Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Brothers transform family home into Christmas lights display

The Brailsford siblings have raised more than £90,000 for charity decorating their mother’s Bristol home over the years.

Claire Hayhurst
Thursday 08 December 2022 13:34 GMT
The display features dozens of figures including Santas, reindeer, snowmen and 50 rope-light shapes (Ben Birchall/PA)
The display features dozens of figures including Santas, reindeer, snowmen and 50 rope-light shapes (Ben Birchall/PA) (PA Wire)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Two brothers have turned a family home into one of Britain’s brightest Christmas lights displays.

Lee and Paul Brailsford have been decorating their mother Rosemary’s house in Brentry, Bristol, since 1994 to raise money for charity.

They have already raised more than £92,000 for The Grand Appeal, the charity for Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, and hope the total will reach £100,000 this year.

It takes six weeks for Lee, a carpenter, and Paul, a bricklayer, to erect the display which features dozens of figures including Santas, reindeer, snowmen and 50 rope-light shapes.

There are trains, elves and a life-size nativity from America, powered by thousands of LED lights.

The display is usually illuminated for five hours a day but will run for four hours this year, from 5pm until 9pm, due to energy costs.

Donations can be made in person when visiting the Christmas display, or online at www.brailsfordlights.co.uk.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in