Boy, six, to walk 10 miles dressed as elf for Christmas lights fund

The volunteers say Billy "so wants" to help bring Christmas lights back to the village

A woman and her six-year-old son are walking 10 miles (16km) around their village to raise money for Christmas lights.

Eve and Billy will take to the streets of Pleasley, Derbyshire, on Sunday, dressed as elves.

They have raised more than £1,300 in sponsorship so far.

Eve, 41, said the community has missed out on so much during the pandemic and she hoped the lights would "bring magic back" to the village.

'Little legs'

Eve said a group of volunteers is trying to get the village's Christmas lights reinstated after they stopped being put up in the square ten years ago.

She said she and Billy had the fundraising idea following a fancy dress day at his school.

She added the 10-mile route will be the longest walk her son has done.

The community hopes that the return of the Christmas lights will be a reward for the children.

"They took [the pandemic] so much in their stride," said Eve.

"They couldn't go and play in the playground, they couldn't do school trips, nativity plays - we didn't get any of that."

She added she was so grateful for the support she and Billy had had.

"We didn't expect it to go as mad as it did," she said.

Some of the money, she added, had been donated in memory of loved ones lost during the pandemic.

Gemma Lennane from the Pleasley Lights Committee said the original lights had suffered due to vandalism.

The group of volunteers had planned to restart the display before Covid hit, leaving them unable to raise the funds.

"We needed to raise £10,000 and Eve and Billy have brought us over the line," she said.

"It's lovely to have his support - he's only got little legs but he so wants to do this. It's great."