Kibworth Christmas bale sculpture raises money for the air ambulance

Nearly half of the Kibworth display's 4,500 lights are on the tree

A 40ft-long (12m) Christmas sculpture has been made out of bales of hay on a Leicestershire farm to raise money for charity.

The 23-bale creation at Little Stacks Day Nursery on White Stacks Farm features reindeer, Santa's sleigh and a 20ft (6m) tall Christmas tree.

Nursery owner Emma-leigh Vickers said the children counted down to switch on the 4,500-light display.

She is asking people to donate to the local air ambulance service.

Ms Vickers said: "As we are in strange times right now, we wanted to do something this year to make Christmas time that bit more festive and raise money for a charity that is close to our hearts."

Material for the sculpture is donated by local farmers

Her partner Tom Moore, who helped to put it together, said: "We do it for the children at the nursery.

"Last year a little girl was upset because we didn't put one up."

He said materials for the festive creation had been donated by local farmers.

Mr Moore said they chose to raise money for Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance Service because it was "most likely they would be called to a farming accident".

He said the displays had raised hundreds of pounds for the charity since they began in 2015.