A COUPLE from Whitchurch are getting in to the spirit of Christmas.

Simon and Mary Whitmarsh have spent two weeks creating an even bigger and better festive scene than before outside their home in Oakland Road.

Simon, who takes a week off work every year to put up the decorations, has created a number of new additions, including a Santa workshop and more lighting.

To keep costs down, Simon makes a lot of the decorations himself, with his favourite being a Christmas turntable made out of an old bike wheel and record player.

Simon, who first decorated the outside of his house five years ago, said: "Normally, it only takes a week to put up all the decorations, but this year it's taken two.

"I've been coming outside at 5.30am because it has been raining during the day.

"It originally started when we put up a couple of sets of lights, then we just kept adding more and more each year."

Each year, Simon and Mary ask people to make a small donation to look around the display to raise money for children's hospice Naomi House.

Last year, they raised £1,300.