IT COSTS him £600 extra in electricity bills during December and takes four people an entire month to install.

But Basingstoke grandfather Keith Brown said his elaborate display of Christmas lights are worth it for the joy it brings to children over the festive period.

The 57-year-old has been lighting up his front garden in Brackley Way since 2004, adding to his collection every year.

He said thousands of people visit during December, with many giving donations to St Michael’s Hospice, which last year made £2,440.

The father-of-three and grandfather-of-five said: “I started in 2004. We always decorated our house even when we lived in Normanton Road but here it’s easier being a bungalow. We did it for the kids then and now it’s for the grandchildren. Just seeing the kids’ faces is enough to keep me doing it.”

Keith said his brother in law Dave Keeping, best friend Trevor Matthews and son David Brown all help him put up the display, working on it from November 1.

The family then had a switch-on event attended by around 60 people on December 1.

“The neighbours all get excited seeing us putting it up on the roof and knowing what’s coming. They have let me spread out and I’ve started going next door,” Keith said, adding: “We had an opening ceremony with friends and family and other people who had heard.”

However, Keith, who is a company secretary for John Stacey and Sons in Tadley, said the maintenance does take up a lot of his time, particularly following the storm on Sunday evening.

“It’s every night,” said his wife Andrea, adding: “The other night he was out there for a couple of hours. I don’t have very much to do with it but I support him.”

Keith has also had to install a security camera this year, after the donation box was stolen last year and the lights vandalised.

On Christmas Eve Father Christmas will be visiting the Brown’s home to give out sweets to all the children who visit, between 4.30pm and 6.30pm.

Andrea, 56, said: “We have children come from tiny tots and now they bring their own children.

“My son put a post on Facebook saying the lights are on and he had over 500 comments. It shows the amount of people who are interested and excited to come and look at them.”

Keith added: “We want to thank everyone who comes and visits and gives a donation to the hospice. It’s a worthwhile charity in Basingstoke that touches everyone.”

n For more pictures of Christmas decorations, go to pages 27 and 41. If you want to enter our Camera Club competition, where the theme for this month is ‘Festive Spirit’, search ‘Basingstoke Gazette Camera Club’ on Facebook.