A SOUTHAMPTON great-grandfather who turned his street into an annual winter wonderland is to be commemorated with a memorial.

Ivan Nicholls began his colourful Christmas illuminations in Townhill Park in 1992 and over the years they became known throughout the area.

Now his neighbours are using money raised from their community fund to have a plaque on Broadwater Road to commemorate his life, which will be unveiled by TV presenter Charlie Dimmock.

Ivan, who died on January 3 this year, aged 91, began decorating his house following his retirement.

After a holiday to the US, hereturned to decorate his house with colourful lights, and persuaded his neighbours to do the same.

By 1996, a number of the homes in the road had joined in, arranging a grand switch-on two weeks before Christmas.

Every night in the lead-up to the big day, Ivan would dress as Father Christmas and sit outside his house in a homemade

grotto, handing out sweets and balloons that had been donated to him.

Ivan’s son Clive and his wife Josie would help by being the elves.

Lynne Symms, treasurer of Townhill Park Residents Association, said: “Children would queue up for hours and hours – it is quite well known in our area.

“He didn’t ask for any money, it was all donated to him. He’d be there every evening for about two weeks before Christmas, for about four hours an evening.”

Ivan, who was born in 1925 in Shirley, was a carpenter at RH Hammond builders for 52 years, having started as a 15-year-old apprentice.

He was 19 when he married Patricia Hodder, who was 22, in 1945.

That year he undertook his national service in the Royal Navy and guarded Japanese POWs after the Second World War.

By the time Ivan died, he had two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. His wife passed away in 2002.

The memorial will be unveiled on July 10.