Man decorates house with 6,000 Christmas lights to bring joy to poorly young neighbour

Neil Wilson from Castletown has covered his home in Christmas lights and decorations and is asking for donations to a charity which supports his young neighbour who is suffering from muscular dystrophy (MD).

Christmas-loving Neil spent three weeks putting the lights all over his house with the help of neighbours.

He said: “I wanted to spread some Christmas cheer as it’s been a terrible year and Christmas should be something people look forward to.

"We place a charity bucket outside with some information about William and the horrible disease he’s suffering from – we’ve raised £350 so far!”

William was diagnosed with duchenne muscular dystrophy in 2015 - a condition that gradually causes the muscles to weaken.

Neil added: “We wanted to do as much as we can for him while also cheering everybody up.”

The lights have proved popular and neighbours are asking for people who have visited to see the lights to make a donation to Muscular Dystrophy UK.

Neil said:"I couldn’t even drive into my street the other night after work as there were so many cars driving by to see the lights.

"It’s crazy but people love it and it’s all for a deserving charity.”

William’s mum said she was grateful that the community were coming together to help raise money.

She said: “The community always come to help raise funds for William’s charity, and we are so grateful every time people get involved.

"We live three doors down so Will can see the lights from him window, everybody just says ‘wow!’ when they see them.”

Neil and his neighbours spent two to three hours each evening for a week putting up the lights.

Susanne Driffield, North East and Yorkshire Regional Development Manager for MDUK said: “Having spent time with family and friends of Will I have seen at first hand the incredible support they have received from their community.

"Their determination to fundraise and raise awareness for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is tireless.”

Many visitors have posted pictures of the display on social media to share how much they enjoyed the lights in the local area.

Neil added: “It’s unbelievable how many people have supported this and it’s all for a great cause.”

You can help donate here and can see the lights every evening on Gordon Avenue, Castletown.

Support your Echo and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest on SAFC and new puzzles every day. With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.