THIS YEAR will be the last one for those behind Bromsgrove’s brightest Christmas lights display which has gained critical acclaim around the world, on TV and in newspapers local and national.
Molly and Wendy Molloy have decked out their house in Finstall with thousands of bulbs for the last 15 years.
It was featured on Britain’s Craziest Christmas Lights on Channel 5 in 2013 and the show’s producer officially turned on this year’s display at the switch-on at the end of last month.
The ornamental display includes Santa, snowmen, reindeer, polar bears, giant snowflakes, a train and sparkling Christmas trees and lands the pair an annual electricity bill of nearly £1,000.
The couple’s generosity extends to providing free refreshments on the night of the switch on and this year visitors managed to get through a staggering 720 mince pies and 80 litres of mulled wine. 300 bags of sweets were given to children who attended.
Visiting the house to gaze at the illuminated spectacle has become an annual tradition for many local families but sadly 2015 will be the last time. Molly and Wendy now care for elderly relatives and feel they cannot justify the many weeks it takes to prepare the illuminations and the time it then takes to pack everything away in January.
Molly said: “We would like to thank everyone for their support over the years.
“Deciding to make this our last year was a very hard decision but family commitments must take priority as we move forward in 2016.”
There is a charity box on the pavement outside the house, where visitors can make a donation.
Last year more than £4,000 was raised for local charities.
Money collected this year will be shared between The Primrose Hospice, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and the Alzheimers’s Society.
The illuminations will be turned off for the final time at midnight on January 6.
