a-long with the Milnrow Brass Band and market ahead of the lights being switched on at 5pm.

Once the street was glowing with lights fellow resident and house decorator Barbara Robinson served mulled wine to her neighbours which has also become an annual tradition in itself.

When asked how many people came to the switch-on Peter said: “I wouldn’t like to say, there were masses of people. I couldn’t put a number on it because there were just so many. People come from