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'I can't believe 1956 Christmas lights still work'

Grace McGroryin Scunthorpe
News imageBBC / Grace McGrory The picture shows a man smiling at the camera. He is bald and is wearing glasses. He has a brown cardigan on, and a blue patterned shirt. He's standing in a kitchen. Behind him you can see a kitchen counter and cupboards. He's holding an old cardboard box, which is filled with a string of multi-coloured lights. BBC / Grace McGrory
John King's mother bought the Christmas lights from Halfords for 18 shillings

A man who still has the same Christmas lights that his mother bought in 1956 says it is "pretty incredible" that they still work.

John King, 79, from Scunthorpe, said the lights were purchased from Halfords for 18 shillings when he was 10 years old.

They were used to decorate the tree at his family home for many years and, 69 years later, Mr King said he had never had to replace any part of them.

Mr King said: "I've always cherished and looked after them. It's amazing, I can't even believe it myself."

Mr King said he remembered how he was "delighted" when his mother returned home from shopping on Scunthorpe's High Street with the lights.

He added: "The price tag on them is 18 shillings.

"I was really excited with them because not many people could afford a set of lights in those times."

The lights were manufactured by electrical company Philips.

Mr King said he also used to decorate his tree with tinsel and glass baubles.

"I'd put the lights on them and I was very, very charmed with them when they were all together."

News imageBBC / Grace McGrory The photo shows an old, yellow cardboard box which is open. It's filled with a multi-coloured string of lights - with each bulb painted either blue, orange, red, yellow, green or white. They are all connected to one another with a thin green wire. BBC / Grace McGrory
John was just 10 years old when his mother returned from a shopping trip on Scunthorpe's High Street with the lights

Although they still work, Mr King admitted he no longer uses them to decorate his tree.

"I have to say they're now in retirement because, of course, they're so precious to me," he said.

"I'll just keep it that way for now."

Mr King added that he hoped they would last for another 69 years.

"It looks as if they're going to last forever at the minute," he added.

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