BRIGHT sparks Tony and Mel Grahams' amazing 50,000-light display has bagged them the title of the Daily Echo's best-decorated house.

Earlier this week we printed the five finalists in the competition after scouring Southampton and Hampshire for the cream of the crop.

But we were most impressed by the Grahams' enlightening decorations, which include 10ft Father Christmases and a half-size reindeer and sleigh ridden by Santa. Even the greenhouse has been transformed into a Christmas wonderland and the roof has been adorned with a life-sized Santa on a rope and a large lit-up angel.

The house, in Ashley Lane, near New Milton, even attracts its fair share of American tourists and has become known locally as Christmas House on Golden Hill.

The husband-and-wife team won a festive bottle of bubbly for their efforts.

Mel said: "I'm absolutely delighted. I never thought that we'd win as there are so many nice decorations around this Christmas.

"The best bit about it is the comments you get from people, especially the children. When they were teenagers, our children never wanted to come home because they were too embarrassed to let anyone see where they lived. But now they bring their own children to look at the house and they absolutely love it."

She added: "It's six weeks of hard work and it seems to take months to take it down again - that's the bit we don't like - but it's worth it. I can't explain it - it just gets everyone so excited and it's what Christmas is all about for me."