A north Wales family has lifted the winter gloom by illuminating their house with thousands of Christmas lights to raise money for charity.

Mr and Mrs Wycherley and their relatives have been decorating their home on Wyn Avenue in Rhosddu near Wrexham for four years.

The family have been planning the event for weeks

Their efforts have become so well-known that Wrexham's mayor Rodney Skelland turned the lights on at 1800 GMT on Friday.

In previous years, visitors have been attracted from as far afield as mid Wales and Anglesey.

All money raised from donations will be spent on buying toys for young children in care.

Angela Gibson, from Summerhill, said her sister's house was first decorated after an appeal from their 11-year-old daughter.

"We started about four years ago when my niece said she wanted to do it for charity, " she said.

Hundreds of visitors

"She heard on a local charity advert a little lad saying that he didn't get a Christmas present last year so she decided she wanted to help.

"Every year we raise money, people make a donation when they come to see the lights and this year we're having a big raffle.

"The family have always done it but it just got bigger and bigger and bigger."

There are thousands of decorations

Mr Wycherley has paid for all the decorations which have taken nine weeks to put up.

After Christmas, they will be stored in the family's loft.

Mr Wycherley said there are up to 10,000 bulbs surrounding the house, but all are low voltage to keep his electricity bill down.

The inside of the semi-detached property has also been decked out - there are 54 singing and dancing characters in the living room alone.

Mrs Gibson said she had lost count of the amount of people the house has attracted in previous years.

"There have been too many to count - even when we've been out here every night putting the lights up, people have been driving past and stopping.

The house is also decorated inside

"Other householders are starting to do it now - there are a few up in Gwersyllt, some in Acton and Hightown, so it's starting to grow now and everybody else is starting to have a go.

"It gives us more pleasure at Christmas time."

And she said the family has had lots of support from their neighbours.

"They love it and can't wait for them to be turned on," she said.