Ipswich MP praises town's Christmas spirit after festive lights competition
A house in Fletcher Road has won Ipswich MP Tom Hunt's Christmas lights competition - Credit: Tom Hunt MP
Ipswich MP Tom Hunt has praised the town's Christmas spirit after completing his first festive lights competition.
Homes and streets across the town were invited to take part in the contest, which aimed to boost the festivities in the town dampened by the coronavirus pandemic.
Ipswich MP Tom Hunt said he loved hosting the Christmas competition - Credit: Tom Hunt MP
More than 70 entries were submitted, with homes and streets across the town represented, with Mr Hunt and his team of staff judging each entry last week.
Among the best-loved entries were the neighbourhood lights in Elvedon Close and Fletcher Road in Gainsborough, while Radcliffe Drive in Belstead Hills took home the prize of being the best lit-up street.
Both Elvedon Close and Fletcher Road featured heavily again in the countdown of Mr Hunt's favourite houses, with a home in Fletcher Road complete with rainbow icicles and a projection of a sleigh taking home the third-placed prize.
Displays from across Ipswich were entered into the competition - Credit: Tom Hunt MP
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A house on the corner of Elvedon Close took home the second placed prize, while an "astonishingly colourful" display at another house in Fletcher Road – which included a nativity scene – was crowned Ipswich's most festive home.
Mr Hunt said: "I was amazed at the level of involvement we had and really enjoyed driving round the whole town with my team to visit every nomination we received.
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"Some of the streets really coordinated their displays and it was extraordinary to see how much effort different houses across town were putting in to entertain passers-by.
"My favourite road, Radcliffe Drive in Belstead Hills, topped the town for a couple of reasons.
"The consistency of the lights was apparent immediately as you looked down the sloping road and it was particularly enjoyable to see that the effort was capped off by the spectacular display from the Belstead Arms pub at the end of the road.
Tom Hunt praised the Belstead Arms pub for its display - Credit: Tom Hunt MP
"Being such an important part of the community, it really added to the sense that this was a team effort – a much-deserved winner.
"Whether you’re a neighbour or a stranger wandering past from some other part of town seeing these displays will definitely cheer you up.
"They made for a very fun Friday evening."
