Wigan family flicks the switch on 30,000 lights to spread Christmas joy and support good cause

Christmas celebrations have officially started in a Wigan village as a family turned on the lights at their impressively decorated home.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Every year the Molyneux family transforms their Shevington home to spread Christmas cheer and collect donations for Wigan Infirmary’s Rainbow children’s ward.

More than 30,000 lights cover the property on Shevington Lane and there are 11 Christmas trees as part of the magnificent display, which took four weeks to create.

Read More
Plans revealed for food hall, bar and offices to transform Wigan's historic Ecke...
Ethan, Paul, Gill, Theo and Alfie Molyneux outside their home on Shevington LaneEthan, Paul, Gill, Theo and Alfie Molyneux outside their home on Shevington Lane
Ethan, Paul, Gill, Theo and Alfie Molyneux outside their home on Shevington Lane
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Paul and Gill Molyneux and sons Ethan, 16, Alfie, 13, and Theo, 12, flicked the switch to turn on the lights – and attracted quite a crowd.

Paul said: “It was a bit manic. About 120 people turned up, it was crazy. The weather was dry, so that helped. At 5pm everything lit up, nothing went pop. We raised some good money and everyone’s comments were great.”

The family decorate their home every year and ask for donations to the Rainbow ward to thank them for the care given to their sons over the years.

They have raised £25,000 and used it to buy a whole host of items for the ward.

There are more than 30,000 lights on the house on Shevington LaneThere are more than 30,000 lights on the house on Shevington Lane
There are more than 30,000 lights on the house on Shevington Lane
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Paul says their house has become a “destination”, with people able to see the lights from the motorway and families in the village even making it a tradition to visit on Christmas Eve.

But it is an expensive endeavour – with the family expecting an electricity bill of £4,000 for the month. They pay the bill themselves, so all donations go to the hospital.

Paul said: “We were umming and ahhing about whether to put it on because the amount it will cost us to run it is phenomenal. It will cost us more to run it than we will raise. But it’s worth it when we see how much everyone enjoys it.”

However, Paul said he could not guarantee the lights would return next year due to rising energy bills and the cost-of-living crisis.

Paul Molyneux spent weeks working on the festive displayPaul Molyneux spent weeks working on the festive display
Paul Molyneux spent weeks working on the festive display
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Everyone was asking last year if we were doing it again and I promised we would be. We didn’t know what would happen with the price of fuel though. It may be the last time, but hopefully things will settle down,” he said.

The lights will be switched on from 5pm to 10pm every day until January 1.

Related topics: