Christmas-mad family turn OFF jaw-dropping festive display that took 11 months to create after enraged neighbours reduced his autistic daughter to tears in row over parking
- Darren Lucas, 54, spent 11 months creating the festive Christmas light display
- Row erupted over parking on their street in Govilon, Abergavenny, South Wales
- He said neighbours hurled abuse and reduced his autistic daughter to tears
- Display is to raise funds for autism as four members of his family have condition
A family were forced to switch off a Christmas lights display that took 11 months to create after enraged neighbours reduced their autistic daughter to tears in a row over parking.
Dad Darren Lucas, 54, put months of effort into creating the Christmas display at the family home in Govilon, near Abergavenny, South Wales.
He planted 17 fir trees outside his home – known as Christmas House – in preparation for the festive season, when it was adorned with a dazzling array of lights and props.
But he says angry residents complained and some hurled abuse at him after a row erupted over street parking after visitors flocked to see the display.
The volunteers who helped organise the festive light show were also targeted, and his severely autistic daughter was reduced to tears after one resident told her to ‘speak properly’.
Dad Darren Lucas, 54, put months of effort into creating the Christmas display (pictured) at the family home in Govilon, near Abergavenny, South Wales
But he was forced to turn off the Christmas display after a row erupted over parking, leading his neighbours to hurl abuse at the family, he says, and reduce his autistic daughter to tears
Darren has also been subjected to online abuse and described messages he received about his family as ‘disgusting,’ Wales Online reports.
‘Some people can be cruel,’ Darren wrote on Facebook. ‘Our neighbours are amazing but you get the odd one that does nothing but cause trouble.
‘They just wanted an argument and constanty abused my children… they reduced my daughter to tears and she don’t (sic) usually cry but found the abuse too much.’
Darren put up the display to raise cash for One Life Autism Support Group because four members of his family have the condition.
They have collected more than £1,500 for the charity while following social distancing guidelines.
The row was sparked by some neighbours being unable to park along the street due to the sheer number of visitors stopping to see the Christmas light display
Darren says visitors were also asked to wear masks and follow a one-way system but some neighbours were not happy.
‘We had some complaints [that] residents couldn’t park in the street,’ Darren said.
The row was sparked by some neighbours being unable to park along the street due to the sheer number of visitors stopping to see the Christmas light display
Darren put up the display, whcih includes a log cabin for Santa (pictured), to raise cash for One Life Autism Support Group because four members of his family have the condition
He added: ‘We have had members of the public abused and spat at, we have had people rowing with the residents.
‘It is not everyone but a small minority.’
The Christmas display has taken the Lucas family a whole year to set up in a bid to raise awareness of autism.
The diaplay also includes an inflatable snowman and a log cabin for Santa.
He said: ‘We have been planning it all year.
‘In January we planted Christmas trees all around the garden – 17 of them. We built fences, we built a log cabin.
‘People think we are mad but we want the garden to look like Christmas. People known us as the Christmas house.
‘We didn’t realise how big it was until we started to light it all up. My son, all year he’s been scouring the internet looking at America where he can find unusual things.’
The family then hoped to move the display to a public place before restrictions in Wales changed and banned outdoor attractions.
Darren added: ‘We just feel so sad we have worked all year to do this. All I want to do is get the message out there for autism awareness.’