A PENSIONER who has entertained people for miles around every year with the Christmas decorations on his house has turned them off for the last time.

Pat Lynch, 72, has covered his house with decorations for more than 30 years and the visitors who flocked from miles around to see them have helped him make generous donations to local charities, including Stanley Hospital in St Asaph and Penley Rainbow Centre.

As usual Mr Lynch festooned his house on Dymock Place, Penley, with colourful lights and welcomed a record number of guests to the grand switch-on on December 11.

The crowds were greeted with warm mince pies and in return they donated generously to Wales Air Ambulance, Mr Lynch’s chosen charity of the last few years.

He said: “We’ve done it all over the years – fairy lights, figurines – everything you can think of and support has been growing year on year, I’ve been seeing new faces right up until the end.

“It’s just lovely to see youngsters coming from all over the place to see my house.

“I started it for my own little kiddies but it grew and grew and I thought it’d be a great way to support worthy causes. I’ve become quite well known over the years and I’m pleased with the work I’ve done.

“But it costs a lot to power and with electricity prices going up all the time I think I’m ready to wind it down.

“And I’m overdue a quiet Christmas!”

Mr Lynch took down his decorations, most of which he will sell, on January 6 according to tradition. But the donations are still flooding in and he hopes to have raised at least £1,000 in his final year.

He added: “I’ve had a donation buckets out by the gate all Christmas and I’ve got some good friends who’ve donated generously.

“I’m delighted to have raised so much and it’ll be strange to stop.

“It really feels like the end of an era.”