THIS couple were de-lighted after their festive home was chosen as the winner of The Star’s 2012 best Christmas lights competition.

Sheila and Bob Hales of Wherstead Road, who started their Christmas lights tradition 15 years ago when their daughter Melissa was ten, were surprised but happy to win the accolade.

They are set to receive �100 of vouchers to spend in any QD Store, Lathams or Cherry Lane Garden Centre. QD Stores will also donate �50 to the Hales’ chosen charity, which is Cancer Research.

Mr Hales, 65, said: “We are very pleased. We did not really expect to win as there were lots of other good ones around. We have been doing for years and really enjoy it.

“Our house is so high that I think it catches a lot of people’s eyes.”

Despite being scared of heights, semi-retired lorry driver Mr Hales tackles all the outside lights himself, including the roof, and it takes him a week to put them up. Mrs Hales is in charge of the indoor decorations.

Mr Hales added: “Every night there’s people stopping to take photos. We just do it to brighten the street up, I always think it looks so nice.

“I’ve greatly added to it each year. But this could be the last year we do it, as we’re hoping to sell up next year.”

Other impressive entries included a house in Landseer Road, which raises money for the EACH Treehouse hospice, and St Mary’s Gardens in Creeting St Mary.