Appeal to replace disabled man's stolen Christmas lights

An online fundraising appeal is aiming to raise £500 to replace the stolen lights

A community has launched a fundraiser to replace Christmas lights stolen from the home of a severely disabled man.

Thieves stripped the decorations from the house in Wednesbury, West Midlands, on 19 November.

Karen Davis, the mother of Callum, 21, said she was shocked when she found them missing and said her son struggled to understand why they had disappeared.

Mrs Davis said she was "overwhelmed" to find out the fundraising page had been set up.

She explained the family had built the display up over a number of years, because her son, who has learning difficulties and is visually impaired, can only make out shapes and lights and seemed to like the decorations.

Callum Davis has learning difficulties and is visually impaired, but enjoys Christmas lights, his mother said

"When he gets off the bus he usually reaches for them", she said.

"He understands they're not there, but doesn't understand someone stole them."

Mrs Davis said she was in tears when she went to put the rubbish out in the morning and found all the decorations had been removed.

She said: "He doesn't get a lot of pleasure out a lot of things, it feels like they've robbed a disabled person."

Mrs Davis said she was "very upset" for a number of days after the theft of the lights

Mrs Davis' cousin, Sarah Ludlow, set up the online fundraising page, which has so far raised more than £400.

She said: "Callum's mom went to a great effort to make her house lovely and festive for her severely disabled son, and some scum stole the whole lot from the house."

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Mrs Davis said the appeal had come as a surprise to her and thanked everyone who had donated.

She said the family was "quite touched" by their generosity towards her son, who she said "is quite well known in the area".