A MAN has gone all out in thanking the NHS and key workers with giant messages in his garden and images projected onto his – and a neighbour's – house.

Darlington man Paul Ferry, owner of Ultrasounds Events, has used his company's tech to bring a show of support and solidarity for frontline workers to his front garden, and has even roped his neighbour in to help.

The 44-year-old man, who started the events company aged 14, has had inflatables, lasers and projected rainbows at his home on Redmire Close, attracting neighbours from the small close and many more comments and shares on social media.

The displays first corresponded with Clap for Carers at 8pm each Thursday night, however have got progressively later due a reliance on lights and projections and to the sun setting later.

Mr Ferry, who says he has a socially distanced beer with his neighbour each week where they decide what the houses should look like the following week, said: "I'll keep going with it but so far we've been doing things with light and effects so have to wait for it to get dark.

"Now the challenge is finding new ideas that are still relevant."

Mr Ferry's neighbour, Michael Standing, is currently furloughed from The Hideaway Tattoo Studio and helps set up the display and pack it away each week, along with friend Shaun Robson.

Mr Ferry said the weekly occurrence has been getting so much attention that he receives messages when a picture or video has not been uploaded to social media by 10.30pm.

"If someone can't see the house, the fact they see it on Facebook makes me happy.

"I want a carer, a doctor or a key worker to see it and smile, to know we're here supporting them, and that someone is really putting in a lot of effort."

While the businesses owner is "flexing his muscles" and ensuring Ultrasounds Events' tech is used through social distancing, he has raised concerns for companies like his that rely solely on events.

He added: "It's going to be hard to bounce back once lockdown is over. Events are organised three, six and nine months in advance. We can't just open our doors again and people will walk through.

"Most of our work now has been postponed to 2021 so we will lose business for another six months on top of others."