Family brings joy to Wolverhampton street with huge Christmas lights display

The Freeman and Smith family moved into their Gorsebrook Road home in March this year – and the neighbours were certainly in for a treat when the festive season rolled around.

Mother-of-six Gemma Freeman said the family wanted to bring "a bit of Christmas sparkle" to the area as this year hadn't been the happiest for most people.

The display outside their home consists of 15 inflatables, more than 20 wall silhouettes, 3D lanterns, lasers, a large reindeer and sleigh and more than 25,000 twinkling lights.

Gemma, age 39, said: "Me and my husband David have been together for 15 years and he had started the display before we got together, but it has just grown and grown now.

"The area we moved to, no-one really put decorations up – so we really stand out.

"But people come from all over to look. We even had an elderly man knock on the door and said we had brought Christmas cheer to everyone – he wanted to give us £40 to our electricity bill!"

But Gemma, who lives with 40-year-old husband David and children Niamh, 22, Chelsea, 17, Tegan, 15, Alfie, 10, Archie, seven, and one-year-old Lily, said they had decided to donate the money to the Shoebox Appeal.

"Our children asked if we could raise some money for charity – so Tegan dresses up as the Grinch and goes outside every night between 5pm and 6pm and the two boys stand out there with a little bucket to collect donations.

"We chose the Shoebox Appeal as lots of schools haven't been doing it this year. We've already managed to fill 10 boxes.

"We also had a note from West Midlands Ambulance Service pushed through the door, saying thank you and that we had made them smile – which was so nice."

The family turn the lights on at about 4.30 or 5pm and then turn them off at 9pm.

Care home worker Gemma said visitors to the display were always welcome – with donations being optional.

She also asked that any visitors respect social distancing rules when viewing the lights.