Barton's Byron Road lit up for Christmas
HEAVY rain did not deter hundreds gathering to watch the famous Byron Road illuminated with more than 80,000 Christmas lights.
The celebration featured a dancing Santa and music from New Milton DJ Brett Tizzard, with chocolate advent calendars handed out to children.
The small Barton street – named Britain’s most festive by Daily Mail readers in 2016 – will now be lit up every evening between 4.30pm and around 8pm until 1st January to raise money for the NHS.
For organiser Ged Hollyoake the construction of an array of twinkling lights, nativity scenes and life-sized festive creatures spanning a dozen houses is a labour of love which begins in late September.
Ged said: “It was a brilliant evening, and I was really pleased that so many people were able to come along.
“It actually started raining quite heavily around half an hour before the switch-on and there were a few disabled people out in the street so we ran around to find them some umbrellas. Everybody stayed for the switch-on, though, and when the rain stopped it was a lovely evening.”
As well as covering the cost of electricity and the lights for the elaborate display, Ged also bought advent calendars for all attending children. All money raised from donations on the evening and throughout December will be donated to the NHS.
"I usually start putting up the display in September or early October – it is a lot of work but I love doing it and I’m always delighted by the wonderful amount raised for charity.”
In previous years the official switch-on celebration had become a huge event in itself attracting celebrities like Jimmy Tarbuck, Fred Dinenage and Harry Redknapp. However, increasing insurance costs led Ged scale back the launch.
He said: “It had become too big and too much; I wasn’t enjoying it as much. This year was perfect – my grandson Dylan helped me to switch the lights on as the crowd counted down. He loves the lights.”
In the past two decades the display has raised £85,700 for local charities and good causes.
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