A COUPLE have raised more than £2,000 for York Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit after transforming their garden into a winter wonderland over the festive period.

Dee Moore and his wife Christine, of Templar Way, Brayton, near Selby, have filled their garden with festive lights and decorations every Christmas for the last 10 years.

Dee, a self-employed landscaper, spends many hours setting up the display featuring Santas, reindeers, stars and other festive decorations that light up every year. Dee, 48, said he loves to see the look on people's faces, both young and old, when they drive down the street and see his light display.

Over the latest festive period, the couple managed to raise £2468.68 for the Special Care Baby Unit support group - a charity that supports the relief, care and treatment of premature and sick new born babies at York Hospital.

"We had hundreds of visitors this year and we are overwhelmed with how supportive and generous people have been", said Christine, 51.

Christine said that lots of people supported them this year, including Dry Verge Solutions of Eggborough, who helped to put some lights onto the verge and apex.

Yorkshire Property Renovations, which donates to a local charity every year, chose the couple's cause to donate £100 to. As well as this, Christine's employer, Drax Power Station, donated £250 as part of the employee match funding scheme.

The couple teamed up with Selby Santa, Mike Robey, who travelled around the villages on his sleigh for six nights during the Christmas holiday - and he also came to switch the lights on at their home in early December.

Mike's sleigh was parked on their drive when he wasn't doing his rounds, so people could sit in it and have their pictures taken if they wished to.

"Next Christmas we are going even bigger and better and my husband is planning to be Santa as well, so he and Mike will share the rounds and we can double the coverage, as he was extremely popular", Christine added.

Two little girls live in the same cul-de-sac as Dee and Christine inspired their charity display - and when the youngest, Esta, was born she was 13 weeks premature and spent the first three months of her life in SCBU over the Christmas period.

Christine said: "As Esta has grown up and her mum and dad have told her that we left the lights on for her arrival home, she and her older sister Isla have been my husband's number one fans. Every night they come over to feed the animated reindeer.

"So, when we were asked one year to try to raise money for charity, we both instantly said York SCBU."