A PETERSFIELD pensioner whose Christmas lit home has been an attraction for more than 20 years, has thanked his neighbours for helping with this years’ display.

Peter Marshall was born in his parents Rushes Road house -- 86 years later it is still his home -- and since about 1995 he has been lighting it up with Christmas decorations inside and out.

But this year the former retained fireman of 33 years at Petersfield fire station was undecided if his outside light show and front room display of decorations and lit up model homes would go ahead.

He said: “Since I started doing it, it has just grown and grown and this year I wasn’t sure if could manage to get it all down from the loft and put it up.

“I now have more than a dozen lit up homes in the front room, a Santa tower, Christmas decorations, all lit up, and of course the outside lights.

“But my neighbour Gary Dowdeswell came round with his son Nathan and they got it all down and helped put it up.

“I have some great neighbours and the community spirit in the street is fantastic, everyone is helpful and keep an eye out for me and I really appreciate it, the lights are for them as much as me.”

And Peter, who left the then Petersfield Senior School, now the town infants school, when he was 14 to start work, says the display has had favourable comments, with visitors admiring his front room.

Regular church goer Peter, who will on Christmas Eve be at midnight mass in Buriton church, where he still helps with the flowers, said: “The children love to see the display; the author Michelle Magorian lives over the road, and when her children were younger they used to sit up to see the display when it came on at about 10pm.”

And on Christmas Day the bachelor will be enjoying the day a family gathering in the Petersfield home of his nephew Patrick Marshall.

Peter, who recently published his life story, My Family History and Memoirs, said: “It will be a traditional family Christmas dinner, which is what it is all about.

“When I was young there were only a couple of street lights in Rushes Road and only two people had cars so we could play in the street, and although the town has grown, it’s still a wonderful place, with lovely people.”