A CHILDHOOD spent in Canada nurtured Janet Riley's love of Christmas house displays.

So, when she and her family moved into their house in Brodick Drive, Breightmet, two years ago, she was determined to throw herself into the same spirit.

And now every night, when the lights are switched on, her neighbours and passers-by can see the results of her passion for the festive season.

She said: "Everyone does this in Canada."

Janet builds up for display throughout the year, buying new decorations whenever she sees anything suitable, ready for December.

The lights started modestly enough, with a few strands in the conifer tree in the front garden.

Now, more than 700 lights bedeck the front of her house, rounded off with Santas and snowmen.

It takes David, janet's husband, hours to produce the display each year, but he knows what he is doing -- he is an electrician!

His efforts are appreciated by their children Kayleigh, aged 14, Joshua, nine. and Chloe, eight.

Janet said: "The neighbours think it is fabulous. All the cars that go by slow down to have a look."

Plans are already underway for next year's display. The Riley children have requested a Santa to sit on the house chimney stack!

In the meantime, Janet is turning her attention to creating a fairyland inside the house. She said: "I like to make a grotto in the extension.

"I love decorating the outside of the house.

"I wish more people would do it really."

ADMIRERS of Darren Mitchell's house on Baron Walk, Little Lever, better watch carefully next year.

He is planning to install a Santa and sleigh on the roof of the semi-detached bungalow!

The excitement of his children, Ashley aged four, and Chloe, eight, when they see their house lit up in the dark keeps Darren mad about Christmas.

He and wife, Susan began decorating the outside of their house six years ago.

He said: "We put up a few lights but it just keeps escalating."

Last year, he wrote "2,000" in lights on the wall, and this year he has changed it to spell "Xmas".

Darren confesses the worst part of a weekend putting up the decorations is replacing the faulty bulbs in his strands of more than 1,000 lights.

He said: "You just think you've cracked it and got them all working and when you start putting them outside, they have gone."

Darren and Susan search the January sales for new decorations to add to their house the following Christmas.

But despite all his efforts, Darren does not get to benefit from the festive display -- he is an HGV driver working nights.

He is a Christmas addict and believes more people should brighten up the outside of their homes.

He said: "It is all part of Christmas isn't it?"

IS your house a Christmas tourist attraction or have you seen a local home which can rival the decorated houses featured tonight? Contact the BEN newsdesk on 361270.