Inkberrow couple's 1970s tree becomes Christmas attraction

Avril Rowlands and her tree raised more than £3,000 for charity last year

A Worcestershire couple who raise thousands of pounds every year with their giant Christmas tree say they could not bring themselves to stop.

Avril and Chris Rowlands, from Inkberrow, planted the tree when they moved into their house in 1978.

As it grew, so have the number of lights needed and they said it now takes half a day to check the bulbs.

A crowd turned out for their switch-on event on Saturday which included fireworks and a vintage roundabout.

This year the couple said they would collect for the Caring Hands in the Vale charity, which helps people who are homeless or on low incomes, and raised £650 on the night.

Mr Rowlands said they started out with just six lights in the 1970s but they need the help of a cherry-picker to attach the highest ones now.

The tree in the Rowlands' garden is now more than 50ft (15m) tall

The tree stands just over 50ft (15m) high and needs more than 1,000 lights.

They use traditional bulbs, bought from the nearby Severn Valley Railway, instead of LEDs and said their electricity bill goes up sharply in December.

Mrs Rowlands said: "A couple of years ago the electricity company got in touch and said: 'Your bill is through the roof is there anything we can do to help?'"

But she said the reaction from her fellow villagers made it all worthwhile and it was a comfort to people during Covid, when people told her it was "a beacon of hope".

"We couldn't live in the village and not do it," she said.