Teenager Jake Skinner has turned tragedy into festive cheer for others.
Jake lost his older sister Stacie, 17, on Christmas night in 2015 after she suffered anaphylactic shock.
When workmates at Co-op legal services in Bristol returned her personal belongings the family discovered a string of Xmas lights Stacie kept on her desk.
This inspired 13-year-old Jake to go to town on decorations on his house in Bristol the following year and his display grew with every passing winter.
For the past three years Jake's light show has attracted visitors from far and wide and donations have raised almost £6000 for Macmillan Cancer Support, a charity he chose after his 81-year-old grandmother Annie beat spleen cancer.
Dad Jeff, 53, a salesman, said: “I'm very proud of Jake.
“Losing his sister at Christmas was especially hard and we never found out what caused the anaphylactic shock.
“We could have decided never to have a Christmas again or use it to celebrate Stacie's life, which is what Jake decided to do.
“Hundreds of people come to see the lights every year and even more have come this year. I think everyone just wants a bit of cheer because of Covid.
“It's been a really tough year all round.”
Jake spends four weeks after school putting up his decorations.
“He really does put his all into it,” said Jeff, a single dad.
“People think it must be me who does it for him, but it really is Jake. He's got a lovely benefactor, a local man who has donated hundreds of pounds in lights over the past couple of years.”
Jake's spectacular spectacle is just one of this year's entries in our Illumination Street competition, supported by the British Garden Centre group.
We have seen some of the most amazing displays across the country all vying to win one of our three categories which carry hundreds of pounds in prizes.
