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Couple's Christmas lights switch-on
A Lancashire family who has lit up people's Christmas lives for a decade has had their own big switch on.
Jim Livesey, 69, and his wife Anne, 64, have already decked the outside of the home in Leyland Road, Penwortham, in a dazzling array of festive lights and decorations.
Jim, a retired joiner, reckons he has spent up to 6,000 on amassing the huge collection, which he adds to every year.
Initially, the couple started putting the lights up for the benefit of local children, but last year they decided to donate any money they received to St Catherine's Hospice.
The Lostock Hall charity is close to Jim's heart after staff there cared for his Mum Ethel during her final weeks of life.
And in January this year they handed over 101 to grateful bosses. Now they are hoping Christmas 2009 can beat even that total.
Jim said: "We have had them up every year but we never thought of doing it for St Catherine's until last year.
"It is my way of giving something back for what they did for my mum. We have got a lot of different things this year – penguins and polar bears. It has cost about 5-6,000 over 10 years and I started it just to light the place up for the children.
"It is worth it just to see the children's faces."
As well as splashing out on additions to his collection for this year, he will face a dizzying electricity bill of about 200 by the time the lights are turned off in the New Year.
The collection attracted around 1,000 people last year, including a family who have been travelling from the Cumbria to look at the lights since 2007.
Jim and Anne also hand out lollipops to youngsters.
There is a donation box near a waterfall in the couple's garden.
"I would love to beat last year's total," added Jim. "It was amazing, I never thought that would be the outcome."
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Weather for Preston
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -4 C to 2 C
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Wind direction: South east
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