BRIGHT spark Terry Hilton has created one of the most sparkling festive scenes in Bolton - and has put his home well and truly in the spotlight!

The bungalow in Morven Grove, Breightmet, has a warm glow throughout the year, but at Christmas it becomes a blaze of colour.

Masses of bulbs light up the bungalow and Terry's imaginative decorative creation is so impressive that one local youngster was convinced it was the home of Father Christmas.

Terry said: "Two little kids were outside the other day asking 'Does Father Christmas live here?'. They stood watching the lights, mesmerised.

"Their reaction is typical of what makes it all worthwhile."

The secret of Terry's success is forward planning - he buys his Christmas decorations for the following year in the Boxing Day sales.

This year's Father Christmas, perched in the chimney and surrounded by a ring of light, was bought last Boxing Day and is the centrepiece on the roof, which is covered by dozens of lights.

The conifers in his garden are also ablaze with light and one of Terry's most creative displays this year is a shop dummy, decked out in a Bolton Wanderers' kit and surrounded, of course, by light!

Terry and his wife Brenda have lived in the house for 12 years and each year their decorations get bigger and brighter.

But it doesn't have to be Christmas for Terry to shine. His garden has 15 different lights in it all year long, and also has decorative street lights.

He explained: "It must seem like I am light mad, but they are in the garden throughout the year because I enjoy entering gardening competitions.

"It has taken about 15 days for me to get all the Christmas decorations up, and I am still adding touches to them.

"Youngsters love looking at the decorations. It is what Christmas is all about.

"Mind you, there are plugs and extensions all over the house, and if one bulb works loose, my heart sinks."

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