A Bolton couple have been spreading cheer with their Christmas and World Cup lights display.

Gary May and Helen Byrne, of Jolly Brows in Harwood, have been putting up their Christmas displays outside their house for around four to five years.

This year, to celebrate the winter World Cup, they have combined their Christmas display with football’s biggest tournament.

Included in the display are an inflatable Father Christmas, gingerbread man, snowman and a polar bear.

The Bolton News: They have been doing the display for 'around four to five years'They have been doing the display for 'around four to five years' (Image: Newsquest)

They even have a Father Christmas donning an England shirt – don’t tell St Nicholas though, who according to legend was born in modern-day Turkey!

Gary said: “We do it every year, me and my partner Helen. It just started off around four to five years ago with a few bits, every year it’s just grown.

“I do more of the outside and she does the inside with the Christmas tree and everything.

“Because of the World Cup combined with Christmas, I got a few bits earlier in the year to prepare.

The Bolton News: Gary said: People come round and it puts a smile on their facesGary said: People come round and it puts a smile on their faces (Image: Newsquest)

“Normally during tournaments I have all the other stuff like the England flag, which I’ve done with LEDs this year. I hope they stay in until the end, as the final is on the 18th.”

He added: “We started putting a few bits of decoration up and quite a few people were coming and having a look with their kids.

“There’s one old man who always walks past loads, cause he loves it so much.

“It’s about putting a smile on people’s faces. We did it through Covid, I think people needed something to smile about.”

Gary spoke about the cost of running the lights with the increasing cost of living.

He said: “It’s hard cause of the way times are at the moment. But people come round and it puts a smile on their faces.

The Bolton News: They hope that England will go as far as possible in the tournamentThey hope that England will go as far as possible in the tournament (Image: Newsquest)

“I’ll just put it on a couple of hours a day now. Last few years we probably had it on a lot longer.

“It took nearly three days to do. I always wait until I have some days off to do it, last year it was in the pouring rain.

“This year it was clear, thankfully.”