Light tribute to late wife (From Keighley News)

Light tribute to late wife

1:00pm Friday 28th December 2012 in News

A Keighley man who lost his wife to illness has continued to commemorate her love of Christmas through a festive display of illuminated decorations.

Allan White, 54, was widowed in August. He said his wife Debra, who was 51 when she died, had multiple sclerosis for many years.

“She was always very cheerful and she managed to fight it for a long time,” he said.

“She loved Christmas, and she loved going outside in her wheelchair to look at the decorations.”

He said he began decorating the outside of his house in Litton Road about ten years ago, though the scale of the display was smaller then.

“It was just a few bits and pieces but it’s grown and grown,” he said.

“I wanted to keep doing this in my wife’s memory. She would have really liked it. I try to make the display a bit different each year. I go outside and plan where I can put different things – but I’m beginning to run out of room!”

This year’s display includes illuminated Santas, snowmen, reindeer, Christmas trees and a polar scene.

Mr White said previous years had featured a mini ski slope, while next Christmas he intends to include a nativity scene.

“It takes me about three weeks to put it all up,” he said. “I mostly do it at weekends. I had a stroke 10 years ago which affects my balance so my son Chris comes over and does the decorations which are higher up.

“The responses I’ve had off the neighbours have been great.”

He added he was considering using his next Christmas display to raise money for charity.

He said if this is possible, he would like the cash to go towards the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Manorlands hospice.