An army cadet instructor tripped the light fantastic and wowed hundreds of people when he unveiled his Christmas lights display in memory of his father.
Crowds packed into King Henry’s Drive, New Addington, to see the yuletide extravaganza put on by Alex Hopkinson on Sunday.
The fun started with a full size Santa sleigh escorted through the town by a military ambulance to his home, which is decorated with 6,000 twinkling Christmas lights, reindeers and other seasonal figurines.
Mckinzie Peters, Jill Harvey and Jodie Sandling got in the Christmas spirit with Santa
Last year the 34-year-old’s display raised £500 for St Christopher’s Hospice, where his father Derek died in February 2004.
He is hoping to raise even more money this season, for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and military charity Combat Stress.
Mr Hopkinson said: “The response has been very good this year. There were at least 500 people and it was mayhem.
“And people also said the fireworks display at my event was better than at the New Addington switch-on.”
Hundreds of people turned up for the light switch on in King Henry's Drive, New Addington
The Hopkinson family first started the tradition, led by Derek, in 1985 as part of Mr Hopkinson’s mother Eugene’s birthday celebrations on December 3.
This year Mr Hopkinson roped in the help of his friend Brian Lee, who played Father Christmas and spent 10 months designing the sleigh, his grandson Tommy Lee and many others including his army cadets to add extra sparkle to the occasion.
His mother said: “I think it went brilliantly. It got even better from last year and they did a wonderful job.
“It looked fantastic and everybody was talking about it.
“I’m so proud of them and I’m sure his dad looked down and he was proud of them.”
Des Read from the Excalibur Unit charity, Alex Hopkinson, David Coot, veteran and Joe O'Malley from the Excalibur Unit charity with Johnny Maslin who switched on the lights
The lights will be on from 4.30pm to 11pm each day throughout the Christmas season.
There is also a 12ft wishing tree where, for a donation to charity, people can write a wish and place it on the tree.
Do you have a more festive house? Email a picture to rfisk@london.newsquest.co.uk or tweet @Robert_Croydon
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