Hereford House given helping hand

3:10pm Tuesday 14th October 2008

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FOR the past four years a Hereford house has been turned into a Christmas attraction with a blow-up Father Christmas and Beauty and the Beast among its star turns.

But a slight mix-up in the measurements meant that a crane had to be used to lift this year’s centre piece – an eight-feet long Thomas the Tank Engine – into position.

Gwyn Price, of Kempton Avenue, Bobblestock, realised that the train was a couple of inches too big and would not go over a meter box into the front garden.

So a crane, from Power Plant Hire, in Westfields Trading Estate, was used to lift the train from the back garden into place.

“Every year we have something different, so we decided to have Thomas the Tank Engine this year,” said Mr Price.

“But I misjudged the measurements and couldn’t get it into the front garden, so the only option was to get a crane to lift it over.”

The train was built by Mr Price and his cousin Jim Hayward and took two months to complete.

The display also features Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, an igloo, and a display of lights.

All money raised goes towards CLIC Sargent Caring for Children with Cancer with more than £8,000 raised in the past four years.

Three years ago, a money box left out for people to donate to the charity was stolen by thieves.

“It actually made people more generous, so the bad publicity came good for us,” said Mr Price.

“We now have a letterbox that is nailed to the fence so it cannot be stolen.”

This year’s display is expected to be all in place for a special opening ceremony on November 29. The lights will remain on until Christmas Eve.