Coronavirus hasn’t dampened the Christmas spirit in Thornton Heath with residents and volunteers ensuring the festive spirit is alive and well.

Residents have been pulling out the all the stops to create Christmas cheer decorating their houses with lights and decorations.

The Thornton Heath Community Action Team were also busy on Saturday putting up Thornton Heath’s Christmas tree outside the station.

This year’s tree, which THCAT has provided for the last six years, even has a selfie arch so you can take your picture with the tree as the back drop!

Thornton Heath’s councillors also paid for new lights to decorate the High Street.

For 20 years The Dellaway family have been bringing a smile to the faces of hundreds of local children with their Christmas lights display at their Whitehall Road house. This year’s decorations feature over 10,000 bulbs, 52 Christmas tree, an eight foot inflatable Santa and inflatable reindeers.

The display is lit up from 4.30pm to 10.30pm until January 1 but if it is raining there are no inflatables outside.

There is also a map of all the local Christmas displays to take your children to which David Dellaway has compiled and can be viewed via the Thornton Heath Local Facebook page.

This Christmas to decorate the High Street Thornton Heath ward councillors Karen Jewitt, Pat Clouder and Callton Young decided to purchase instead of renting the lights from their combined Community Ward Budgets, as it seemed more prudent and would mean they are there for future years.

Cllr Karen Jewitt said: “It seems life for us has been standing still for the past year. We hope 2021 will bring us change and take us back to ‘normal’ 

“Although to some lights might seem trivial in these times it is good to have a bit of cheer around the area, going by the comments from residents they are appreciated.  The tree from the Thornton Heath Action Team will also add some colour and festive spirit.  We wish you all a Merry Christmas and most of all a healthy and prosperous New Year to you, your family and friends.”