A FAMILY has gone all out to create a magical Christmas display for the community.

Julie Wright and Scott Findley spent four weeks creating the winter wonderland in the front garden of their home in West Auckland Road, Darlington, which is complete with a huge Santa, snow, a river with illuminated penguins, reindeer and thousands of twinkling lights.

The couple have also added a post box for children to post their letters to Santa and are playing Christmas music.

They are hoping people who have enjoyed the display will donate to either money or items to support three organisations in Darlington this Christmas.

Julie has been putting on a lights display in her garden, with the help of her daughters Ellie, 17, and Shannon, 25, every Christmas for more than a decade and a half.

But this year they have decided to go all out to try with their biggest festive display yet to try and cheer up the neighbourhood.

Scott said: “The display is a lot bigger this year. We put it up over four weeks and switched on the lights on Thursday.

“It definitely wasn’t done overnight.”

He added: “The amount of attention has been unreal. People are loving it.

“It’s been spread through word of mouth and social media and people have been coming from all over.

“Everyone has said the same thing. Because of the year we’ve had it’s nice to do.

“So many people have said ‘it’s put a smile on my face’.

“There’s nowhere for the kids to go this year and this is as close as you can get to a Christmas grotto.”

Their grandchildren Alfie, five and Theo, three, and niece Ellaria, have been loving the display, along with dozens of other families who have been coming around to see the lights.

The family is asking for those who have enjoyed the festive display to donate items or money which can go to Darlington’s Women’s refuge, where eight women are living with 12 children and three babies, Springfield Care Home, in Wylam Avenue, and for ex-servicemen living in Victoria House, who are in particular need of men’s clothing.

Donations of Christmas presents, items to cheer up care home residents, and clothes for men aged between 18 and 40 would be appreciated.

They are also planning to leave a bucket so people can leave cash donations.