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'I just want to make people smile'

The Woodley couple attached around 6,000 fairy lights to a van

A man who decorated a van with thousands of Christmas lights with his partner has said he wanted to "put a smile on people's faces".

Scott Dickens and Katie Clarke, who live in Woodley, Berkshire, "spent hours" adorning the vehicle with 6,000 fairy lights, a 7ft inflatable dinosaur and a bubble machine.

Mr Dickens drives around the local area in the van and said the reaction had been "heart-warming".

"To see some of those children's faces light up... they've never seen anything like it before," he said.

Scott Dickens A photo of the side of the van while the decorating was half-done. The front side door has lights on, but the rear door does not.Scott Dickens
It took 10 hours to attach all the lights

Mr Dickens said he and Ms Clarke had to draw out a plan to make sure they could attach all the lights and still open the doors.

"People just think you chuck a lot of lights on the van and drive around [but] you have to plan it," he said.

The lights are held on with duct tape and powered by an inverter. In total it took the couple 10 hours and cost £210, Mr Dickens said.

He said he thought about having an inflatable Santa on top, but settled on the dinosaur instead because he "wanted to be different".

'Magical'

Whilst Mr Dickens conceded it was not "everyone's cup of tea", he said he was blown away by the reaction from the local community.

"I didn't know it would get this much attention," he said.

"People think it's magical and wonderful."

And there have been some other unexpected side effects.

"People let me go at junctions," he said.

"I don't have traffic anymore."

Scott Dickens The van parked in a fast food restaurant car park at night, showing how the rainbow lights cover every inch of it apart from the windows, windscreen and headlights.Scott Dickens
The fairy lights are attached to the van with duct tape

So far, Mr Dickens has taken his van to Windsor, Woodley, and on a four-hour charity parade through places including Tadley and Reading.

He plans to be out and about every day over the Christmas period - including Christmas Day - and into the New Year.

After that, he said he would take the lights down and repair the damage the tape had done to his paintwork - but he would be back.

"I'm going to go bigger next year," he said.

"It wouldn't even bother me if I spent my last penny on it... I want to just be happy."

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