THE owners of a Minehead home famed for its Christmas charity light show each year have revealed how much it costs to run the impressive illuminations.

Michael Grace, 37, a self-employed gardener and handyman, starts building his Christmas display on Plover Close in the first week of October to raise money for Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.

The display features thousands of LED lights and dozens of LED signs - including one in support of the NHS - illuminating the street for up to four hours each evening in the name of charity.

Now Beverley Grace, 37, Michael's wife, has revealed the answer to the question they're asked most; how much does it cost to run?

She said: "Michael's display approximately costs 65p per hour as it's all LED." 

Plover Close Christmas lights 2024. The display includes snow machines.Plover Close Christmas lights 2024. The display includes snow machines. (Image: Beverley Grace)


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Michael added in a Facebook post: "People often ask how much does this cost to run. As you can see from the picture [smart meter running at 79p per hour] that's my house running, plus all these amazing lights and neighbours. It's all LED, it just makes me want to go even bigger."

This is the tenth year Michael has put on the display for charity, and the family is hoping to raise £4,000 for the cause. The lights are switched on November 23 and run until January 4.

Michael said: "So far we have raised £300 on the day of the switch-on and a further £255 to date. Although the weather conditions affected the day of the switch-on, we only felt that this was a good start."

The lights were switched on by Santa himself and the Grace family's children Tyler, 12, Leah, 10, Isabella, seven, and Brooklyn, three, plus Henry Corbett. They used a switch-on dynamite created by Michael.

Michael and Beverley began raising money for charity with their annual Christmas light display in 2014 while living in Brackenfield, Minehead.

They chose Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance as it is "a charity-funded business that depends on public donations and operates 19 hours a day, 365 days a year".

When the couple moved to Plover Close they continued their tradition, building the display "bigger and better" and bringing the community together. 

This year, the family's efforts were supported by a dozen other residents of Plover Close who have lit up their homes with thousands of LED lights for the cause.

The display runs from 4.30pm until 8.30pm. More information can be found on the display's Facebook page. Donations can be made on the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance website.

Visitors are asked to park on larger roads to avoid congestion on the street.