RESIDENTS on the Castle Mead development in Trowbridge are to present a £1,500 cheque to their local branch of the Royal British Legion.

The move follows a spectacular Christmas lights display that saw five households club together to install a Christmas display using a phenomenal 17,000 festive lights and characters.

The residents in Thirsk Drive took two days to install the lights, using 58 plugs, to produce a display that outshone most in Trowbridge.

Organiser Stewart Benford, of the Castle Mead Residents Group, said: "We thought it would be amazing if we raised £100 from residents but we actually raised £500. People are already looking forward to this year's lights.

"Cheekily I wrote to Persimmon Homes at New Year telling our story to see if they could contribute and I was advised to apply via their Community Champion charities division.

"I was overwhelmed by the request of £1,000 being met in full, meaning we now have £1,500 for the Royal British Legion."

The residents who took part were Mr Benford and his wife Sarah, Kelly and David Horton, Matthew and Hayley High, Stuart Chapman and Bill and Jill Sherman.

Mr Benford added: "Bill and Jill are ex-army and normally collect for the Poppy Appeal but they were unable to do it last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We chose this charity with so many military people living in Castle Mead and with the absence of most poppy collections."

Mr Benford is now trying to arrange a cheque presentation to members of the Trowbridge RBL branch.

He said: "I’m due to receive the cheque early next month to present to Trowbridge branch. We are now talking through plans for this year for the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

"We have built up the collection of lights over the years and put them up every year.

“It is such a pleasure to see so many families each evening enjoying our Christmas lights display.

"It's nice to stand and watch the people who come by each evening. We do it for our own benefit but it gives so much pleasure to the people who stop to look."