By Mal Butler
Thousands of lights lit up the sky at the annual Christmas switch-on in Long Lane, Newport, on Saturday.
Terry and Sue Ramplin have spent months decorating their house to raise money for IW Prostate Cancer Support Group.
Terry said: “It was a cold crisp evening, and it made for a wonderful, magical experience.
“High Sheriff, Dawn Haig-Thomas, turned on the lights for us in our 24th year. It’s amazing how long we have been doing this for various Island charities.
“Beforehand, there was a sense of trepidation, because I had been poorly and the weather had been so wet and miserable. I couldn’t get the lights out properly to lay them down and check them as it had been horrible, so I was flying by the seat of my pants. But, by hook and by crook, we got it all together for the switch-on. I couldn’t hazard a guess on how many lights are involved, but I do ask the children to count up how many Father Christmas’s there are in the grounds, as they are everywhere.
“I also include the Christmas Nativity scene, so children learn it’s not just about the lights. We start putting the scaffolding up at the beginning of October, so this is the climax of hours and hours of work. It’s also not just the cost of the electricity but the lights as well; it costs £600 just to replace them at the front of the house!”
The money raised goes towards prostate cancer awareness, and Terry added: “At our last testing session in Newport, 302 men took part and 10 per cent were told to visit their doctor because of their blood test results. So if you walk past without putting something in our buckets, just think about it; we could be saving your life next time.”
The lights will be switched each evening between 5pm-9pm.
Isle of Wight Observer