THE coronavirus pandemic is not going to stop a couple from lighting up the world for a cancer charity by bringing their own ‘Blackpool Illuminations’ to Oswaldtwistle.

Christmas spirit has appeared at Tony Jenkinson's home as he and his partner Linda Grime have covered their house in Aspden Fold and front garden with 70 different novelty decorations.

Tony says the feedback from neighbours has been impressive and he thinks it is the best ever display after spending another £300 on new items.

Mr Jenkinson, 62, covers his house in lights every year and has been doing it for 14 years, in memory of his father, Arthur Jenkinson, who died after a battle with cancer in 2001.

He said: “My dad always liked to have lights up at Christmas. When he died we decided to put a few out in his memory.

“He would not believe the scale of what we are doing now but we are trying to collect for Marie Curie Cancer charity.

“The reaction has been fantastic from the neighbours and they have allowed me to put some on their front of the house.

“I have had people contacting me from Liverpool wanting to see it and donate money and there have also been calls from people in Bolton to see it.

“We usually have a lights switch-on ceremony with peopl attending but we cannot do that with Covid.

“We are still getting people coming along and putting money in collection buckets.

“We always want to raise more money than the previous year and last year we did £2,000.

“The lights switch-on usually raised between £800 and £1,000 so without that it is going to be tough.”

Mr Jenkinson spent a week putting up the decorations outside his house.

He said: “It looks like the best ever. It is a bit like the Illuminations and if you had a plane you could probably land it on the street.

“It is nice to see the smiling faces of families especially after the year it has been.

“We have to get as much money as we can as charities are struggling because of Covid.”