A COUPLE have again festooned their York home with sparkling Christmas lights and decorations to raise funds for charity.

Nikki and Tony Casey have collected thousands of pounds for a variety of good causes over the past decade with the annual display at their house in Hamilton Drive East, Holgate.

Mrs Casey said that every year, they added some extra lights to make it even more spectacular, this time putting some on the roof. A special projection effect also shows Father Christmas apparently walking around in a bedroom.

Mrs Casey said that two years ago, the lights raised more than a thousand pounds for the Smiley Riley Fund, in memory of Riley Plant, a brave little boy from York who lost his fight against cancer.

Last year, the lights raised a total of £2,800 for Macmillan Cancer Support, and this year they were raising funds for Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

"I chose that because a customer at my hair salon, Harlands, has a son with the condition," she said.

"More than 100 people came to the official switch-on ceremony, which raised about £640 on the night.

"Santa Claus came and children paid £2 to see him. Nestlé, the Coop and Sainsbury's had donated chocolate selection boxes to be given as gifts.

"We had a barbecue selling hot dogs and burgers, donated by Morrisons and Tesco, and there was a raffle and tombola.

"We will also be continuing to raise money right through Christmas until early January through a bucket collection outside the house, and people passing by have been donating maybe £30 or £40 a day."

She thanked friends Kyle, Mike, Sidney and Des for helping to set up the display over the past month.